Chapter 10 Ella
Chapter ten
Ella
Ella sat on the front steps of Eldenwilde, soaking in the sunshine.
Lady Beatrice and Lord Alexander were absolutely lovely, but she needed a moment of sunshine.
She hadn’t realized how much she disliked being inside all the time until she had been asked to do so.
Now, she didn’t think she could manage it again.
There was something about being outside that simply made everything better.
She was reluctant to go back inside, even though she was beginning to feel the chill. It didn’t seem worth it to be inside just to warm up, however.
Perhaps she wasn’t cut out to be a duchess if she couldn’t manage a day without fresh air.
“I wondered if I would find you out here,” a soft voice said.
Ella looked up to find Beatrice smiling down at her.
“Forgive me,” Ella said. “I just needed some sunshine.”
“No forgiveness required,” Beatrice said with a smile. “I also needed some sunshine. When I first found out my whole life was changing—unfortunately for me, it happened during winter—I didn’t get many opportunities.”
Ella laughed. “That sounds very unfortunate.”
“It was,” Beatrice said. “I dearly regretted not taking some time to think about it before I said yes, especially when I was trapped inside for far too many days.”
Ella grinned. “I can imagine. I thought I’d go stir-crazy if I didn’t get out.”
“It gets easier, you know,” Beatrice said suddenly. “I know it’s a lot right now, but I promise it gets easier. And it’s worth it to be with the ones you love.”
“I don’t love them, though,” Ella said.
Beatrice shook her head. “You haven’t had the opportunity to love them, but once you do, I think you’ll find you’ll love them very, very quickly.”
“You think so?” Ella asked.
“I do,” Beatrice said. “You and I have had a similar walk, it seems, and I think you’ll find, just as I did, that everything is easier once you’re with the people you love—even if you don’t know you love them yet.”
Ella sighed. “I hope so,” she admitted. “Because it’s been a long time.”
Beatrice laughed. “I can only imagine. Dietrich told me what he knew of your past, and I can understand why you’re hesitant to fall for someone or to say yes to this adventure. I’m sure it seems quite daunting, but, dear, I promise it’s worth it.”
A movement near the gate caught her attention, and Ella looked up to see Dietrich riding a horse toward her. Her heart did a funny little flip at the sight, and she frowned.
She couldn’t be attracted to Dietrich.
Not if she was going to be a duchess.
“Hello,” Dietrich said, dismounting from his horse and allowing Lady Beatrice’s groom to take it away. “I thought I’d come see how you were getting on.”
“You didn’t trust me to take care of her myself?” Beatrice asked with a grin.
“I just thought you might need some help,” Dietrich said, waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
“He doesn’t trust me,” Beatrice said to Ella with a grin.
“I do too,” Dietrich protested.
“And yet you’re here to check up on us,” Ella pointed out.
“Can’t a man do something nice?” Dietrich asked.
The front door opened, and Lord Alexander stepped out.
“No,” he said, “you can’t do nice things.”
Beatrice protested, getting to her feet and walking to her husband’s side.
“Can I?” Lord Alexander asked pointedly. “Or are you out here telling Ella all the things I’ve done to annoy you lately?”
Beatrice grinned. “Okay, so you do annoy me occasionally. However, you’re wonderful when you’re not doing things that get on my nerves,” she added.
“If you say so.” Her husband leaned down to give her a kiss.
“Would you two knock it off?” Dietrich said, averting his eyes. “I don’t need to see that.”
“Get used to it,” Beatrice said. “It’s not going to stop anytime soon.”
“If I’d known that, I never would have helped him save you,” Dietrich muttered.
“How did you save her?” Ella asked as Dietrich climbed the stairs in front of her.
He offered her a hand, and she took it, allowing him to help her to her feet. The new gown that Beatrice had lent her was much longer than she was used to, and the hand was helpful.
She didn’t want to let go, but Beatrice was watching, so she did.
Dietrich took a step away, closer to Beatrice.
“She was an idiot and went off in a snowstorm by herself in her first week here and got hopelessly lost,” Dietrich said, glaring at Beatrice. “I had to help him rescue her.”
“I don’t think that’s entirely how it happened,” Beatrice said.
“I’m pretty sure it is,” Lord Alexander said with a grin.
“You always were too independent for your own good,” Dietrich said, clicking his tongue. “But where I draw the line is when I have to risk my own life to take care of you.”
“You didn’t have to risk your own life,” Beatrice protested. “I was perfectly fine.” Her protest died as her husband tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
“You were not, my love,” he said, “but it’s okay because we found you, and you’re not allowed to get lost in a storm ever again.”
“What if I want to be lost?” Beatrice asked.
“Now you’re just being contrary because Dietrich is here,” Lord Alexander said. “And I think it’s time to remove you from this equation before I spend the rest of the day arguing with you.”
“You love arguing with me,” Beatrice pointed out as he tucked her arm through his and led her inside, leaving Ella and Dietrich on the porch steps.
“Are you always like this?” Ella asked. “I thought I was special.”
“You are,” Dietrich said simply, taking another step closer. His eyes bore into hers with an intensity she hadn’t expected.
“And yet you’re arguing with Beatrice just like you argue with me,” Ella pointed out.
“She’s practically my sister,” he said. “She doesn’t count.”
As he stood on the step below her, it brought their height difference into perfect harmony, and she was able to look deep into his eyes.
It was both thrilling and slightly appalling.
She looked away as Dietrich hastily cleared his throat. “I just wanted to see how you were getting on with lessons from Beatrice,” he said. “I want to tell your father sooner rather than later because I don’t like having to keep a secret from my employer.”
Ella sighed but nodded. “I understand. I apologize for putting you in that situation.”
“Thank you,” he said, sounding slightly surprised.
“Did you think I wouldn’t see reason?” she asked.
“I just didn’t think you would apologize,” Dietrich said.
“Why? Because you think I’m rude?”
Dietrich sighed. “Can we try not to bicker today?” he asked. “I would really love that.”
She stared at him suspiciously. “Why do you want a truce? Are you trying to get away with something?”
He let out an exasperated groan. “Can’t I do one nice thing without you expecting it to be a trap?”
Ella grimaced. “I’m sorry,” she said, turning away from him. “I haven’t had much experience with people doing nice things for me for no reason.”
Dietrich didn’t say anything.
She turned back to glance at him before looking down at the ground.
There was a bug crawling across the steps.
“Before we moved here, we lived in the middle of nowhere,” she began quietly.
“It was an hour or so just to walk to the nearest town, and we had no neighbors within easy access. And I’m sure your mother told you that I did everything for my stepfamily. Well, at least, I used to,” she added.
Dietrich made a quiet noise of encouragement.
“When they would do something nice for me, it was almost always a trap…so I’m not used to people being nice to me just for the sake of being nice.”
Dietrich reached out and put his hand on her forearm. “I am sorry that was your experience,” he said quietly. “You deserve better.”
Ella let out a sarcastic chuckle. “They didn’t think so.”
“They were wrong,” he said firmly. “You deserve people who care for you and who treat you like a human being. It’s not your fault they were terrible people.”
She could hardly look at him.
Why did he have to be so nice all of a sudden? She shook her head and pulled her arm away from him. “I’m free of them now,” she said. “Thank you for coming to check on me. I’m getting cold, so I think I’ll go in.”
She turned and opened the door, letting herself in. The butler was in the hallway, and his eyes brightened when he saw Dietrich walking in behind her.
Because, of course, he couldn’t just let her be.
“Good afternoon, Dietrich,” Jenkins said.
“Hello, Jenkins,” Dietrich said, handing over his coat. “Which way did they go?”
“They went to the study,” Jenkins said
Dietrich sighed. “I suppose we’ll see them when they come back out.”
Ella glanced at him. Why did he say it that way?
“I’ve walked in on them kissing before,” Dietrich said, covering his mouth with his hand, as if it was some scandalous secret—which, to Ella, it was.
She had never walked in on anybody kissing before.
She hadn’t even seen anyone kiss in her presence before Lord Alexander and Beatrice, at least not that she remembered. Perhaps her father and stepmother had kissed in their bedchamber, but outside of it? Never.
“I see,” she said gravely.
Dietrich grinned. “I am sorry to scandalize you in this manner, but it is better that you know,” he said.
Jenkins laughed. “You’re going to have her thinking that Lord and Lady Dunham are completely indiscreet,” he said. “Rest assured, Miss Ella, you don’t have to worry.”
“Was there something to worry about?” Ella was confused. “Thank you,” she said, even if she wasn’t quite sure what she was thanking Jenkins for.
But she needn’t have worried about seeing something scandalous, because Beatrice came walking around the corner at that moment.
“Oh good, you’re still here,” she said to Dietrich with a winning smile. “I need you—”
“What now?” Dietrich asked, his tone wary.
“I need you to help me teach Ella to dance,” Beatrice said brightly.
“Nope,” Dietrich replied, backing away. “I don’t dance.”
“And yet, she needs a partner,” Beatrice said.
“Have Alexander do it.”
“He will be dancing with me,” Beatrice said with a mischievous grin. “How do you expect us to teach her to dance if she has no example to look at?”
“The same way my mother taught us to dance,” he grumbled.
“Well, it’s simply more fun this way,” Beatrice said. “Now, don’t tell me you can’t dance because you and I both know you dance splendidly.”
Ella looked up at Dietrich with a mischievous grin. “You dance?” she asked.
It seemed as if he did not like the idea of her knowing that.
“Beatrice,” he grumbled.
“Yes?” she asked sweetly.
“I have to go back to work,” he said, glancing toward the door.
“Good thing this will only take a few minutes,” Beatrice said, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the sitting room.
Dietrich continued to grumble as Lord Alexander joined them, and Jenkins moved to the piano and sat on the bench.
Ella didn’t know what she was supposed to be doing, so she simply stood waiting.
Dietrich moved closer and held out his hand, waiting for her to accept it.
She took a deep breath before carefully resting her hand in his.
His other arm came around her waist, pulling her close.
“It’s easy,” he said as she looked up at him. “Just follow me. I won’t let you fall.”
The words were said softly, so unlike his usual gruffness. Ella wasn’t sure if it was a trap, but she didn’t want to look away as he began guiding her in a series of steps, twirling her around the room.
It was surprisingly easy to let go and follow him.
Though she felt a little discombobulated, she could see why dancing was something her stepsisters had always talked about doing.
It was tremendously satisfying, twirling around the floor with him, the skirt of the dress Beatrice had lent her flaring out with each turn.
As the music Jenkins played began to wind down, she wished she could stay with Dietrich like this for longer. His hands were confident and warm, and his eyes looked down into hers.
This was dangerous. She should not be this close to him.
Her heart was beating far too fast, and if she wasn’t careful, she was in danger of losing it.
“Thank you for the dance, Lady Ella,” Dietrich said gravely as he let go of her.
“Thank you,” she echoed, not sure if there was a proper response, but she was thankful that he had shown her how to do it.
“And that is one dance,” Beatrice said. “There are others you should learn.”
“I must go,” Dietrich said quickly, turning and walking away.
Ella stared after him. Why was he leaving? Had she done something wrong? She glanced at Beatrice, hoping for an answer, but Beatrice simply smiled.
“I think Dietrich learned something too,” she said in response to Ella’s unspoken question. “He’ll figure it out.”
That did not clear up Ella’s confusion at all, but she nodded as the door slammed in the foyer. Perhaps Dietrich didn’t know the dance as well as he thought.
But she couldn’t help feeling like she’d done something wrong as she heard hoofbeats galloping down the drive.
She would have to ask Dietrich later what had happened. Because if this was how one man reacted to dancing with her, what would happen when she had to dance with other men?