Chapter Seventeen:
An Unexpected Encounter
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"Estella?" Clara called before she could stop herself, but she immediately clamped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she'd done.
Estella whipped her head around towards her, her back straightening, and Clara was confused to see tears streaming down her face.
"Who's there?" Estella asked, her voice shaky and hoarse. Clara gulped, this was it, she had to do it.
"Me," she answered, stepping out of the shadows. Estella gasped as she took in Clara's appearance, and Clara waited for the exclamation of utter shock. Perhaps stepping out of the shadows had been a bad entrance?
"I'm so sorry, your highness! I thought no one would see me here!" Estella rambled as she jumped to her feet and gave Clara a clumsy curtsey. Clara watched her stepsister curtsey to her in shock before she remembered Gardenia's spell. Estella wouldn't recognize her.
"Are you alright?" Clara asked, deciding it was best not to acknowledge what Estella had called her.
"I'm fine, I just- forgive me, you probably don't want to know," Estella said, looking back down at her hands. Clara hesitated, glancing back at the brightly lit ballroom. Should she? She shook her head, of course, she should, whoever was waiting for her could wait a little longer.
"Actually, I'd be happy to listen," Clara said, moving to sit next to Estella on the bench, silently thanking her lucky stars that her feet would get to rest a little more before she would undoubtedly have to dance."I've been told that I am a pretty good listener."
Estella looked over at her, her face blotchy from crying. She seemed to be having her own inner battle, but eventually, Estella nodded.
"If you say so. It's not exactly something that would make sense out of context."
"Regardless, it can be good to get things off your chest," Clara responded, waiting for Estella to continue.
"Well, um, my mother, she wanted me to do something in order to help someone and I agreed I would do it, but I realized tonight that it probably wasn't for the reason I thought it was for," Estella said, her voice barely louder than a mumble.
"Is the reason a bad one?"
"I don't know. That's the problem. I made a promise to someone at my mother's urges, and I do honestly want to keep that promise, but I don't want the person I promised to think that whatever my mother is planning is something I agree with."
Clara had to put her self-control up to a very high level so as not to let her face show her true reaction. She should've known. Estella must be talking about her promise to her. But if Estella said she did honestly want to help her, then surely it wasn't such a bad thing? Granted, now Clara had to worry about whatever it was that Linette was possibly planning, but at least she knew Estella really wanted to help.
"What if your mother isn't planning anything?" Clara asked, but Estella gave a watery snort.
"Yeah, right. My mother has never done anything without an ulterior motive. She always has more than one reason for doing something, that's why I'm so upset. I can't help but feel I made a deal with the devil and because of it, someone might get hurt. Actually, a few people might get hurt."
Clara was silent. What was she supposed to say to that? She didn't even know what advice to give.
"Perhaps it would be a good idea to tell the person you made the promise to about your mother's plan, or at least what you think your mother's plan is. Maybe the two of you can come up with something together," Clara finally decided to say.
That way if she was lucky she would be able to be more honest about how to think through the situation. It would be hard to come up with a counter plan without being personal, and by the looks of it, Estella believed she was royalty of some sort.
"That might work," Estella said, sniffling as she turned to look at Clara. "Do you mind if I ask why you came over here? You're a princess, you must have better things to do with your time than comforting strangers."
Clara's throat went dry. What was she supposed to say? Could she say that she wasn't a princess? Or maybe tell Estella who she was?
"Well, I'm not exactly a prin-"
"Lady Clara!" Clara felt her stomach drop as she turned to see Gus walking towards her, a smile on his face and looking as handsome as she had remembered. "I have been looking for you everywhere! Did you get lost in the gardens?"
"Oh no, I merely stopped to talk to Estella," Clara quickly answered, mentally kicking herself once the words left her lips. She had done it again. Her stepsister was bound to figure it out! Gus stopped before both of the girls, bowing to the two of them while they curtseyed back.
"I trust everything is well?"
"Yes, sir, very much so," Estella answered before Clara could get a word out. "I'm sure you have come to ask Clara for a dance?" Gus smiled at the two of them, but Clara only gave a small one back. Peeking over to Estella, Clara took in her stepsister's expression with a barely contained grimace. If the mischievous grin was any indication, Estella knew.
"Several actually, she owes me," Gus said, extending his arm out to Clara, "My lady, if you'll give me the honor?" Clara nodded and tentatively took his arm, glancing back at Estella as he began to lead her away. However, while Clara expected Estella to be shocked or angered, all she saw was her stepsister grinning from ear to ear.
She definitely knew, and Clara wasn't entirely sure she was ready for that.
Gus led her to the dance floor rather quickly, and unlike the previous night, Clara was relieved to see that hardly anyone, with the exception of the people directly near to her, seemed to be paying attention to her. The violins started to play the first strains to the next waltz and Gus pulled her to join him.
Neither of them said anything as they began the first steps of the dance and Clara tried not to let the strain of her aching feet show in her dancing, but it was a battle as she was already distracted by her own thoughts as well as her surroundings. It was several minutes before Gus breached the silence to start a conversation.
"This is the second time you have been late, Lady Clara," he murmured in her ear, as the dance steps brought them closer together. Clara's cheeks reddened.
"I had responsibilities I had to attend to before I was able to come," she answered her voice slightly louder than his, as she was now an arm's length away from him.
"Responsibilities? The same ones from last night?" Gus asked, obviously recalling her similar answer from the night before.
"Some of them were, others were a little different." They were both silent again as she spun around him once, and then twice more, her silver skirts flowing out around her as she twirled.
"Forgive me for prying, but I admit, I'm rather curious," Gus said, bending his head closer to hers as the steps brought her up against his chest. "What sort of tasks would a lady such as yourself have need to do? Surely you have a maid of some sort to help you with the simpler things."
Clara almost stumbled over her own feet at his question. This was it, this was her chance to bring up her siblings without sounding too awkward or the conversation being forced.
"I was helping take care of my younger siblings," she said, "one of my younger siblings has been sick recently so he has required extra attention."
She twirled away from him again, keeping her eyes on his face to watch his reaction.
"Do you think he will be alright?" Gus asked, his hand taking hers. Clara paused before answering.
"I hope so, but currently the outlook doesn't look good." Gus's brows drew together and his mouth was settled in a decidedly small frown.
"Is he being looked after by your family currently? I couldn't help but notice that you have arrived alone each time."
"He is being watched by a family friend and my other two siblings. We do not have the luxury of having maids and my parents have not been around for a while now."
"Forgive me, but if he is so ill, should you not be at home with him, regardless of whether or not someone is watching him?" Clara actually did stumble with that question, but thankfully it was nearing the end of the dance and so it was barely noticed by anyone except Gus, who was now staring at her with thinly veiled disapproval.
What must he think of her? That she was the kind of sister to go off dancing while her little brother was home dreadfully ill?
They were both quiet as he wordlessly lead them away from the dance floor, favoring a spot by one of the marble pillars instead. Clara could feel her nervousness settling in her stomach like a swarm of hornets, and she had to focus not to let her hands shake a little.
"Sir, when I say that I would much rather be by my brother's bedside, I mean it, but it is his condition that pulled me away from him in the first place," Clara said, deciding that formality would be her best option.
Gus simply looked at her. Clara sighed, placing her hand momentarily to her forehead so as to close her eyes briefly without him seeing it. How could she explain that the reason she was here was that she was looking for a husband? How could she say that he was the only option to save her brother's life?
"I do not understand," Gus said, causing Clara to look up at him. "It can't be for monetary reasons, as your apparel has been obviously made of the finest material." Clara felt herself pale instead of her customary blush.
"That is- well, everything that you have seen me wear, from the jewelry to the gowns, to even the hair decorations, they were not bought, but created and borrowed."
Clara looked up at Gus, but she could see that he was still confused. How could she explain. She couldn't sell clothes or jewels that disappeared after a certain amount of time. But she couldn't just say that! "The friend who gave them to me has little need for money of any sort, she made all of this for me in order to help me."
"Even the glass slippers?"
"Even the glass slippers."
Clara found herself watching the other ball-goers as she waited impatiently for Gus to make a comment, to say anything at all. However, when she turned back to him she felt her heart skip a beat. His face, which had been in an agreeable smile for much of their conversation and single dance, was now completely blank as if he had somehow subtracted his emotions from his facial expression.
"So you have come to the ball to find a wealthy husband," Gus said, his voice cold and hard as steel. Clara bit her lip to try and keep herself from panicking. "Just like every other girl." He sounded like he was either disappointed or disgusted, perhaps even both.
Clara found herself feeling what could only be called a righteous anger of some sort. She raised her chin and pursed her lips before speaking.
"It could be seen that way, but that is not how I see it," she said, articulating every word with precision.
"Oh, and how do you see it?" He challenged, one of his eyebrows raising.
"Do you have any siblings?" She asked, meeting his gaze despite the fact she was shaking in her glass slippers.
"Yes," he replied shortly.
"And is there anything you would not do for your siblings? Would you not do anything within your power to keep them safe? Would you not be willing to throw away one of your most desperate dreams to ensure their wellbeing?" Clara said passionately, and for a moment she could see a flicker of something in his green eyes.
"Is an advantageous marriage not one of your most desperate dreams?"
"No, since I was a girl my most desperate dreams were much different. To have my siblings be free to be happy, to be free to follow my own ambitions, and to be able to marry for love like my parents did years ago. By being here I am ensuring that all of my siblings will have a better chance at happiness, even if I will never be free to follow my own wishes or marry for love."
Clara stared into his eyes defiantly, waiting for his response. She might have sounded strong, but she certainly didn't feel it, and she felt it, even more, when she realized that she had probably just lost the respect of the only man willing to dance with her.
However, after several moments he still had not given an answering comment. Instead, he seemed to be studying her just as much as she was studying him. Clara waited for another moment before she decided that she just couldn't do it.
She wouldn't wait around to hear his criticisms. Steeling herself and straightening her posture, Clara raised her head high and spun around, making the most dignified retreat that she could as her silver gown swirled around her in a fashion that could only be described as dramatic.
She had made it several meters when she felt a firm hand on her upper arm. She suddenly was being spun around, and she tried not to show the way her heart stuttered when she found the green eyes of Augustus looking back at her.
"Clara-"
"What?" She snapped, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears.
"Please don't leave yet, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to the worst conclusions before giving you a chance to explain yourself," he said, sounding apologetic. His head was now very close to hers, only an inch or so separating them. No doubt to everyone in the ballroom it looked far more intimate than it really was.
"No, you shouldn't have, and I dare say it was an entirely hypocritical thing to do," Clara said, and she was pleased to see her comment seemed to bring Gus up short. He took a small step back, allowing for more space between them.
"Hypocritical?"
"Every person here is here for something. Maybe they want an advantageous match or a trophy wife, or to bring themselves to a higher standing in society. I'm sure even you have something that you are looking for at this ball. There is not a single person in this ballroom that is here without an alternative motive and you'd be a fool to think otherwise," Clara stated much to both Gus's, and her own, shock.
It was very clear what her problem was. She had definitely been spending far too much time around Harriet recently. In fact, those words could've been spoken straight from her younger sister's lips. However, it seemed to have the desired effect as Gus hung his head, his shoulders slumping.
She'd been right. Her heart ached. Why did she have to be right? Was everyone like Linette but she'd just been to naive to realize?
"You are not wrong," Gus said, "But I think that you and I might be part of the small handful of people who are not here for their own gain or do not want to be here at all."
Clara met his eyes as he once again looked down at her and she realized what he had said, albeit subtly. Just like she was there looking for a husband for the benefit of others, he was also there for someone else's benefit. She nodded once, signaling that she understood what he was trying to say.
"I guess we both should not be so quick to pass judgment," she said, and he nodded, taking her hands in his.
"I agree." He paused, peering down at her through a lock of hair that had come apart from the rest. "Do you still intend to leave?" Clara glanced at the clock behind him and then gave him an apologetic smile.
"Yes, I do. I need to get home to my family," she responded. It was roughly forty minutes until the clock struck one, but didn't want to stay. All she wanted to do was to go home and collapse.
"Would you allow me to walk you to your carriage?" Gus asked, sounding far more hesitant than when he'd asked the same question the night before. She nodded and let him lead her through the swarms of ball-goers, more than thankful for his supportive arm under her fingertips.
By the time he handed her into the carriage, shut the door, and turned away to walk back up the steps, Clara was exhausted and secretly glad that he had not stayed a little longer to talk to her. Augustus, or Gus, whoever he may be, was undoubtedly a charming, handsome, and honorable man, but if she understood his actions half as well as she thought she did, she was just as puzzled over his character as he was over hers.
They had both admitted to being at the ball due to motives not entirely to their liking, but yet neither of them had outright stated the reasons behind those motives, or anything else. Clara was just thinking this over when suddenly a thought flitted through her mind accompanied by a feeling of intense dread.
She'd forgotten. Estella knew who she was.
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Do you think Estella will tell Linette? Do you think Gus will help Clara now that he knows a little more about her, her motives, and her personality? Tell me in the comments!
Also, the song is the second part of "Serenade in E Major for Strings Orchestra, Op. 22" by Antonin Dvorak. This is what I pictured they were dancing to, as well as one of my favorite classical music pieces.