Chapter 7

I tried to run away, but Daniel grabbed my arm.

Char came closer to us.

"Daniel?" Char exclaimed with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to accompany--" Daniel started to reply. Right then, I kicked him hard in the foot.

"I came to accompany...Marie," Daniel bluffed. Char looked at me.

"Oh? I never knew anyone named Marie lived here," Char replied with confusion. He turned his attention to me. I could feel my face heating up. Hopefully he couldn't see how red it was. I noticed that his face looked torn, as if he had gone through a lot. Suddenly there was recognition in his eyes.

"Ella? Ella, is it you?" he asked with uncertainty and hope. He grabbed onto me, but I pulled away.

"No," I said, trying to make my voice sound hoarse so he wouldn't recognize me. He kept his eyes on my face.

"You look just like Ella," he said slowly. Daniel was standing on the side, looking confused, but he tried to help me.

"Her name's Marie," Daniel said, defending me. "You're making her uncomfortable, Char!"

"Oh, I'm extremely sorry," said Char apologetically to me, but I could still see him looking at me.

"Is she your..girlfriend?" Char asked. Daniel glanced at me. I nodded to him.

"Yes," he said. I could tell that Char still had a lot to ask me. He didn't believe Daniel.

"What are you two doing here?" Char asked.

"I..uh...we're...," Daniel tried to think of an excuse.

"We were just taking a walk and happened to walk by," I fibbed. I knew it was not very believable that anyone would be taking a walk so late at night, but it was the only thing I could think of. Char looked skeptical.

"Well, I guess we'll be going now," said Daniel, pulling at me. "I'll see you later, Char!"

Char waved with uncertainty. "Hold on," he said to Daniel. Then he looked at me. He grabbed onto my hand. I didn't have the heart to pull it away.

"Are you really not Ella? Please, tell me the truth. I know you're Ella." The curse was pulling on me, and I desperately didn't want to lie to him. I didn't know what to do. But, for his sake, I couldn't let him know it was me. Otherwise, he would want to be with me.

"You don't have to tell him anything," Daniel told me. I was freed from the command. "Let's go." Before Char could say anything else, we quickly walked away. We walked far away from my manor before Daniel started speaking.

"So...the person you love is Char?" Daniel asked with disbelief. "The Prince? Charmont? He loves you?" I wondered why he kept calling him Char. Was Char his friend?

"I don't want to talk about it," I said. "Why did you take me so far away? I'm going back to my manor."

"Don't move," Daniel commanded. I hated my curse so much at the moment. "You love Char," he said.

"I don't have to tell you anything," I said, my voice shaking. "Please don't ask me these questions."

"I saw the way he looked at you," he said. "I've never seen him look so in love with anyone."

A tear flowed out of my eye. I didn't know why I wanted to keep it from him.

"Please let me go," I begged him.

"The Prince!" he said again with disbelief.

"Let me go," I pleaded again. Daniel looked hard at me.

"Go," he said. "Just go." Freed from the command, I immediately started running towards my manor. As I ran, I thought about all that happened. I realized that at Daniel's house, my feelings towards himl had changed so much. I really liked him so much now. He was so kind. But, there was Char, who I knew I could not let go.

I reached the manor and burst in. Hattie, Olive, and Mum Olga were still sitting at the dinner table. Hattie was still wearing the atrocious dress. I immediately ran into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" asked Mandy as soon as she saw me. "Where were you for all this time?"

"I saw Char on my way back," I told her, my voice cracking. "And I was spending my time with Daniel." Mandy stiffened.

"What did Daniel do to you?" she demanded.

"Nothing," I cried. I felt horrible inside for being so unreasonable to Daniel. He had just been trying to help me, yet I wouldn't let him. I did not want him to know about my relationship with Char, but I did not know why. Maybe it was because I didn't want to hurt Daniel again.

"I think I've hurt Daniel," I told Mandy. Mandy quickly came towards me.

"What happened tonight?" she demanded.

"Daniel knows that Char loves me," I admitted. Mandy looked bewildered.

"Why are you so upset about that?" she asked. I hesitated.

"I don't want to hurt Daniel," I said. " I really like him now." Mandy looked at me in surprise.

"You really like him?" she asked, with worry in her eyes. "Oh dear, your Father may actually succeed in getting you two to wed now."

"Well, I certainly don't despise him anymore," I said bleakly. "He treats me extremely well."

"Ella...you are actually willing to wed him?" she asked.

"No!" I said. "Never!" Mandy's eyes softened.

"I just want to be a good friend to him," I said. "Besides, Daniel dropped the marriage proposal a long time ago."

Mandy looked speechless for a moment.

"Well, as long as he's kind to you," Mandy finally sighed. "It is awfully kind for him to drop the proposal."

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Who would be here at such a late hour?

I heard Hattie scampering from the table to answer the door.

"Charmont!" I heard her shriek. My insides turned.

"What are you doing here, my Majesty?" I heard her squeal.

"Is Marie here?" he asked politely.

"Marie?" asked Hattie, jealously. "Who's that?"

"Doesn't she live here?" Char asked.

"No one named Marie lives here!" Hattie said loudly. "Didn't you come here to look for me?"

"Marie doesn't live here?" Char asked again, helplessly.

"Nope," said Hattie. "Would you like to come in again? Was the time we had spent together just not enough?"

There was a silence, and I imagined that Char was trying to peer into the house. I hated my curse for making both of us so miserable.

"Well, I'm sorry for bothering you," Char said. "It was my mistake."

"Char, you can come in!" shrilled Hattie. I heard Char walk away, and Hattie slammed the door closed. I came out of the kitchen.

"Who is Marie?" she asked Mum Olga and Olive. They both shrugged.

"That was probably Charmont's excuse to come back and see me then," said Hattie smugly.

Up in my room, I looked at my journal. There was another journal entry from Char!

Today, I went to Ella's household to dine with Madame Olga, Olive, and Hattie. I had insisted on not going, but Mother insisted that I go, saying that it was very impolite for the prince to reject a dinner invitation. I grudgingly obliged. I hoped that maybe Ella hadn't eloped, that she still lived at the manor. During dinner, I simply could not focus on what the conversation was about, as I kept looking towards the staircase, hoping Ella would suddenly come out, but she never appeared. But outside, I met a girl named Marie, who looked exactly like Ella. She had the same eyes and mouth. She was with Daniel. But I could see that they kept trying to get away from me. I am so worried about where Ella is. I am not angry at her. I have long since forgiven her. I just have remorse that I could not see her again.