Blue Eyes

3

           Ella remembered always wanting to be a princess. As a young girl, her head was filled with stories of fantastic adventures. Her brothers spooked her with stories of dragons and a lady that played cards with the devil. Polly wove yarns of fairies and princesses. She decided, after careful consideration, she would be a princess who was also a knight. Why should she limit herself? She could rule the land and slay dragons. And of course, Ella found that she didn't like being dressed up as a princess. Her Sunday clothes were itchy and stiff. Polly would scold her if she returned home with scuffed shoes and torn stockings. But a girl couldn't ride a horse with a skirt, not properly anyway. She wouldn't sit sidesaddle and let her brothers win races because she was slipping right off her pony.

As she grew, she learned to appreciate dresses. They had their time and place. Tommy's wedding was that time and place. But what would she wear to a wedding that was in such strange circumstances? She was sure her brother was trying to promote their family as a little higher end than from where they began. Especially because Ada had said Grace came from a military family. Figuring Polly would know best, Ella packed a few of her finer dresses and left London with Ada.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"El!" Arthur's loud voice boomed across the front lawn. The boys were arriving back from a ride. Her eldest brother quickly dismounted and tossed the reins at a young stable hand. He jogged to embrace his younger sister, hoisting her up and spinning around about as he used to when she was much smaller.

John and Finn followed close behind him, each getting their chance to greet her. Ella was nothing but smiles as she reunited with them. Sometimes it was hard to know how much you've missed someone until you've seen them again. And when she saw her brothers, her heart ached painfully.

"Look at you! All grown up now." Arthur shook his head in disbelief. "Feels like you've been gone for ages. Swear you've gotten taller s'well."

"It's only been a few years, Arthur." She reminded him gently. Her blue eyes wandered over his shoulder to see Tommy lagging behind his brothers. His hands were in his overcoat pockets as he looked on. "Are you going to just stand there?" She asked. "I haven't been able to properly congratulate you."

"'Fraid you weren't coming." He approached her. Indeed, Tommy had called Ada a few times over the month to confirm that Ella was still going to attend the wedding. He was anxious to see his sister and hope they would be able to mend some wounds of their relationship. Not having her in their life was strange. There was always a gap in the family with Ella's absence.

"I wouldn't miss your wedding, pral." She smiled and went to hug him.

Tommy felt relieved that he could finally hug her again. "How's London treating you?"

"Good." She smiled but a brief thought about Alfie Solomons poked at her. She wasn't going to tell Tommy that she'd met him the day before his wedding, or ever. But she was hoping to get some more information from her brothers if she could.

"Want you to come meet Grace and Charlie. You need to meet your cousin, Michael, as well." Tommy was eager for her to meet his new family. He was hoping she and Grace got along. Perhaps the wedding would give her a reason to return to Birmingham.

The chatted idly as they walked to the massive house. "I can see you're doing very well for yourself," Ella noted. Never in her wildest dreams would she imagine being at such a house. It was a kind of house that lords and ladies lived in, not Shelbys. But it appeared that Tommy was trying to change that perception of the family name.