Page 9 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“What are you, an owl?”Claralooked over atSissy. “Whodo you think?Mr.Tall-Dark-and-Poutyin room six.”
“Clara,”Sissyhissed, looking at the door. “Bequiet.Someonewill hear you.Hecould hear you.”
“And what?Mr.Tall-Dark-and-Poutyfinds outIwant to marry him?”Clarasaid a little louder, looking at the door.
“Oh, hush.”Sissytossed a dirty napkin atClara.
Ella listened to the two girls bicker over how loudClaracould be sometimes.Ellahauled the basket of sheets she andSissyhad washed and dumped them out onto the table.Herhands were still raw from adding too much lye to the wash water.Somethingshe still had trouble with even after a year. “Well, he can’t marry you if he is already married.”
“Did he say he was married?”Claraasked as she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
“He said he was looking for someone he loved, so…”Ellasorted through the laundry.
“So there is still hope for me.”Clarawinked.
“He’s looking for someone?Maybeit’s you,”Sissypiped up.
“It’s not me.”Ellapulled the sheets from the pile and started folding them.
“Why not?You’relost,”Sissywistfully said.
“Then why wouldn’t he simply say that he was looking for me?”Thefirst few months inRiverton,Ellahad hoped that someone would come looking for her.Everytime a stranger walked through the door of the inn,Ellawould make it a point to be seen, hoping they would recognize her or she would recognize them.Whenno one came, it hurt.Itmade her angry that no one seemed to care she was gone.Butnow, a year later, she told herself it was because all her family was dead.Thatwas easier to deal with.
“What if he can’t?”Sissyclutched a lace table runner to her chest. “Maybehe, too, has forgotten, and only love’s truest kiss will break the spell.Or…”Sissyput the runner down. “Whatif he is a prince pretending to be a poor beggar, and you have to prove your love for him?”
Clara snorted. “Excepthe arrived in a shiny carriage drawn by four black horses.Notto mentionLilliansaid he wore the finest silk and wool she had ever seen.Healso paid for a month’s stay in advance in the most expensive room here.Heis no poor beggar.”
“Well, if he is so rich, why would he choose theBlindBadger?TheRivertonInnis far nicer, and it’s right on the river.”Sissycontinued folding the runner.
“It’s also a whorehouse,”ClararemindedSissy. “Mr.Tenebrisdoesn’t seem like the cheap whore type.Hewants a more sophisticated type of a woman.Likeme.”
“Or maybeElla,”Sissysaid. “Hewas asking about you this morning.”
“He what?”Ellastopped folding the towels. “Why?”
“Oh, stop playing the modest maiden.Weall know about you andWilliam.”Clararolled her eyes. “Andit’s not fair, you taking all the bachelors.FirstWilliamand thenAlbert.NowMr.Tenebris.”
Ella groaned. “Youcan haveAlbert.”
Clara shook her head. “I’veconsidered it.He’srich, you know.ButthenIremembered when he was thirteen, he developed this weepy eye that was always crusted shut.”Clarashivered. “Hisweird mother would tell everyone to mark her words, herAlbertwould be rich one day, and then we’d all regret not snatching him up.”Clarapaused. “Iguess she was right about the rich part.Ihave no regret not snatching him up.”Clarawent back to her rolls.
“Does he still have a weepy eye?”Sissyasked.
Ella laughed. “No, but he has a copper tub in his large home inMorrothat also has three children who need a mother in it.”
“I bet they have weepy eyes too.Canyou imagine? ‘Mommy, wipe my eyes.Mommy, my eye is stuck shut.Mommy, where are you?’”Claramocked, closing her eyes as she groped around the table.
Ella tried not to laugh.Aweepy eye was nothing to tease a child about.ButAlbertwas an adult.Anadult whose chest glowed with the dark deeds he had done.
“What are you three laughing about?”Lillianasked, walking into the kitchen.
“Weepy-EyeAlbert,”Sissysaid.
“Oh, that’s right.Hehad that eye problem.Hearda spider bit him when he was six,”Lillianadded. “MaybeEllacan ask him when he takes her to theMoonFestival.”Lillianheld out the envelope toElla. “Hismother,Helga, just dropped offAlbert’sformal request.”
Clara laughed.
“I don’t want that.”Ellarecoiled as ifLillianwere handing her a snake. “PlusIalready have a date for the festival.Williamasked me.”
