The Heiress in an Apron

"My grandmother's home," Ella said. "And mine."

Victoria stared at her.

"Briarwood belongs to our family trust. I'm one of its principal trustees. The development your father is proposing cannot proceed without my agreement."

Richard lowered his eyes.

"Your grandmother?" Victoria said.

"Madeleine Harcourt. Bennett was my father's name."

The name reached the guests before Ella finished speaking. A woman beside the steps turned towards the portrait visible through the music-room window. Someone else whispered, then stopped.

Victoria's gaze dropped to the borrowed trousers.

"But you were serving drinks."

"We were short of staff."

"Nobody told me."

"Nobody needed to."

Ella heard her own answer and stopped. She could feel the temptation to make a speech, to say everything she had been composing while she sat shivering in the washroom.

Instead she waited.

Victoria looked at her father. He offered no help.

"Then obviously I apologise," she said. "If I'd known who you were—"

She broke off.

Ella let the unfinished sentence remain between them.

"If I were an agency waitress," she asked at last, "what would you be asking Harris to do now?"

Victoria's mouth tightened.

"You can't expect me to answer a question like that."

"You answered it earlier. You asked him to dismiss me."

"Because you were rude."

Sophie made a small, incredulous sound. James took the glass from her hand before she crushed its stem.

Victoria glanced at them and changed direction.

"I said I'm sorry. I was startled, and I had been drinking. Lucy saw the whole thing."

Lucy stood beside the terrace rail, some distance from her now.

"Tell them," Victoria said. "You were right there."

Lucy looked at Ella.

"I caught the tray with my elbow."

Victoria turned fully towards her.

"Lucy."

"I turned round. I didn't see her coming. That's how the champagne spilled."

"And then she fell."

Lucy swallowed.

"After you pushed her."

The fountain sounded very loud.

Ella had wanted someone to say it. Now that someone had, she felt the breath leave her slowly, painfully. No matter how obvious the shove had been, she had spent the last hour listening to it become a slip, a misunderstanding, an accusation.

"I laughed," Lucy added. "I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

"You were laughing because it was an accident," Victoria snapped.

"No. I was laughing because you were."

Victoria stared at her, abandoned in a way Ella could see without needing to pity it.

Anna stood near the service door. Victoria caught sight of her and seized on a new audience.

"And you've been running round making it worse. I suppose you're hoping for something out of this."

Anna's face emptied.

Ella stepped into Victoria's line of sight.

"You will stop speaking to her now."

"I'm allowed to defend myself."

"Then answer for what you did. Leave Anna out of it."

Richard moved forward.

"Ella, please. Can we settle this? I will make a substantial contribution to the restoration fund. Whatever you consider appropriate."

Clara's expression hardened. Ella answered before she could speak.

"The restoration fund isn't involved."

"I meant it as a gesture."

"Then listen to what I'm asking for."

She turned to Victoria. Her hands had begun trembling again, so she let them hang at her sides rather than hiding them.

"You pushed me. You accused me of causing the spill. You threatened Anna's work because she helped me. I want you to correct that in front of the people who heard you."

Victoria glanced at the watching guests.

"You're trying to humiliate me."

"I'm asking you to tell them what happened."

Richard opened his mouth.

"And then," Ella continued, "Harris will have your car brought round. You're leaving the reception."

"This isn't your wedding."

Sophie stepped beside Ella.

"It's mine. And I want you to go."

Victoria looked at her friend as though this were the evening's true betrayal.

"Sophie, we've known each other since school."

"Then you should know I mean it."

James stayed beside his wife. For a moment the little group on the terrace was completely still.

Victoria's father said her name.

She would not look at him.

"I pushed her," she said at last.

The words were so quiet that the nearest guests leaned forward.

Ella waited.

Victoria's eyes shone. She gripped her bag with both hands.

"Ella didn't cause the spill. Lucy knocked the tray. And Anna didn't lie about anything."

Anna stared down at the paving.

"I'm sorry," Victoria said.

Ella nodded once.

"Harris, please have someone accompany her to the car."

Victoria waited another second. Perhaps she expected forgiveness to follow, or reassurance. Ella had neither to give her tonight.

Richard took his daughter's arm. This time she let him.

Lucy remained beside the rail until they had gone down the steps. Then she approached Anna, who recoiled so slightly that Ella might have missed it earlier in the evening.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said. "For laughing."

"I heard you."

Lucy nodded and stepped away without asking for anything more.

Harris turned towards the service door, where several members of staff had gathered.

"Nobody will lose a shift for telling me what happened tonight," he said. "If anyone contacts you about it, come directly to me. I'll speak to the agency in the morning as well."

A waiter beside Anna let out a breath.

Ella realised he had been holding a full tray throughout the exchange.

"You can put that down," she said gently.

He looked at the glasses, surprised, and did.

Sophie touched Ella's sleeve.

"Will you come inside? We haven't cut the cake."

"Are you sure?"

"I could use somebody near me who hasn't told me what a bride ought to do for at least five minutes."

Ella smiled, tired enough that it hurt.

"I'd like that."

Richard returned as they reached the doors. His daughter's car was travelling down the drive behind him.

"Tomorrow's meeting," he said. "Should I assume it's cancelled?"

Ella considered him. He had come expecting to make an unpleasant incident disappear. At least he was asking a question now.

"Nine o'clock, as arranged."

Relief crossed his face too soon.

"But bring time to read another proposal," she added. "Yours won't be the only one on the table."