“I saw my fairy book lying in the ash, where I had left it. I picked it up, opened it to the page where my Fairy Godmother was painted so clearly, and that is when I remembered my mother’s dress and the Godmother’s glass slippers. I thought for sure, they would bring me luck.
“And did they?”
“Absolutely,” the Queen said as she batted her eyes at the King.
“I ran as quickly as I could up to my room and changed into my dress and slippers.”
“I have no doubt that you were stunning,” Victor said, almost flirting.
“She was indeed,” agreed the King, chiming in.
“After you were dressed, how on earth did you get to the ball? The Countess and her girls had already left in the carriage,” said Victor.
“That was the most amazing part of the evening. I was prepared to walk all the way to the castle but when I stepped out of the house the most enchanting coach was waiting for me.”
“This could not be the famous pumpkin carriage, could it?”
“The very one,” said the Queen breathlessly, and grabbed Victor’s forearm with excitement. “I had never seen its equal in craftsmanship or stature. It was small enough that only I could fit into it, but I rested comfortably on the finely-cushioned seat. I knew then that my Godmother was watching over me.
“Before I knew it, I was whisked off to the castle.”
“Who was driving this fine coach for you?”
“Who do you think?” she barked at the impertinence of the question.
Victor turned and looked at Claire with a sly expression on his face. Walking away from the Queen and towards Claire, he said, “I am sorry, Your Majesty, I did not mean to interrupt your thoughts. Please tell me more.”
“When the carriage pulled up to the front gate I said that I would be back by midnight. Everyone else would be getting out of the ball closer to one and I wanted time to make it home before my stepmother arrived.”
“Fascinating.”
“The party began long before I got there. I was sure that I had already missed the dancing, when, out of nowhere, a kind man came up to me and asked me to dance.”
She gestured to the King.
King Fabian rose. “I had been introduced to so many boorish people that night,” he said, moving towards the Queen. “Including your stepsisters, my dear.”
The King took her hand in his and kissed it. “But when this blushing beauty stepped into the back of the room, I noticed her instantly. So when I rushed up to her so immediately, I do not think she even knew who I was.”
The Queen batted her eyes. “Not many girls are asked to dance with such a handsome man.”
“You are not just any girl, my dear. You are my wife.”
“You did not know that then,” the Queen argued.
Victor stepped back and allowed the King and Queen to reenact their night of dancing.
“What happened next?” Victor asked, not allowing them to get too wrapped up in their nostalgia.
“What did happen next?” the King repeated, trying to recall.
“The clock bell rang,” said the Queen, reminding him.
“Yes, that dreadful clock bell,” said the King, and then looked at Victor. “I had the bells removed shortly after that night.”
The Queen put a finger on his lips to silence him. Her smile slowly faded as the memory took hold.
“I broke away from him. All I remember saying is, ‘I have not met the Prince yet.’ Bang— one, two, three . . .
“He tried to say something to me but all I could hear were the bells ringing. So I ran. I ran as quickly as I could while the bells continued to scream at me. Four, five, six . . .
“I moved through the ballroom and the entrance hall. Seven, eight, nine.
“I finally made it to the front stair and out the entrance gate to my small pumpkin carriage. The door was already open, ready for my great escape. But I was startled by all of the voices shouting behind me.”
“I tried to get them to stop you. I did not want you to get away,” the King confessed.
The Queen did not break from her trance to acknowledge what the King had said. “I fell. Not hard, but I did hit the ground. I staggered to my feet and continued forward. I could hear the loud shouting starting to blend in with the bells. Ten, eleven. Everything was upon me. Then . . . twelve.”
The Queen looked up at Claire and locked eyes with her. “I made it. I was back in my carriage, rushing home. I did not realize until I got out of the carriage that my slipper was missing.”
The King moved to the Queen’s side and grabbed her hand again. “I sent her slipper with the magistrate to all the ladies of the land in search of her.”
“That could have taken quite some time, Your Highness. How did you find her so quickly?” Victor asked.
“To this day, I do not know how he got through the gate, but this beggar came in and said he knew where I could find my mysterious guest.”
“A beggar told you this? And you believed him?”
“I was so desperate to find her, I did not care who told me,” admitted the King. “Besides, I have found him to be a trustworthy advisor ever since.”
Victor looked back at Claire, not understanding.
Then, the King pointed to the Captain. “Captain Michael Blanc.”
The Captain stepped forward proudly.
“Michael?” Claire repeated.
“Michael is my first name,” the Captain said and glared at her with a knowing look.
“I see,” said Claire, starting to put more pieces together.
“You see?” the Queen quickly followed.
Claire didn’t respond. Her eyes were looking the Captain over as the story Genevieve told earlier was coming back to her. An odd silence fell throughout the room.
“Well?” shouted the Queen.
Victor threw his hands up, gesturing to both the King and Queen. “Mademoiselle Du Bois sees that the Countess could never be telling us the truth about you. Your Majesty, you are the finest woman I have had the pleasure to meet, and it excites me that you have found your king. I am very happy for you both.”
“Thank you,” the Queen said, a little breathless. “Now that you have met me and heard my side, I believe that you will see my stepmother in a new light.”
Breaking from her trance, Claire stepped forward. “Meeting you has certainly put things into perspective for me.”
The King and Queen made their way back to their seats. A squire rushed out with a bowl of hot water and the Queen washed her hands ceremoniously like she had done the night before.
Once she was finished, she stated, “Now, I wish for you to pack your things and leave the Mon Reve immediately. If you do not, I will make things very difficult for you both.”
Victor and Claire bowed. “Understood, Your Majesty.”
“Captain, please show them out,” said the King.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Captain and the two foreigners quickly made their way across the room and out the main doors.
Chapter 18
“The Masked Ball”
Claire looked curiously at the Captain as he sat down in the carriage across from Victor and her before it started to journey back to the Mon Reve Chateau.
“Why did you not tell me you are Michael?” Claire questioned.
“You did not ask,” said the Captain simply, looking out the window at the castle.
“You did not go to the masked ball to get reacquainted with Paris. You went to get reacquainted with Genevieve.”
“Are they not one in the same?” He said and looked directly at Claire. She could now see the years of torment resting uneasily in his eyes.
“Which one of you is going to enlighten me on what is going?” said Victor, cutting in.
“This is the man that Genevieve asked me to help her find. The Captain and she have been in love since they were children. The Countess separated them and now he is back to get Genevieve,” explained Claire
.
The Captain leaned forward in his seat. “Genevieve asked you to find me?”
“Thank you for clearing all that up for me,” replied Victor, unmoved. “Please continue with your discussion.”
Claire leaned towards the Captain. “Are you coming with us to the Countess's?”
“The King and Queen did want me to see you out. I do believe they meant the country, not just the castle.”
“Of course they did,” Victor said, nudging Claire in the arm. “Claire is the biggest threat to France since England.”
The Captain stared blankly at Victor, unmoved by his sarcasm, and then shifted his attention to Claire. “How is it that the Countess brought you here?”
Claire stared back at him questioningly, but then slid her hand into her satchel. Rummaging around in it, finally she produced a small envelope with the Countess De Leon’s seal on the outside.
“I want to read this to you, but you have to understand that there is some very sensitive material in here that I do not wish to be common knowledge,” said Claire.
The Captain took her hand in confidence. “You have my word.”
Claire could feel the weight of Victor’s disapproving eyes land on her. She slowly slid her hand out of the Captain’s. Pulling the letter from the envelope she read:
Dear Mademoiselle Du Bois, or should I address you as the Baron C. Dupree?
If you have not realized by the seal on the envelope, I am the Countess De Leon, the Queen’s very own evil stepmother. It has been quite some time since I have spoken to anyone outside my estate, so I will be brief. I would very much appreciate it if you came to visit me here at my home on Saturday next.
I believe I can tell you things that would pique the interest of even the dullest mind. I will explain myself further upon your arrival. Know that you are the only one I will talk to. Otherwise, my secrets will accompany me to my grave.
I do hope you come. I have been looking forward to meeting you ever since I have learned of your identity. Especially because, whether you know it or not, you have quite a past here in France. One I am very sure you would like to know more about. See you Saturday next.
Sincerely,
The Countess De Leon
Upon finishing, Claire folded the letter back up neatly into the envelope and returned it to her satchel.
“She is a fierce creature,” the Captain acknowledged. “She has to be after all she has been through.”
“Now it is I who has a question for you, Captain,” Claire countered.
The Captain bowed his head for her to continue.
Reaching back into her bag, Claire pulled out the emerald ring. “I noticed the Queen became very agitated when she saw this last night. She would not say what it was about this ring that bothered her so, but she was clearly upset by its presence.”
The Captain took it from her and examined it closely. “I do not recognize it.”
“Green is the color all love in their sight, but not she who hates it with all her spite,” Claire uttered. She too, was scrutinizing the ring that rested perfectly in the Captain’s hand.
“Josephine said that when she handed the ring to me. I believe that she was referring to the Queen.”
“Josephine is out of her mind,” Victor scoffed.
“I disagree. She seems to know things, it is just—no one can seem to completely understand her riddles.”
Victor rolled his eyes until they looked out the window at the dense forest the carriage was moving through.
“Mademoiselle Du Bois, you will not have much time with the Countess upon your return,” the Captain noted. “I will be back with my guard shortly, to see you out.”
A prolonged silence fell as Claire continued to look at the ring.
“Then we will need to hurry,” she said, with understanding.
“We will return in the morning, and if you have not presented by then . . .”
“What? You will arrest us?” said Victor, annoyed.
“No, we will arrest—”
“—The Countess,” Claire finished.
The carriage came to a halt. Botley was waiting just outside for them. The old butler’s face remained ever-pleasant as he opened the door and helped Claire out.
Botley looked into the carriage. “Captain, it has been some time since you have been here.”
From what Claire could see, the Captain’s eyes popped. “I know.”
Botley’s head shifted to Victor. “Monsieur Krouse.”
Victor began to get out when the Captain grabbed his arm and whispered something in his ear. Claire couldn’t make it out but saw Victor’s lips curve into a contented smile.
After Victor hopped out of the backseat, the Captain leaned towards Botley. Though as his lips parted, Botley cut him off, “Good day, Captain.” Then he shut the door in his face.
“What did the Captain say to you?” Claire whispered to Victor with curiosity.
Victor kept his eyes on the carriage as it made its way off the grounds. “Nothing of importance.”
“Victor Krouse, I know that smirk you had just now. He must have said something to you-”
No more could be said because Botley turned to face them. The pleasantness he had displayed moments earlier was now replaced with a disapproving look.
“The Countess would like to speak to both of you,” Botley said, distress lingering in his voice.
“I am sure she would,” said Claire. “I do have a few questions of my own.”
As Botley brushed past her, he said, “She thought you might.”
***
“I told you not to leave this estate, did I not?” the Countess scolded them.
Sitting in her chair, the Countess dropped an envelope with the royal seal on the desk in front of Claire.
Claire quickly scooped it into her hands and read it out loud.
To the Countess De Leon,
I am quite aware of the unwanted guests staying with you. By unwanted guests, I mean they are your guests and I do not want them there. They are to leave immediately from your residence. Failure to do so will result in punishment.
Sincerely,
Queen Isabella
Claire’s eyes shot up to the Countess. The refined woman pulled out her hand-carved pipe and lit it.
“Do you think she is serious?” Claire asked.
“You already know the answer to that question.”
Victor stepped in, “You do not seem too troubled by the news.”
“Isabella has been wanting an excuse to lock me up for years. Now she has one,” the Countess sighed. “The only reason I brought you up here is because I am sure you have more questions for me.”
“I do,” Claire jumped on the statement.
The Countess gestured with her hand for Claire to ask.
“I really want to know about the night of the ball. We started talking about it before I went to the castle. I would like you to finish.”
Taking a few puffs from her pipe, the Countess leaned back in her chair, her fingers interlacing one another.
“I told Isabella she could go that night to the ball. After all, she was an eligible woman with good fortune. But when the time came to leave, she was nowhere to be found.”
Claire’s eyes searched the room and finally landed on the Countess's cane leaning against the wall.
“Did you even try to look for her?”
“What was the point? I have never seen a girl disappear so much. I figured she had changed her mind. So, Josephine, Genevieve, and I left.
“The ball was quite grand. I even saw the spot where Count Daughtry slid that silly carnation over my shoulder. Being there after so many years brought back many memories, most of which I was not prepared for.
“I quickly rushed the girls into the entrance hall, not wanting to get caught up in times past. A long line of women stood in the middle of the ballroom. One by one they were being introduced to Prince Fabian. If he liked them, he would present them with a rose and wou
ld dance with them later that evening.
“However, looking around the room, I noticed that not a single girl had received a rose. I could almost swear that I saw the Prince yawn a time or two. This did not instill a whole lot of confidence in me that my girls would be any different.
“The night wore on and the line thinned when music began to play. People started dancing throughout the room but not one of them with the Prince. I watched him closely. He did not seem to like any kind of girl, because girls of all shapes and sizes came before him. I think, now, that he was just trying to defy his father.
“Anyway, the Prince sat on his throne watching the festivities when something caught his eye. He moved quickly across the room to a corner. The music stopped and people watched him. A girl, who was hard to distinguish with all the people impeding my view, had wrapped her arm inside the Prince’s and they began to dance.
“I could hear the gossip fly like wildfire through the court, ‘Who is this girl?’
“I, too, wondered the same question until my eyes landed on the glass slippers. I think my heart skipped a beat. I could not confirm that it was indeed Isabella before the two disappeared out to a private balcony.”
“The Queen did tell us a very similar story, though, I believe she thinks you never noticed her,” Claire said.
“Who could not notice her? She was the first girl the Prince even paid attention to.”
“Did you see her at the castle again that night?”
“No, I did not. After the party, I went home to find her door locked. I thought for sure I had just imagined the whole thing.”
“Understandable if you saw her for only a second . . .” Victor pointed out.
“It was not until the next morning when a squire and the Magistrate showed up at my front door with the glass slipper that I knew I was not wrong in believing Isabella was there.
“They asked if my daughters would try on the shoe, though they take after their father in having big feet. They asked me if any other ladies were in the house. I said ‘no’ because I thought for sure Isabella would be out in the woods washing her dress.
“But when the Magistrate made his way to the door, Isabella’s voice rang through the room. ‘Here I am.’ They turned to see the ash-covered girl making her way down the stairs.
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