Free Charm by Sarah Pinborough

being wonderful. But every time she looked at Rose or her step-mother she felt bad. She wondered if maybe she should tell Rose what happened? How the other girl was her? Maybe Rose would actually be relieved, because then they could send for the prince and her step-mother would have the life she wanted and it would all be well again.
    ‘Look, Rose—’ she started, and then the back door opened and a burst of fresh cold and rain delivered Buttons into the kitchen.
    ‘Evening, princess,’ he said. ‘Sorry I didn’t knock. It’s a bastard out there.’ He pushed the door closed and then hurried over to the stove – handing Rose the small sack he carried before pressing his palms against the warm metal and shivering. ‘You must be Rose,’ he grinned. ‘I’ve heard about you.’
    Rose looked in the bag and then pulled out a large round of cheese, a ham and two loaves of bread. ‘And you must be the boy who’s been refilling our coal scuttle when it empties,’ she said wryly.
    ‘That could be me, I confess.’
    Cinderella couldn’t look at Rose. She’d thought no one had noticed the gifts Buttons had been bringing her, but clearly that wasn’t the case. ‘Thanks, Buttons.’
    ‘No problem, princess.’
    Rose visibly flinched at the use of the word, but she pulled a chair up for him and poured him a hot coffee from the pot. ‘You shouldn’t be out on the streets in this if you don’t have to be,’ she said. ‘Aside from the trouble you could get into. I’m presuming you didn’t buy this stuff.’
    ‘Can’t keep me from the ladies,’ He winked at her and then smiled at Cinderella. ‘And it won’t be missed. They have plenty.’ He sat down. ‘Anyway, I thought you’d want all the latest gossip from the castle, princess. You never get tired of that.’
    ‘If it’s about the Bride Balls, don’t bother,’ Rose said, bristling slightly. ‘We know all about it.’
    ‘But do you know about the shoe?’ Buttons asked. Cinderella’s heart leapt and Rose frowned.
    ‘What shoe?’
    ‘The one the girl left behind. They found it on the stairs when the party was being cleaned up. It’s beautiful apparently. Made of diamonds or something. A dainty, narrow slipper that the prince is convinced belongs to his mystery beauty. He’s totally all over the place. Quite funny to see. He was moping about like a teenager until they found it.’
    ‘Really?’ Cinderella fought back her smile although inside she was dancing all over again. He loved her! He felt the same way she did.
    ‘Anyway,’ Buttons continued. ‘He’s sending his footman on a tour of the city to try the slipper on the foot of every girl of the right age. When the slipper finds its owner, he’ll marry her.’
    ‘But that’s ridiculous! It’s a shoe. It’ll fit a lot of girls,’ Rose said. ‘Surely you just look for the girl who has the other shoe.’
    ‘I’ve seen it,’ Buttons said. ‘There’s something funny about that slipper. And our handsome highness wants the girl who can wear it perfectly.’
    ‘When does the search start?’ Cinderella tried to keep the excitement out of her voice, but she wanted to sing with happiness. The slipper wouldn’t fit anyone else, no matter how logical Rose’s point was. It would be too big or too small for every lady but her. It would make itself that way. Her stomach fizzed. The fairy godmother’s promise was going to come true.
    ‘Tomorrow. But even if they work all day and night it’s still going to take weeks to go through the whole city.’
    ‘Not necessarily,’ Rose said. ‘Maybe they’ll find her quickly.’ There was a longing in her voice and then she sighed. She looked up at Cinderella, her face full of despair. ‘If we could keep this from mother, that would be good.’
    Cinderella nodded. The mood dampened after that, and Buttons, now warm and dry got up to leave. Rose gave him an extra scarf to wrap tight around his face against the outside onslaught and both girls