Once Upon a Romance 01 - Before the Midnight Bells (15 page)

Max ran his fingers over the fabrics, and then inspected each garment individually. Though asking Ella to make him a costume had started on a whim, he was pleased with the results. She was obviously very skilled. He began laying his own clothes to one side; he was eager to start trying things on. Just as he picked up the stockings he heard an impatient noise from just outside the curtain. She was hovering. He grinned.

“
Well?”

“
Give me time, woman, give me time. I had to recover from the sight of all this magnificence before I could dress.”

Ella mumbled something.

“
That sounded remarkably like, ‘Get a bloody move on.’ But I’m sure it wasn’t. You’re far too well bred for that sort of thing.”

Her voice came back to him, loaded with false sweetness. “Of course I am. I never say
bloody
. Or
arse
. Or
blower
, or
ponce
…” Max had one leg in the breaches, but he was laughing so hard he thought he’d lose his balance if he tried to put the other one in. “…or
ladybird
, or
macer
. I certainly never say
dollymop…
”

“
Enough! Enough! I capitulate. You are the epitome of all that is good and sweet.” She subsided. Max managed to pull the breaches on, still chuckling. He couldn’t just let her get away with that, but what to say… Ah yes.

“
Oh dear, Ella, I don’t think these fit at all.”

The curtain was immediately whipped aside. “What?!” Ella cast her eyes over his stocking clad legs and the breaches, which certainly seemed to fit perfectly. She stuck one finger in the waistband and ran it around, finding that there was just enough space for her finger to fit snugly between Max’s waist and the band from every direction. She was confused, what was wrong with them?

“
My mistake.” Max’s voice had suddenly thickened. “I guess they fit perfectly.”

Ella froze. Quickly she took stock of what she was doing. She whipped her hand out of Max’s breaches and dashed back through the curtain, yanking it closed behind her.

Max laughed. Truthfully, now that Ella had touched him, his pants
were
uncomfortably tight, but it wasn’t the fault of the tailoring.

Ella leaned up against the wall of the shop and took several deep breaths. Max’s bare chest looked every bit as good in reality as it had in her
memories
. A shame he hadn’t complained about the fit of his shirt. Then she could have run her hands all over… No. No, no, no. Thinking like that was
not
a good idea.

Max was silent a few moments, and then he spoke again.

“
You know, I could get a much better idea of what I look like if you had a mirror back here.”

“
I used to have one.” Her voice was so sad that, this time, Max opened the curtain.

“
What’s wrong?” He had slipped on the shirt and coat, and his fingers swiftly laced up the shirt as they spoke.

“
I had a beautiful mirror with a silver filigree frame. It was my mother’s, and I’d had it since I was a child. I suppose I should get a replacement, but
it’s been such a bustle, preparing for the balls.
”

“
What happened to it?”

Ella could have prevaricated, but in the face of his obvious concern she didn’t have the heart to lie.

“
I had to sell it.”

Max didn’t know what to say. He looked around her shop. It was small, and not well stocked. He recalled her speaking of her stepmother and stepsisters at the ball, but no father or brothers. Was it possible that her family was in some sort of trouble? Was it possible that Ella was supporting them?

Max looked into her face and knew it was more than possible,
that it was, in fact, the case
. He made up his mind to find out more about the state of the Emberton family. For now, though, he wanted to erase the sadness from her face. He gently tilted her chin up with his hand. “Perhaps you can buy it back someday.”

“
Perhaps.” Ella straightened, and pulled away from his hand. “How do you like your costume?”

Max wanted to help, but he let her change the topic. “I need your help with this sea of ruffles
;
are they supposed to cascade or poof?”

Ella gave a little smile. “Obviously they’re supposed to gently fall. Here, let me.” She reached up to arrange the neck ruffles, which let Max gaze down at her face. It was a pleasing arrangement.

“
I noticed you left the padding out of the frock coat.”

“
Yes, well, your shoulders are quite broad enough, I didn’t want to make you seem deformed.”

“
Most tailors require a fitting or two to convince them of that.”

“
I was paying attention, I suppose.”

“
Mmmmm… I remember.”

Ella looked up at him. Max’s face was breath away and the look in his eyes made her chest catch fire. At the same time she felt a surge of panic. She hadn’t forgotten what caused her to pull away the last time they stood in this position, and if her Godmother was right, and she was
besotted
with him, then that only made this more dangerous to her. He would walk away when he tired of having his fling, and she would be left, not just ruined, but brokenhearted as well.

“
Max…”

“
Ella?” His low, intimate tone sent shivers up her spine.

“
Try on the sash.”

Max blinked. The girl kept pulling away, although for the life of him he couldn’t figure out why. He reached for the sash, still puzzling over what had spooked her.

“
I’m glad I chose gold for the trim
;
you look quite regal.”

Max froze. He didn’t see any way that Ella could have realized that he was, supposedly at least, destined to become His Royal Highness, Christopher Maximillian, but it seemed like an odd choice of wording for her.

“
You’ll match up well with all the other nobles, even if they compare you to the new princeling, I’d guess.”

“
You don’t know him then?” Max held his breath, waiting for her to answer.

“
Me? Max, my family is respectable but hardly noble, and I work as a dressmaker. I’m barely more than a servant. I don’t associate with nobles. I work for them.” Ella kept her voice light, but she hoped Max was getting her point. “You, on the other hand—I would wager you know Lord Wellesley
and
Princess Vivienne. You’ve probably even been presented to King Regal.” She shrugged her shoulders, aiming for a careless manner. “We are worlds apart, Max, and I don’t know anyone from your world. It’s merely chance that I even know you.”

Max relaxed as he listened to Ella. She had no idea who he was, which was good. He wanted the chance to tell her in his own way and, more importantly, in his own time. He also realized that their relative social status was bothering her, but he brushed that aside. As far as he was concerned, social status was only significant when it came to formal contracts, and he, at the moment at least, was completely incapable of making a formal contract. Even if she didn’t know that.

“
A lucky chance, then.” Max smiled at Ella, but her returning smile was hesitant. Clearly he was pushing her too hard. “After all, you were right, this costume is magnificent.” That got him a more natural response. Ella let out small, delicate, but clearly audible snort.

“
Of course I was right. I’m a genius.”

“
Well, Madam Genius, I hope you are pleased with how I wear it.”

“
You’ll do. Make sure your valet properly shines your shoes. I wouldn’t want my magnificent work undercut by scuffed footwear.”

Max saw the twinkle back in her eyes. So, he could tease her all he liked, but no serious remarks? Very well.

“
Surely, with your apparent brilliance, you’ll be wearing something amazing as well?” Max made it a question, and wondered if she would answer him.

“
Mmmm… yes, surely I will.”

So, no, she wasn’t going to tell him. Ah well, he would see it in just a few days.

“
Of course, all this brilliance and magnificence and genius will go to waste if we stand in the corner by the food all evening.”

Ella furrowed her brow. “That’s true. Perhaps I shall have to dance with Mr. Minglesall.”

“
Ahh…”

“
And you, of course, could dance with Mrs. Minglesall. Or Beatrice, my other stepsister. Prudence will be busy dancing with a certain young red-headed man, I dare say.”

“
Of course, but…”

“
Or you could dance with my stepmother; I assume she won’t be dancing
every
dance with her hoary old sea dog.”

“
I really think… Hoary old
sea dog?
”

“
Exactly. She could hardly dance
every
dance with him, could she?”

“
Ella,” Max said her name with great dignity and gravity, “do you suppose that
you
might consider dancing with me?”