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to finishing school.” I couldn’t help adding, “But I shall loathe it.”
    His grin was back. “You are free to loathe or to love, so long as you go.”
    It was a taste of obedience without an order, and I didn’t like it any better than the Lucinda-induced kind. I left the dining room, and he didn’t stop me.
    It was early evening. In spite of the hour, I went up to my room and donned my nightgown. Then I moved my dolls, Flora and Rosamunde, into bed and climbed in. They had stopped sleeping with me years before, but tonight I needed special comfort.
    I gathered them on my stomach and waited for sleep. But sleep was busy elsewhere.
    Tears started. I pushed Flora against my face.
    “Sweetie…” The door opened. It was Mandy with Tonic and a box.
    I felt bad enough. “No Tonic, Mandy. I’m fine. Truly.”
    “Oh, lovey.” She put down the Tonic and the box and held me, stroking my forehead.
    “I don’t want to go,” I said into her shoulder.
    “I know, honey,” she said. She held me for a long while, until I was almost asleep. Then she shifted her weight. “Tonic time.”
    “I’ll skip tonight.”
    “No you won’t. Not tonight, especially. I won’t have you getting sick when you need your strength.” A spoon came out of her apron. “Take it. Three spoons.”
    I braced myself. Tonic tasted nutty and good, but it felt slimy, like swallowing a frog. Each spoonful oozed along my throat. I continued to gulp after it was down, to rid myself of the sensation.
    But it made me feel better — a little better. Ready to talk anyway. I settled myself back in Mandy’s lap.
    “Why did Mother marry him?” This question had troubled me since I was old enough to think about it.
    “Until she was his wife, Sir Peter was very sweet to Lady. I didn’t trust him, but she wouldn’t listen to me. Her family didn’t approve because he was poor, which made Lady want him even more, she was that kindhearted.” Mandy’s hand stopped its comforting journey up and down my forehead. “Ella, pet, try to keep him from learning about the spell on you.”
    “Why? What would he do?”
    “He likes to have his way too much. He’d use you.”
    “Mother ordered me not to tell about the curse. But I wouldn’t anyway.”
    “That’s right.” Her hand went back to work on my forehead. I closed my eyes.
    “What will it be like, do you think?”
    “At school? Some of the lasses will be lovely. Sit up, sweet. Don’t you want your presents?”
    I had forgotten about the box. But there had been only one. “Presents?”
    “One at a time.” Mandy handed me the box I’d seen. “For you, wherever you go your whole life.”
    Inside the box was a book of fairy tales. I had never seen such beautiful illustrations. They were almost alive. I turned the pages, marveling.
    “When you look at it, you can remember me and take comfort.”
    “I’ll save it until I leave, so the stories will be new.”
    Mandy chuckled. “You won’t finish it so fast. It grows on you.” She fished in the pocket of her apron and fetched out a tissue-paper packet. “From Lady. She would have wanted you to have it.”
    It was Mother’s necklace. Threads of silver ended almost at my waist in a woven pattern of silver studded with tiny pearls.
    “You’ll grow into it, sweet, and look as lovely wearing it as your mother did.”
    “I’ll wear it always.”
    “You’d be wise to keep it under your gown when you go out. It’s that valuable. Gnomes made it.”
    The bell tinkled downstairs. “That father of yours is ringing.”
    I hugged Mandy and clung to her.
    She disentangled herself from my arms. “Let me go, love.” Planting a kiss on my cheek, she left.
    I settled back into bed, and this time sleep claimed me.

CHAPTER 6
    THE NEXT MORNING, I woke with my fingers curled around Mother’s necklace. The clock in King Jerrold’s palace was just striking six. Perfect. I wanted to rise early and spend the day saying goodbye to the places I loved