The Forgotten Tale of a former lady named Ella

~ Chapter 20: The Little minx strikes again~

"Do you have your stockings?"

"Yes."

"Do you have enough money? How are you on coins?"

"If you give me anymore I will surely be tripping with the weight."

"Do you have plenty of food? I know you shouldn't need much but I can pack an extra apple, hunk of cheese, loaf of bread- "

"Sophie!" I cry in mock exasperation. "There is no need to worry. I am well prepared. Besides, if I am forgetting something, I am sure either Geoffrey or the boarding house will provide for me."

I am nearly giddy with excitement. After Sophie confessed to me about her past, I realized how lucky I truly was. I still have Sophie, Aly and Geoffrey as friends. Juliette promised to visit as often as she could so we can still have a relationship together. And I did have one of the best summers of my life with Adam, however short it was.

That is why I have decided to start living my life again. Geoffrey is picking up inventory in Paris and I will be accompanying him for his duration. Once he travels home, I will be traveling to Italy to find any remaining members of Julius's family. I only knew him for a short time, I wish to know more about the father of my child.

After that, I am going wherever the wind takes me.

Sophie sighs and gives me a weak grin. "I know. I just want you to enjoy yourself without worrying. It has been so long since you have been able to do so."

"I intend to. Nothing will stop me."

I give Sophie the millionth hug of the day. No doubt there will be more to follow in the next hour.

"We still have some time before Geoffrey and I take our leave, do you need any assisting in the boutique in the meantime?

"When don't I need assisting?" She grumbles.

Our laughter and chattering cease the moment we enter the shop.

"I had expected a popular business such as this to uphold some sort of standard. Leaving a shop unattended, tsk tsk, not exactly showing professionalism are we Madame Couture?"

Sophie glares and crosses her arms. "I run my successful business however I damn well like. I also have the jurisdiction to refuse service to unruly customers such as yourself. I would tread carefully if I were you, Lady Tremaine."

My step-mother scoffs. "As if I would purchase clothing here, it is much too modern and juvenile for my taste."

I hear Sophie mutter under her breath, "Galla grànda, fèin-thoileil," which I assume to be a rather colorful, if not very inappropriate, Gaelic insult.

"Why are you here then?" I ask. "I doubt you came all the way into town just to satisfy your need for daily animosity."

"Oh do relax Eleanora, I simply came to deliver this," Lady Tremaine holds out Letty's French book. "I know not what you are continuing to teach her but she should not let a rich language go by the wayside just because she is wasting her time with you."

I scrunch my brows in confusion. "Wasting time with me? I've only seen Letty once in the past month, and that was four days ago."

"Oh don't be preposterous, she has been staying here with you for the past four evenings." Panic crosses Lady Tremaine's face. "Juliette has been staying with you Eleanora, hasn't she?"

"No," I say lamely. "I assumed she was living with you." Oh good God, where could she have gone? I begin to hyperventilate with the thought of Letty all alone.