Read Online Cinderella (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - Free Book Online
Authors: Jenni James
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almost debilitate and hamper the goodness that swelled within her heart. When those times were coming, she would try so very hard to focus on the gladness that was in her life. The joy she felt when another of the maids would get married, or have a child. Or when she was able to help cure an old man’s rheumatism before Lady Dashlund knew he was having difficulties working. When she was able to use her gift of sewing and piece together several scraps of leftover fabric to form a beautiful blanket or tablecloth or centerpiece for someone’s birthday or their accomplishments. She tried so desperately to focus on all that was good, all that she was capable of creating for good. And keep the melancholy at bay.
Though, some days, the sadness would come anyway. And those were the days she would need to lie upon her bed and focus and bring back cheerful times—to relive those days when all was bright and clear and happy. It was an old game that worked quite well at keeping darkness away. To constantly remind oneself of the good.
But today, today with John coming soon, it had a different impact upon her. She could no longer focus on the good and glorious things happening now, nor could she focus on the past, for the first time ever, she wanted to focus upon a future. A change. A difference in her life. John was allowing her to see and think and breathe past just living—he was teaching her to hope again. To believe that altering her circumstance was possible.
But with that hope and need for change came the hardest part of all—the realization that now was not content; that she truthfully needed to leave this life behind and step forward. This was not the life the daughter of Lord Dashlund should be living. She should be free, not a prisoner forced to work for those who would not care for her.
She began to comb out her hair very slowly again.
If she still had Sunshine, would she be here now?
Or would she have run far away from here?
Urgh. This is was utter idiocy. It was madness to continue to imagine a difference in her life. No. She brushed more vigorously until all the tangles were out. It was much better to focus on the present. To see the joy now. To just learn how to live once again in the midst of melancholy.
Ella wrapped her long hair around her hand and began to twist it up high upon her head as she looked out the window to the pretty garden below. The world was certainly a better place amongst all those flowers. She reached over to her dresser and began to slip the pins back into her smooth bun and glanced to the left, past the rooftops of the outbuildings to the tips of the blooming apple orchard she could make out behind them.
There was happiness.
Waiting within those trees was a happiness she had not known in years. Someone who remembered her from before. Someone who saw her as a person, not a servant or someone to be ordered about. She smiled and giggled a bit. Would he really teach her new dance steps today? Would he truly come as he said he would?
What if he did not come?
Just then, she saw the flicker of a horse coming down the lane to the right of the property. Her heart began to thud. Was it foolish to become this excited to see someone? She twirled around and rummaged quickly through the couple of frocks she had hanging in her closet. Whisking off the simple apron and dark grey dress she was wearing, she slipped on a plain blue one. Its long sleeves and high neck had no ruffle or adornment at all, but it tucked in nicely at the waist and it was a bit brighter and more colorful than the other. She quickly laced up the nicer boots and found an old piece of wide pink ribbon to tie about her middle, allowing the ends of the bow to fall behind.
She did not have a looking glass in her room, but she hoped she at least looked more presentable than before. Another rummage through the closet brought her up empty of anything else. She only owned two grey dresses and the blue. As well as the pink ribbon, two
Though, some days, the sadness would come anyway. And those were the days she would need to lie upon her bed and focus and bring back cheerful times—to relive those days when all was bright and clear and happy. It was an old game that worked quite well at keeping darkness away. To constantly remind oneself of the good.
But today, today with John coming soon, it had a different impact upon her. She could no longer focus on the good and glorious things happening now, nor could she focus on the past, for the first time ever, she wanted to focus upon a future. A change. A difference in her life. John was allowing her to see and think and breathe past just living—he was teaching her to hope again. To believe that altering her circumstance was possible.
But with that hope and need for change came the hardest part of all—the realization that now was not content; that she truthfully needed to leave this life behind and step forward. This was not the life the daughter of Lord Dashlund should be living. She should be free, not a prisoner forced to work for those who would not care for her.
She began to comb out her hair very slowly again.
If she still had Sunshine, would she be here now?
Or would she have run far away from here?
Urgh. This is was utter idiocy. It was madness to continue to imagine a difference in her life. No. She brushed more vigorously until all the tangles were out. It was much better to focus on the present. To see the joy now. To just learn how to live once again in the midst of melancholy.
Ella wrapped her long hair around her hand and began to twist it up high upon her head as she looked out the window to the pretty garden below. The world was certainly a better place amongst all those flowers. She reached over to her dresser and began to slip the pins back into her smooth bun and glanced to the left, past the rooftops of the outbuildings to the tips of the blooming apple orchard she could make out behind them.
There was happiness.
Waiting within those trees was a happiness she had not known in years. Someone who remembered her from before. Someone who saw her as a person, not a servant or someone to be ordered about. She smiled and giggled a bit. Would he really teach her new dance steps today? Would he truly come as he said he would?
What if he did not come?
Just then, she saw the flicker of a horse coming down the lane to the right of the property. Her heart began to thud. Was it foolish to become this excited to see someone? She twirled around and rummaged quickly through the couple of frocks she had hanging in her closet. Whisking off the simple apron and dark grey dress she was wearing, she slipped on a plain blue one. Its long sleeves and high neck had no ruffle or adornment at all, but it tucked in nicely at the waist and it was a bit brighter and more colorful than the other. She quickly laced up the nicer boots and found an old piece of wide pink ribbon to tie about her middle, allowing the ends of the bow to fall behind.
She did not have a looking glass in her room, but she hoped she at least looked more presentable than before. Another rummage through the closet brought her up empty of anything else. She only owned two grey dresses and the blue. As well as the pink ribbon, two
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