22. The Color of the Sky on a Cold October Day
The Color of the Sky on a Cold October Day
Istared at my stepmother, unable to accept what she was saying.
“So if you ever want to ride your horse again,” she continued, a small smile on her lips, “then go take off that ridiculous dress and crown and stay with Trudy tonight.” And with that, she walked away.
Fury pulsed through me as I watched her go.
She knew what she was doing. Just as she had done with my father, she was doing everything in her power to assert dominance.
It had often occurred to me after his death that he might have died of a broken heart.
He’d been young and healthy–the unlikeliest of candidates to fall prey to a heart attack.
After losing my mother, however, he’d joined himself to a ruthless harpy with a pretty face and a good eye for horses. And he’d never been the same again.
But I wasn’t about to be cowed into submission, I thought as I stomped back into the house and changed clothes. I would just need… help.
Casey, who was still waiting for Harper, it seemed, smiled with satisfaction when I reemerged from my room in jeans and a flannel shirt.
I glared at her before stomping back out, hoping she would buy my act of submission.
For while I was every bit as angry with her as I appeared to be, I was in no way about to play her little game.
The first thing I did as soon as Casey’s car pulled away from the house was to call Derrick.
“Ella!” Derrick sounded somewhat alarmed when he answered my call. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the ball?”
“About that,” I grumbled. Then I told him what Casey had threatened.
“Oh, I don’t think so,” he growled when I was done. “My best friend’s daughter is not missing a ball for that. Hold on, darlin’. Just let me grab my coat. Brianna’s already at the ball with her boyfriend, but I can be there in ten minutes.”
It was decided that as soon as Trudy had her baby and was safe, he would sneak Nevada’s equipment out to the trailer. Then he would wait for me to come back and join him so he could take her as well. As long as I was careful not to stay too long, it should all flow like clockwork.
While he made his way over, I went back into the house to change into my costume.
Which was no longer anywhere to be found.
I searched for five minutes before realizing that it was definitely not anywhere in my room.
I was about to go check out my stepmother’s room when I had a sudden hunch.
Running back to my room, I pulled the storybook out and found the last page. And groaned.
Sure enough, the stepmother had taken the girl’s dress and shredded it to pieces so she couldn’t go to the ball.
Which meant it was time to call Margaret. Because the more time I spent in that storybook, the more I realized she had a very particular role to play in it.
“Margaret?” I asked as soon as she answered the phone. “You know how you said to ask if I ever needed help?”
Margaret’s answer was sharp. “What’s wrong?”
“Long story short, my stepmother tried to leave me at home by threatening to kick me out without my belongings or my horse if I went to the ball. She wants me to stay with a horse in labor.”
“Like cake she does,” Margaret muttered. “Does she know Asher’s here?”
“She definitely does. I got Derrick to cover the horse in labor, but apparently, she’s destroyed my dress.”
I expected Margaret to respond with another angry retort. But to my surprise, this only made her laugh. “Well, is that all? I’ll be right over. Have everything else ready!”
By the time Margaret arrived, Derrick was with Trudy in the barn, my boxes were beside the door for him to load into the back of his truck, and I was hopping up and down from one foot to the other in nervous anticipation. She was driving her book delivery truck.
“All right,” she said, opening the back of the truck. “I didn’t have much time to throw this together. But it should do in a pinch.” And with that, she withdrew the most magnificent ballgown I had ever seen.
The skirt of the dress was full, and it was a blue the color of the sky on a cold October day.
Countless layers of gauzy, glittery fabric were layered on top of that vivid blue, and there were even more layers beneath the skirt, making it look like the dress was floating over the ground.
The bodice had dozens of crystals sewn into it that perfectly matched my tiara–though how Margaret would have known about that, I hadn’t a clue.
“Margaret,” I breathed. “It’s… incredible! How did you–”
“And it’s also getting late!” She hurried me inside. “Quick! We haven’t a moment to lose!”
Five minutes later, I was not only in the dress but Margaret had laced up the ribbons on the back so that the gown fit me like a glove.
“Now,” Margaret ordered, “get Asher’s tiara!”
I had a quick moment of panic, thinking that perhaps Casey had stolen that too, until I nearly tripped on it where it must have fallen on the floor.
“There.” Margaret took the tiara and placed it on my head with a look of smug satisfaction. “It’s too bad that woman won’t see you tonight. I would pay to see the look on her face if she did. Now drink this.” She shoved a cup of steaming tea at me. When had she had the time to brew that?
I frowned but sipped obediently. “She won’t see me?”
“No. If she happens to look your way, you’ll be turning away, and she’ll never catch a full glimpse of your face.”
I shook my head. “But how–”
“As long as you drink the tea, the spell will last. In fact, they should all last…” She paused and twisted her mouth thoughtfully. “Until midnight. Then they’ll begin to lose their potency.”
I blinked at her. “Wait, what spell?”
She glanced at her watch and shuddered. “But it’s ten already, which means you’ve got to go!” She started to turn, then looked down at my boots. “Ella, really!”
I threw my hands up. “Margaret, I’m riding my horse to the lodge! I can’t wear six-inch heels!”
Margaret scoffed and shook her head. But a moment later, to my amazement, the boots lost their thick crust of mud and dust and instead began to glitter as dozens of sparkling gems that matched my tiara now encrusted their edges.
I gaped. “Margaret, did you…”
“Go get on that horse, child, or you’re going to lose the entire evening!”
It took me a moment to get over the shock of watching my boots grow a garden of diamonds, but after more impatient urging from Margaret, I made my way back out to the stable, where, for the sake of my gown, I used the mounting block to mount my horse.
Derrick let out a low whistle as I did. “Margaret, you outdid yourself. Ella, if only your daddy could see you now!” As he said this, he wiped the corners of his eyes.
If I hadn’t been in such a hurry, I would have wondered how Derrick immediately recognized Margaret’s work. Did he know she had magic?
“Remember,” Margaret said, coming to stand beside Nevada.
“The spell will start to lessen at midnight! Which means you’ve got no time to dally.
Get to the ball. Find him and explain!” Then she paused once more.
“Oh, good grief. What was I thinking? It’s nighttime in October!
” And with a single swish of one finger, the bodice of my dress grew long sleeves, thickening into a silky top similar to my parade costume, but with all the sparkles and pretty colors of the original dress.
I was speechless, but Margaret was not. “All right, Nevada. Get her there soon! Get!” And with a gentle slap to my mare’s rear, we raced out of the barn and off into the night, where I hoped to find my true love.