A short while later, the newly combined family made its way into the drawing room.

"How long has your family lived here?" Drisella asked, running a finger along the fireplace mantel and checking it for dust.

"Over two hundred years," Ella's father replied proudly.

Anastasia snorted. "And in all that time, they never thought to decorate?"

"Hush," Lady Tremaine snapped. "They will think you are serious."

Ella's father, however, stared at his new wife, trying to gauge her feelings about the place. "Well?" he asked, hoping for her approval.

Lady Tremaine looked around the room, her gaze flitting from the chairs to the pictures on the wall. In turn, Ella watched Lady Tremaine. She knew that the woman was judging the house and, therefore, her mother's touch. Finally, Lady Tremaine answered, "Very homely." While her smile seemed approving, Ella couldn't help noting the dual meanings of the word. Her stepmother went on. "It does lack a little sparkle and gaiety. Though I suppose there has been little enough to celebrate …until now. We must change that!"

As she spoke, Lady Tremaine looked directly at Ella. If Ella were to disagree, it would seem rude, and Ella knew her father would be hurt. So she simply nodded. While she liked the house, it might not be such a bad idea to bring some life back into the place, add a little more laughter. What harm could come from that?

Lady Tremaine wasted no time in planning many parties. She invited everyone she thought worthy, including numerous well-dressed lords and ladies. The household staff found themselves stuffed into formal servants' outfits while the cook baked and grilled and baked some more. As the guests began to arrive, the house did indeed fill with laughter. But, Ella noted as she looked around the room, the laughter was not kind. It was snarky.

Ella watched as her stepmother and her guests speculated on the goings-on in the kingdom, cackling meanly as they gossiped. Then, noticing movement out of the corner of her eye, Ella glanced to the side of the room. She smiled as she saw a tiny house mouse, whom she had named Jacqueline, making off with a fallen chunk of cheese. The food was nearly as big as the mouse herself, and she struggled under its weight.

Suddenly, Ella heard a hiss. Lady Tremaine's beloved cat, Lucifer, was stalking over. The name fit the creature perfectly. He was the one animal Ella had not been able to win over. He was mean and aloof , showing affection only to Lady Tremaine and snapping at anyone else who dared to come near him.

"Just what do you think you're up to, Lucifer?" Ella asked, reaching down and picking up the cat by the scruff of his neck. "Jacqueline is my guest. And the eating of guests is not allowed." Nodding at the little mouse, Ella took Lucifer out of the room.

Enough had changed already in her home. The least she could do was make sure her old friends were safe from the new intruders—even if she wasn't so lucky.

Down the hall, Ella's father sat in his study, going over his accounts. Ella stood in the doorway, looking around the familiar room. Lady Tremaine's touch had not found its way to this room, and for that, Ella was glad.

"You're missing the party," Ella said, walking into the study.

Ella's father looked up and smiled wearily. "I imagine it is much like all the others. And I'm leaving first thing."

"You're hardly back from the last trip," Ella said, her voice quavering. "Do you have to go?"

"I'm afraid so," her father replied. "And what would you like me to bring you home from abroad? Your sisters . . ." His voice trailed off as Ella shot him a pointed look. He cleared his throat and corrected himself. "Your stepsisters have asked me for parasols and lace. What will you have?"

"Nothing, Father," Ella replied.

" ‘Nothing will come of nothing,' " her father replied, smiling mischievously.

Ella returned the smile. This was one of the games they played: identify the quote. When she was younger, the quotes had been simple, but now her father enjoyed testing her with more obscure references. This one, however, she knew. "King Lear." Her father nodded proudly. Suddenly, inspiration struck. "I know," she said. "Bring me the first branch your shoulder brushes on your journey."

Her father cocked his head. "That is a curious request."

"You'll have to take it with you on your way," Ella explained, "and think of me when you look at it. And when you bring it back, it means that you will be with it." Her face grew serious as she looked at her father. He seemed smaller to her, weaker even. She knew that each trip he made took a toll on him. "And that's what I really want—for you to come back. No matter what." She shuddered as a wave of foreboding washed over her. She had a terrible feeling, as if her father wasn't coming home.

"I will," Ella's father replied. He paused and then added, "Now, Ella, while I'm away, you must be good to your stepmother and stepsisters. Even though they may be …trying at times."

"I promise," Ella replied.

"Thank you," her father said, sounding relieved. "I always leave a part of me behind, Ella. Remember that. And your mother is here, too, though you see her not. She is the very heart of this place. That is why we must cherish this house, always. For her."

Ella's throat closed up. They very rarely spoke of Mother these days. "I miss her," Ella said softly. "Do you?"

"Very much," her father said. "Very much."

As Ella and her father fell into companionable silence, they were unaware of a figure just outside the door. Lady Tremaine had heard them talking of Ella's mother and felt a wave of anger and jealousy rush over her. Her new husband's words just then felt like a betrayal.

Shaking her head, Lady Tremaine turned and walked back down the hall. It was pointless to allow emotion to get the better of her. She was the lady of the house now, and she would make sure Ella learned that while her father was away.

All too soon, Ella once again found herself standing in front of the house looking at a carriage. But this time the carriage was not bringing a new family home to her; it was taking her only real family away. As her father waved good-bye, Ella's eyes filled with tears. Lady Tremaine stood beside her, her back straight and her expression unreadable.

Anastasia and Drisella were far less upset. "Remember the lace," Anastasia called after the carriage. "And my parasol!" Drisella added. "For my complexion!" With that, the Tremaines headed inside, leaving Ella alone.

When the carriage was finally out of sight, Ella also made her way back into the house. She was passing the drawing room when she heard her name called. Wiping tears from her eyes, she entered the room.

Lady Tremaine was seated comfortably on one of the chaises. Her hands were clasped in her lap, and a look of smug pleasure spread over her face. From down the hall, Ella could hear her stepsisters arguing about clothes and closet space. "Yes, Stepmother."

Lady Tremaine smiled coldly. "You needn't call me that," she replied. " ‘Madam' will do." She paused as one of her daughters let out a piercing shriek. Then she went on. "Anastasia and Drisella have always shared a room. Such dear, affectionate girls. I think they are finding the quarters rather confining."

Ella listened to the screaming from the hall. She couldn't argue with her stepmother. Her new sisters did seem on edge. And she had made a promise to her father to make them feel welcome. "My bedroom is the biggest besides your and Father's. Perhaps they would like to have it?"

Lady Tremaine raised an eyebrow. She had expected to tell Ella to give up her room, not have it offered.

"I can stay in . . ." Ella went on.

"The attic," her stepmother finished. "Quite so."

Ella was taken aback. "The attic?"

"It's nice and airy," Lady Tremaine went on. "And you shall be away from all our fuss and bother. It would be even more cozy for you if you kept all of this . . ." Her hand swept around the room, indicating the small objects and keepsakes Ella and her father had collected over the years. Lady Tremaine's hand paused on a small portrait of Ella's mother before she finished. "…bric-a-brac up there with you. To keep you amused."

Ella was quiet as she glanced at the "bric-a-brac." Her eyes landed on the image of her mother. "Have courage and be kind. Promise me. "Her mother's last words to her echoed through Ella's head. A protest died on her lips and she simply nodded. "Madam."

Lady Tremaine smiled as though she had won a great battle. And then she pointed to the books on the shelves. "You may take these away as well," she said. "Natural philosophy, mathematics, histories? These books are too …bookish for me. They depress my spirits. And they take up space."

Lady Tremaine stood up, grabbed one of the books, and handed it to Ella. Ella nearly gasped aloud. There, sparkling on the ring finger of Lady Tremaine's left hand, was the engagement ring Ella's father had given to her mother. Why was Lady Tremaine wearing it? Ella knew her father would never have given it to her.

Ella didn't know what to say or do. She was overwhelmed by the sight of her stepmother wearing her mother's ring, and her new living arrangements. Without her father's reassuring presence, she had no one to turn to for comfort or guidance.

Stopping to collect a few things from her old room, she made her way up to the attic. When she opened the door, she was met with a gust of cold, dusty air. No one had been up there in years, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling, while a thick layer of dust coated the floor. Various objects were strewn about, having been dumped into the attic when they were no longer of use. Just like me, Ella thought. She spotted a narrow, beat-up bed in the corner and moved it under the single window. Then she sat down. "Well," she said aloud, trying to make the best of it, "no one shall disturb me here."

As if on cue, Ella heard a tiny squeak . Then she saw Jacqueline and Gus, the two house mice. "Oh!" she cried out, pleased to see her friends. "So this is where you take refuge. Me too, it would seem."

The small furry creatures looked up at her, their little whiskers wiggling as though in agreement.

Ella smiled. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all. There were no stepmothers, stepsisters, or even pesky stepcats to bother her and her animal companions. No, this might not be so bad at all. Plus, now that she had been sentenced to the attic, things couldn't possibly get any worse, could they?

Ella quickly discovered that things could, indeed, get worse. She was at the mercy of her new family's every whim. They complained that the country air exhausted them, so, in order to help the staff with the Tremaines' increasing demands, Ella began taking breakfast to their rooms every morning. Soon their lethargy started to extend through supper, tea, and dinner as well. The bells in the kitchen that had long been covered by dust through lack of use began to ring throughout the day, signaling yet more requests from Ella's stepfamily.

While Anastasia and Drisella lounged, Ella rushed to and fro, picking up empty plates and clearing the dirty laundry only to watch her sisters carelessly throw more clothes on the ground. When the girls and their mother retired to the drawing room for the afternoon, Ella was expected to make sure the dust was wiped clear and the curtains were pulled back to let in the sun. There was always a complaint. A smidge of dust, the sun too bright.

One afternoon, as Ella moved around the drawing room, Drisella practiced her singing and Anastasia drew. Neither girl was good at her hobby, and while Ella tried not to, she couldn't help cringing when Drisella hit a particularly high note.

Perched in her chair, Lady Tremaine watched her stepdaughter rush to and fro. Despite her dirty dress and her messy hair, she was still infinitely more poised than either of Lady Tremaine's daughters. She did what she was asked, always agreeably, always willingly, and it infuriated Lady Tremaine. The lady realized that if she wanted her daughters to look better, she would simply have to make Ella look worse. She would have to figure out a way to extinguish the light of Ella's good character—at any cost.

(Oh, dear reader, can you see how dark hearts are so scared of the light? Always so cruel, these jealous types. Funny how they never seem to learn …)

过了一会儿，刚刚组合起来的一家人走到了起居室。

“你们家在这里住了多久了？”崔西里亚问道。她用手指抹了一下壁炉架，看看有没有灰尘。

“有两百多年了，”瑞拉的父亲自豪地说。

安泰西亚哼了一声：“住了那么久，他们都没想着装饰一下房子吗？”

“嘘，”特曼妮夫人严厉地打断她道，“你这么说，别人会当真的。”

然而，瑞拉的父亲注视着他的新妻子，想听听她对这房子的看法。“那么？”他问道，希望得到她肯定的答复。

特曼妮夫人环视了一下房间，她的眼睛从椅子扫视到墙上挂的画。瑞拉也注视着特曼妮夫人。她知道特曼妮夫人在评判这所房子，也是在评判母亲的品位。最后，特曼妮夫人答道：“很有家的样子。”尽管她的微笑看起来像赞许，但瑞拉忍不住想到这个词的双重意思。继母继续说道：“房子缺少一点光彩和活力。当然，之前好像也没什么好庆祝的……直到今天。我们要让它焕然一新！”

特曼妮夫人说话的时候眼睛直盯着瑞拉。如果瑞拉表示拒绝，看起来会很不礼貌，而且她知道那样父亲也会难过。所以瑞拉只是点了点头。她喜欢这所房子，给这房子重新带来一点生气，增添一点欢笑，应该也不是坏事。会有什么坏处呢？

特曼妮夫人马上就开始筹备一个接一个的派对。她邀请了所有她认为值得邀请的人，包括很多衣冠楚楚的王公和贵妇。家里的仆人们穿上了正式的工作服，厨师烘啊、烤啊，忙得不可开交。随着客人们陆陆续续地到来时，屋子里确实是充满了笑声。但是瑞拉环顾四周却发现，他们的笑声并不友善，它是那么的刺耳。

瑞拉看着继母和她的客人们猜测着王国里的各种动向，不时爆发出刺耳的笑声。瑞拉眼睛的余光注意到有什么东西在移动，就向屋子那边一瞥。原来是一只小家鼠，瑞拉给它取名叫杰奎琳。看到杰奎琳在偷偷抱走一块落到地上的奶酪，瑞拉笑了。奶酪差不多和小老鼠一样大，小老鼠被压得步履维艰。

突然，瑞拉听到嘶的一声，是特曼妮夫人心爱的猫卢西佛悄悄跟了过来。这只猫叫卢西佛还真叫对了。它是唯一对瑞拉不友好的动物。它刻薄冷漠，除了对特曼妮夫人亲近以外，其他任何人只要一走近，它就会又咬又挠。

“卢西佛，你想干什么？”瑞拉边问边伸手抓住卢西佛的后颈把它抱了起来。“杰奎琳是我的客人。你可不能吃掉客人。”瑞拉对小老鼠点点头，抱着卢西佛走出了房间。

家里的变化已经够大了，她至少要保证老朋友们不会受到入侵者的伤害——尽管她自己也不是那么幸运。

门厅的那一头，瑞拉的父亲坐在书房里，整理着账目。瑞拉站在门口，打量着熟悉的房间。特曼妮夫人没有按自己的品位对书房进行装饰，这一点让瑞拉感到高兴。

“你怎么不去参加聚会？”瑞拉说着走进了书房。

父亲抬起头疲惫地笑了笑：“我想这次跟其他聚会没什么两样。我明天一大早就要出差。”

“可是你才出差回来啊，”瑞拉用颤抖的声音说，“你必须去吗?”

“恐怕必须去，”父亲回答，“你想让我从国外给你带什么回来？你姐姐们……”瑞拉瞪了父亲一眼，他的声音小了。他清了清嗓子，改口道：“你的继姐们让我买阳伞和蕾丝。你要什么呢？”

“我什么也不要，父亲。”瑞拉回答。

“‘什么都不要只能换来一无所有’，”父亲调皮地笑着回答。

瑞拉也朝父亲笑了笑。这是他们玩的一个游戏：猜出引用句子的出处。她小的时候，句子都很简单，但是现在父亲喜欢用更隐晦的引文考她。然而，这一句话她知道:“《李尔王》。”父亲骄傲地点点头。瑞拉突然有了灵感。“想起来了，”她说，“给我带旅途中第一个划过你肩头的树枝吧。”

父亲抬起头说：“这个要求真奇怪。”

“这样你一路上就要带着它，”瑞拉解释说，“一看到它你就会想起我。等你把它带回来时，就说明它陪了你一路。”她看着父亲，表情变得严肃起来。父亲显得没有那么高大了，甚至有点虚弱。她知道每次奔波都会让父亲心力交瘁。“这才是我真正想要的——你要回来，无论发生什么事情。”她突然有一种不祥的预感，浑身战栗了一下。她难受极了，仿佛父亲再不能回来了似的。

“我会的，”父亲回答道。过了一会儿他又说：“瑞拉，我不在家的时候，你要善待继母和姐姐们。尽管有时候她们……很难相处。”

“我保证，”瑞拉回答。

“谢谢你，”父亲松了一口气，“我心里一直都会牵挂着你，瑞拉。记住。还有，你母亲也在，尽管你看不见她。她是这个家的灵魂。所以我们要珍惜这个家，永远珍惜。为了她。”

瑞拉的嗓子好像堵住了。最近他们很少谈到母亲。“我想她，”瑞拉轻轻地说，“你呢？”

“非常想她，”父亲说，“非常想她。”

瑞拉和父亲静静地待着，他们没有注意到门外有一个人。特曼妮夫人听到他们谈论瑞拉的母亲，忍不住妒火中烧。丈夫刚才的话像是背叛了她。

特曼妮夫人摇摇头，转身沿着走廊离开了。让自己失去理智没有什么意义。她现在是房子的女主人，她要让瑞拉在父亲出差时明白这一点。

很快，瑞拉又一次站在房前看着一辆马车。但这一次马车不是带来新的家庭成员，而是要带走她唯一真正的亲人。父亲挥手道别时，瑞拉热泪盈眶。特曼妮夫人站在瑞拉身边，腰挺得笔直，脸上透露着一种难以捉摸的神情。

安泰西亚和崔西里亚可没有这么难过。“记得给我买蕾丝，”安泰西亚朝马车喊。“还有我的阳伞！”崔西里亚补充道，“我要用它保护皮肤呢！”说完，特曼妮母女就朝房内走去，将瑞拉独自留在外面。

当马车消失在视野里时，瑞拉也走回了房子。她走过客厅时，听见有人叫她。她擦干眼泪，走进了客厅。

特曼妮夫人正舒服地坐在一张长靠椅上。她两只手扣在一起，放在腿上，脸上一副扬扬得意的表情。走廊的另一头，瑞拉听到姐姐们因为争夺衣服和壁橱吵得不可开交。“来了，继母。”

特曼妮夫人冷冷地笑了一下。“你不用这么称呼我，”她回答，“叫我‘夫人’就行。”她稍微停了一下，因为她的一个女儿尖叫了一声，然后接着说道：“安泰西亚和崔西里亚一直挤在一个房间里。她们真是难舍难分。我看她们是觉得自己的房间太局促了。”

瑞拉听到走廊上传来的尖叫声。她不能跟继母争辩。两个姐姐看起来的确挺剑拔弩张的。她答应过父亲要和她们友好相处。“我的卧室是主卧以外最大的，也许她们愿意住我那间。”

特曼妮夫人扬了扬眉毛。她本以为要开口告诉瑞拉让出卧室，结果她自己主动提出来了。

“我可以住到……”瑞拉继续说道。

“住到阁楼，”继母决定说，“就这么办吧。”

瑞拉吃了一惊：“阁楼？”

“那里通风良好，”特曼妮夫人接着说道，“你也不用听我们吵吵闹闹的。当然还可以更舒服，如果你把这些……”她用手画了一圈，指着瑞拉和父亲收集多年的小物件和纪念品。特曼妮夫人的手停在了瑞拉母亲的一张小画像上，“……零零碎碎的东西都带上去。它们会让你心情愉快！”

瑞拉静静地看着那些“零零碎碎”。她的目光停留在母亲的肖像上。“坚强而勇敢，仁慈而善良。答应我。”母亲临终前的嘱托在瑞拉的脑海中回响。本来想提出的抗议到嘴边又咽下了，瑞拉只是点点头，“夫人。”

特曼妮夫人像打赢了一场重大战役一样微笑着。然后她指着书架上的书说：“你可以把这些也拿走。自然哲学，数学，历史？这些书对我来说太……文绉绉了。它们让我情绪低落，而且还占地方。”

特曼妮夫人站起来，拿起一本书，递给了瑞拉。瑞拉吃惊地吸了一口气。特曼妮夫人左手无名指上戴着的闪闪发亮的东西，竟然是父亲送给母亲的订婚戒指。为什么特曼妮夫人会戴着这枚戒指？瑞拉知道父亲肯定不会把这枚戒指送给她的。

瑞拉不知道该说什么，也不知道该怎么做。看到继母戴着自己母亲的戒指，又对自己的生活做了这样的安排，瑞拉不知所措。她一直依靠的父亲不在身边，也找不到别人寻求安慰或引导。

瑞拉回到自己原来的房间收拾了几件东西，朝阁楼走去。她一打开门，一阵寒风夹带着灰尘迎面扑来。阁楼已经好几年没有人上来过了，天花板上挂着蜘蛛网，地上则覆盖着一层厚厚的尘土。地上还胡乱丢着几件东西，都是没用了以后扔到阁楼上来的。就像我一样，瑞拉想到。她看到角落里有一张狭窄破旧的床，就把它拖到唯一的那扇窗户下面，然后坐下来。“好了，”她大声说，努力让自己做到随遇而安，“这里再也不会有人打扰我了。”

就在这时，瑞拉听到一声轻轻的吱吱声。她看到杰奎琳和葛斯，那两只家鼠。“哦！”看到自己的朋友她高兴得叫了出来，“原来你们都躲在这儿，看来我也要在这儿栖身了。”

这两只毛茸茸的小家伙抬头看着她，它们的小胡须摆动着，好像是在赞成瑞拉的话。

瑞拉笑了。可能这也不尽然是坏事：这里没有继母，没有继母带来的两个姐姐，也没有继母带来的讨厌的猫来打扰她和她的动物伙伴们。是的，这可能根本不算是坏事。而且，现在她已经被打发到了阁楼上，事情无论如何都不会再糟到哪里去了，对吧？

但很快瑞拉就发现事情真的还可以更糟。瑞拉要完全听从她新家人的指使，哪怕她们是一时兴起。她们抱怨乡间的空气让她们浑身乏力，所以为了帮助仆人们应付她们苛刻的要求，瑞拉每天早晨要把早餐送到她们的房间。很快,她们的乏力程度就增加至一日三餐都要送到房间里。厨房的铃铛本来很少使用，上面满是灰尘，现在却要每天响个不停，传递着继母和姐姐们一个又一个的要求。

安泰西亚和崔西里亚闲得荡来晃去，瑞拉却来回奔忙，收拾空碟子，洗脏衣服，但是姐姐们却总是会毫不在乎地将更多的脏衣服扔到地上。下午当她们母女三个回到起居室的时候，瑞拉要确保房间里打扫得一尘不染，且窗帘要拉开好让阳光照进来。即使这样，她们还是不停地抱怨：哪里有一点点灰尘啦，阳光太刺眼了啦。

一天下午，瑞拉在起居室里忙来忙去，崔西里亚在练习唱歌，安泰西亚在画画。两个女孩的才艺都让人不敢恭维。瑞拉努力不表现出来，不过当崔西里亚唱了一个特别高的音时，她还是被刺耳的声音吓得禁不住畏缩了一下。

特曼妮夫人坐在椅子上，看着瑞拉来回奔忙。尽管瑞拉穿着脏衣服，头发也十分蓬乱，但她仍然比特曼妮夫人的两个女儿要泰然自若得多。她总是让干什么就干什么，心甘情愿，毫无怨言，这让特曼妮夫人非常恼火。特曼妮夫人意识到，要想使自己的女儿看起来更好，就只有让瑞拉看起来更差。她要想一个法子来熄灭瑞拉品格的光芒——不管付出什么代价。

(哦，亲爱的读者，你看到阴暗的心灵是多么害怕这种光芒了吗？这些嫉妒的人总是那么残忍，但奇怪的是她们怎么永远不会了解……)