Read Online Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George - Free Book Online

help," Poppy said. "It won't do her any good if she sets it on fire trying to iron out a wrinkle."
    They heard a scratching sound at the door. "The dressmaker, ma'am," said the butler, and they followed him to the sitting room where the fussy little man was waiting with his pattern books and measuring tapes.
    "All three of us need gowns for the upcoming royal gala and the masquerade," Lady Margaret told him. "Even Her Highness. That's in addition to the gowns we ordered for Marianne's birthday ball, of course."
    "Ah, a charming pair of young ladies," the man said. "With such dark hair and fine figures, they could be sisters. And you, Lady Margaret--a third, only slightly older sister." He bowed and kissed her hand.
    Poppy snorted, but she did consent to look through the book of patterns. "Who knows? I might decide to attend," she thought. "If only to keep Marianne and Dickon Thwaite out of the rose bowers."
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    ***
    Goddaughter
    Hardly able to believe her luck, Ellen slipped back up to the narrow bedroom she shared with one of the other maids. Lady Margaret had said that she could go to the royal gala! Her Ladyship had even offered to have gowns made for her, but Ellen had another plan.
    This was her chance. The foreign prince would be there; she'd seen Prince Christian when he came to call on Marianne and Poppy, and he was very handsome, and kind. Moreover, he wouldn't know about her family, about her past, and he could take her away from those who did know. Mrs. Hanks never let her wait on him, in case she spilled something on His Highness, and that was all for the good now. She wouldn't want him to recognize her at the gala.
    But Ellen would need to be dazzling to draw his eye away from all the other ladies. And that meant not just a gown that had been given to her out of charity, but jewels, fans, dancing slippers, and a costume for the masked ball that would stun
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    all who saw her. The Seadowns, despite their kindness, were unlikely to do that much. They certainly wouldn't set her up to outshine their own daughter and their beloved Poppy.
    Going to the washstand, Ellen reflected that it was odd how much alike the three of them looked: Poppy, Marianne, and herself, and yet how different their circumstances were. Poppy was a princess with some sort of mysterious scandal attached to her name, Marianne was a wealthy heiress who thought of nothing but gowns and beaux, and Ellen was the daughter of an earl who found herself ironing the other girls' underclothes.
    But that was all going to change. Soon.
    She lifted the full pitcher and slowly began to pour water into the basin. She stared intently into the sheet of liquid as she poured.
    "Madame Corley," she called. "Godmother? It's Ellen-- Eleanora!"
    Instantly the water turned green and the plump-cheeked face of her godmother appeared. "Hello, my darling! What is it you wanted?"
    "I'm going to a ball, to two balls," Ellen blurted out in excitement. "And I need gowns! And slippers! And fans and jewels! Oh please, Godmother, say you can help!"
    Her godmother's smile broadened. "Of course, of course, my darling girl! How happy I am for you! You shall have the best of everything, and every young man shall fall in love with you!"
    Ellen felt her cheeks begin to glow. Her godmother would help her! She would dazzle Society at the balls, and be swept away by golden-haired Prince Christian!
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    "You will need to come to me, to prepare yourself and have your gowns fitted," her godmother said. "Pour the water back into the pitcher, so I can teach you the way to my home."
    Carefully, Ellen tipped the broad basin back into the pitcher, then began pouring the water into the basin once more. It glowed green immediately, and her godmother gave her the directions to her palace.
    She had suspected that her godmother was not merely some kindly sorceress, but also a woman of rank. And now it had been confirmed. Her godmother spoke with great elation at the prospect of Ellen coming at last to