"You'll continue with the duties as lady of the castle. Pay no attention to her," Cecilia said, her words intended to cut Ophelia deep.
Victoria lowered her head in shame. "How could I do those duties when the formal lady of the castle is here? Those duties should go over to Mrs Hastings."
"Nonsense," Cecilia said, grabbing hold of Victoria's hands. "You have been here first, and you are the one my son is in love with. You will continue as you were instructed before we left."
Cecilia frowned as her gaze settled upon Ophelia. "If not for ending the long feud with the Valthorns, I wouldn't let her set foot into the castle. I am permitting you to keep up with the position you have now. She's merely a puppet."
Victoria lifted her head and didn't respond.
Cecilia tidied Victoria's appearance and commented, "How awful for you to have to share the castle with her. I suggested placing her elsewhere, but Dante wouldn't listen."
Victoria smiled. "Lord Dante is kind. He wouldn't want his wife far away from him. After all, she is unfamiliar with the land."
Cecilia scoffed. "It would be wonderful for everyone if she could wander the land and get lost. Quickly, I need to show her to her room so I can rest."
Victoria motioned for the maids to go forward to help Cecilia with her coat.
Using the moment Cecilia was distracted, Victoria eyed Ophelia from head to toe.
Victoria frowned.
Why was such a frail and shabby woman chosen to be Dante's wife?
Ophelia wasn't pleasing to the eye. She looked less than a maid and wasn't suited to stand beside Dante.
Victoria didn't want Ophelia present, but it wasn't her place to speak on this matter.
Ophelia kept her gaze on the ground. She was tired and only wanted food as well as to rest.
Ophelia knew Cecilia was trying to flaunt Victoria in her face, but she wasn't upset that Dante had a lover. Having a lover meant he would spend less time in Ophelia's bed.
"Come," came Cecilia's order like a master calling to its pet.
Ophelia felt weaker now that she was so close to a bed, but though every part of her body ached, she followed Cecilia and Victoria.
Ophelia followed Cecilia up the stairs for a long walk before she finally came to two large black doors.
The doors were opened by the maids, and in walked Cecilia.
"Stop right there," Cecilia said before the maids allowed Ophelia to enter. "This chamber belongs to my son, and naturally, it should belong to the lady of this castle, but you aren't suited for it."
Cecilia examined the room, which was just as she had left it. "Victoria, you did a swell job keeping it tidy."
"You flatter me, Milady," Victoria said, basking in the compliment. "I'm sure Lady Ophelia will do well and exceed your standards."
Cecilia covered her mouth, but her laughter still escaped to fill the room. "You must stop showing her grace, Victoria. Here in the castle, her status is below a maid. You are not to step foot into this chamber unless my son sends for you to warm his bed."
"You may part from us for now, Victoria. I will show this one to her chamber," Cecilia said as she walked out of the chamber.
Cecilia once again led the way for Ophelia to follow.
Ophelia placed her hands on the wall, paying no mind to the cobweb. She needed something to lean on to keep herself from falling.
Ophelia was close to fainting. She yearned to rest, but the walk to her chamber was quite far.
Cecilia took Ophelia to an old tower, which had been vacant for years. It was only looked at when Cecilia once thought of where she was going to place Dante's wife.
Cecilia stood back, allowing the maids to open the old door.
Cecilia's nose scrunched up, and she was forced to cover her nose with her hand after the dust was disturbed.
"This will be your chamber. You should be grateful that I have assigned this tower to you. Go in," Cecilia said, shooing Ophelia inside.
Ophelia entered the chamber to get the matter over with. Maids entered alongside her to pull the old blankets from the bed and open the drapes to bring light into the room.
Ophelia coughed and quickly covered her nose. This chamber was suited for a prisoner, and that was what she had become.
"Stop! Leave the chamber," Cecilia ordered the maids. "She can clean from this point. There are rules for your stay here. You are not to leave this room without my permission. When I allow you to leave, a guard must be at your side. Your things will be brought up soon. Don't cause trouble or you'll starve."
Cecilia awaited tears, but they didn't come. It angered her.
Still, she looked forward to dinner.
Ophelia stood still, listening to everyone leaving the room and then locking the door behind her. She was now alone in a dust-filled room.
Ophelia dragged her feet to the windows to open them. Then she opened the door leading out to the balcony and sat down on the floor.
Ophelia rested her head against the wall. Before she could clean the room, she needed to rest urgently. If she moved anymore, she would finally faint.
As soon as Ophelia closed her eyes, her tiredness finally won the long battle and overcame her. Ophelia fell into a deep slumber.
Hours passed with Ophelia sleeping on the cold floor. Her body had grown accustomed to the shivering cold thanks to the nights Ophelia slept outside during the trip to the castle and from the nights of punishment when she disobeyed Joel.
Ophelia's eyes slowly opened to the view of the sun setting upon unfamiliar land. It would be a beautiful sight if she were in the castle for a different occasion.
A knock on the door startled Ophelia.
There wasn't any light in the room since the maids had not returned to start a fire, so it was hard for Ophelia to pinpoint where the door was.
Fortunately, the maid didn't wait for Ophelia's command and opened the door.
'Why knock if you are going to barge in?' Ophelia thought.
The maid didn't want to enter a dark chamber with a lady whom no one knew anything of besides being the lord's new wife. There were starting to be rumours that the new lady had a temper, but since Cecilia wasn't fond of Ophelia, the maids thought they could answer back to the new lady.
"Your dinner is here. I have been tasked by Lady Cecilia to inform you that you are not to go down for dinner. If your presence is needed, they shall send a maid. It is most important that you don't go out at night alone if you want to live," said Alice, the maid assigned to Ophelia.
"Especially on nights with full moons. There is flint and all that you need to take care of yourself for the night. Don't bother with the bell," Alice said, stating the last of her order from the head maid.
Ophelia could ring the bell all she wanted, but not a single servant would visit for the night.