The Dance: Cinderella Connection, #4

By LeAnn Mathis

Anna loves to dance. After her presentation to the king, Princess Isabella invites her to a ball she will never forget. But once she agrees, will she ever be able to leave again?

"Young teens, particularly girls, should love this and so may readers of women’s fiction of all ages. It is a lovely retelling of a classic tale with original characters and interesting twists." - BookAngel Review

• Language: English
• Publisher: LeAnn Mathis
• Release date: Dec 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386272083

LeAnn Mathis

The world itself is an inspiration. My Dad was in the army so my family got to see quite a bit of it growing up. I've taken that variety into my writing and I create stories based on whatever inspires me at the moment. Questions about my lunch meal, a Hawaiian Place of Refuge, and things my kids do have all been transformed, and I hope you enjoy what they grew into. Happy Reading. -LeAnn Mathis (The pen name for Stephanie Neilan when the books are just for fun.)

Book preview

The Dance

LeAnn Mathis

Copyright 2016 By Hearth Publications

All rights reserved

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Cover Art: Ballet Shoes. Royal Winnipeg Ballet at UApresents. The University of Arizona. Web. 20 July 2016. <https://sites.google.com/site/balletatuapresents/pointe-shoes-1>.

Table of Contents

Donald

Royal Visit

Under the Palace

Back Below

Thank You

Donald

A mother’s duty is to marry her daughters off to advantage. At least that’s what mine believed. Advantage meant wealth, position, and power. And she succeeded. One by one, four of my older sisters married men of great importance and power. Never mind the fact that they were boring when they weren’t condescending.

Now there were only two of us left. I wished I knew how the princesses did it. Twelve of them, but none of them were married. I asked my mother if there was something wrong with them, and she slapped me across the face. We do not gossip about the royal family in this household.

Point taken.

But I still wondered.

I wanted my future husband to be interesting, brave, kind, and handsome. I longed to dance with someone who was not family and have compliments whispered in my ear.

After my sixteenth birthday, Mother said I was finally old enough to come out. I danced around the room. Mother chided me, but I skipped through the door and pranced around the house, telling all the servants. When I found Margot in the music room, I twirled her around in a circle. I’m finally coming out.

She tightened the embrace. Congratulations. That means you get to perform with me at the next assembly. I’m singing Gestreuet mit Bleumen.

I wrinkled my nose. Isn’t strewn with flowers a wedding aria?

She wiggled her eyebrows. Mother hoped it would be ‘inspirational.’ After all, two seasons is acceptable, but a third, and you might as well declare yourself an old maid.

We laughed. Margot walked over to the piano and picked up another group of papers. This one must be yours. They were delivered at the same time.

My mouth fell open. O fröhliche Stunden, o herrlicher Tag? Only Michelle could have hit all those high notes. I couldn’t even hit all the alto ones. I had the vocal range of a worm. "What is she