Read Online Moonlight and Ashes by Sophie Masson - Free Book Online Page B

gown for the ball, don’t you think, girls?’
    My stepsisters laughed and made nasty remarks but I hardly heard them for my ears were filled with a roaring sound. My throat was clenched so tight I felt as though I couldn’t breathe. But all the fight – all the defiance – had gone out of me. All I could think was that through my stupidity I was responsible for the destruction of that lovely dress and of Maria’s hopes for her daughter’s wedding. If only I’d kept my mouth shut! How could I possibly have been so naive? Oh, if only I hadn’t been persuaded to accept Maria’s generous offer! I should have been stronger. I should have realised. I’d had enough experience of how hard life could be. But I’d let myself think things could be different. And now everything was ruined.
    Grizelda rang the bell and one of the maids appeared. ‘Tell Mrs Jager this girl is to be locked in her room tonight,’ she said. The maid nodded impassively. Grizelda looked at me, still hunched on the floor. ‘Get up, girl. Take those rags with you and get out of my sight.’

    Locked in my room, I sat numbly on the bed still clutching the remains of poor Maria’s creation. There was too much pain in me for tears; all I could do was stare at the ruined muslin, the torn lace, the shredded ribbons, and wish that I had never been born.
    I don’t know how long I sat there. When I emerged from my stupor, the room was dark. Soon, the others would be off to the ball. I didn’t care about that, not any more. But I did care very much about Maria. How could I possibly make it up to her? I had no money to buy new materialsand I was all thumbs with needle and thread. I could darn and mend but the quality of Maria’s work was great art that made a mockery of my poor little skills. Somehow, I thought, I must try and throw myself on the mercy of a dressmaker and beg them to help me. I could try Madame Paulina. But it was unlikely she would help – she does not even meet my eye or say good morning any more.
    I had been right to spurn the knowledge of my moon-sister heritage. What good had the hazel tree done me? If I had not hoped things would change, I would not be in this situation. Oh, how I wished I could put things back!
    Suddenly there was a rush of wings behind me and I turned to see the little yellow finch perched on my narrow windowsill. And in its beak it carried a green hazel leaf.
    The finch looked at me, then flew down and dropped the leaf on the dress. It flew out again but was back in a flash with another leaf, which it also laid on the dress. It did this another ten times but nothing happened until it brought in the final leaf, laid it on the dress and perched on my bedside table, looking at me.
    Then came a rush of wind that threw all the leaves up in a spiral and, when they fell back down, the dress was not only as good as new but even better than before with an extraordinary fairy glamour that quite outshone anything I had ever seen – even in my dreams. The cream and honey and pale green had a sheen of unearthly beauty, and the faint scent of roses was stronger than before.
    Now my heart was full, not with darkness but a sweet delight, an awestruck wonder that reached deep inside me. And still I looked at the finch with bright eyes and I whispered, ‘Thank you.’
    But it wasn’t finished, not yet. Five times more it flew out of the window and came back with a leaf in its beak. This time, though, it didn’t lay them on the dress but on the floor at my feet. Where the first leaf landed, a pair of beautiful cream-coloured dancing shoes appeared; where the second leaf landed, a pair of ivory silk stockings as fine as lace materialised; in place of the third came a swirling satin cloak of mint-green, lined with a deeper shade; fourth, an exquisite little embroidered evening bag; and last of all was a crown of pale gold roses interspersed with