“Oh, for Heavens Cindy!”
This child was bent on being the death of me. I shooed her back up the stairs and leapt down the last few steps, racing for the stables as I heard the third strike. Cindy’s driver was lounging outside with the hostlers and other coachmen.
“Fernand! Cinderella has to leave NOW! Get the carriage!”
He sped off and I waited there, trying to catch my breath. One of the hostlers was looking at me curiously. I turned my head and actually looked at him and gasped.
“Gustav!”
I ran to my brother and hugged him tightly at the fourth strike. He was taller than me by at least a head. He looked very much like Papa had the last time I had seen him. His hair was wavy and dark and his eyes were a deep brown. He had Mama’s nose and he smiled my own smile at me.
“Can it really be you, my sister? I haven’t seen you since I was no more than a lad! Why, it was when Snow White was no more than nine, yes?”
I nodded and hugged him tighter. It had been at least ten years since I had seen him. The clock struck again and I jumped back as Cindy’s carriage pulled up.
‘Gustav, I must fly! I will find you again, I promise!
I jumped onto the side railing and Fernand sped off.
Cindy was just turning away from the prince and rushing down the stairs as we pulled up. I jumped down and opened the door for her. I heard the clock strike again and looked at Cindy frantically; she was halfway down and struggling with one of her glass slippers. She started as the clock struck and down she went.
She rolled end of end down the steps of the palace. I could only stare, mouth agape, as she showed her bloomers to the prince and I. she landed at my feet on her rump. I yanked her up and nearly threw her into the carriage as the clock struck again.
“Go Fernand! Go with the wind!”
We blasted out the palace gates and down the road. Cinderella was red in the face. Her hair was rumpled and her dress was positively ruined. I sighed.
‘Well, Cindy, did you enjoy yourself at least?”
Her face lit up like a ballroom. “Oh, Joella, yes! I had the most magnificent time! I danced with the prince the entire night! Oh, Joella, if you only knew! I’ve never had such fun!”
I noticed the carriage shrinking. Fernand pulled to a stop and ushered us from within. Cindy’s dress was diminishing, as were my clothes. Fernand livery was changing back to tatters. The carriage returned to its pumpkin size.
I picked up the pumpkin, took Fernand and Cindy each by an arm, and led them home.
The next day, all those damned step-sisters could do was nag nag nag about how the prince had kept his attention on one maiden all night! How dare he! I shook my head every time I heard this. Cindy was walking around positively glowing for another week at least.
A week after the ball, someone knocked loudly on the door calling, “Royal message for any maidens of the house!”
I opened the door. I gasped and hugged the man. It was none other than Gustav yet again!
“Joella! Whatever are you doing hugging the princes messenger? Get you dirty hands off of him!”
The step-mother’s voice shrilled at me from the staircase. I let go of Gustav and said, “Lady, my brother brings a message from the prince. It is for the young ladies of the house. Shall I call them?”
Her dark eyes bored into me. I resisted her. ‘No need,” she trilled, “they heard the summons. My daughters are on their way down.”
The girls came down and I motioned to Cinderella to stay in the doorway of the kitchen to listen.
Gustav cleared his throat and read: “By royal order of His majesty prince Cradley, each maiden who attended the royal ball a week past is to try on this shoe,” he pulled a glass slipper from his pocket,” and whomsoever fits it, shall be seen immediately by the prince. Further measure will be taken from there.”
I heard Cindy gasp as the shoe was brought into view. She nearly dropped her water bucket. Gustav marched inside and knelt before Consuella. She lifted her foot and placed it into the slipper. Her foot was much too long to fit inside such a dainty shoe. She huffed and ran upstairs. Gustav moved to Rosemarie. Her foot was extremely too fat to even get two toes in the shoe.
Gustav turned to me next. The stepmother sniffed. ‘Don’t be ridiculous sir! Joella did not attend the ball! She was home cleaning! I suggest you move on….”
“Mam’selle, I know my sister when I see her and I DID see her the night of the ball. She WAS there, therefore I MUST try the shoe on her.”
She huffed and left the room. I knelt down to Gustav and said, “Brother, you know it was not I who slipped the shoe. I was there, true, but, yon maiden in the doorway is the one who left the shoe, see? She has a bruise on her arm from toppling down the steps. Come and try the shoe Cindy.”
She set down her bucket and walked over to me, trembling. Gustav fitted the shoe on her foot perfectly. He gasped and jumped up.
‘I shall return in a moment!”
He ran out the door. I could see him at the carriage he had pulled up in. He opened the passenger door and talked to someone within. Then, he stepped aside and out came the prince in all his finery! I caught Cindy under the elbows to keep her from fainting.
Gustav came back in and bowed the prince inside. I heard a scream from upstairs. Rosemarie had been watching. The prince didn’t even flinch.
He took Cindy’s hand in his. “Dear maiden, can it be? Are you the fair lady I danced the night away with until you fled at midnight? Indeed it is! I recognize those eyes! I have come to ask you to marry me.”
This time I couldn’t catch her. She really did faint. The step mother fell against the wall as the prince went to one knee.
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