Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 115: Silence (4)
"Victoria told me what she spoke of with her uncle and about you sending her to be with your mother. I am not getting in the middle of it, so blame cannot be thrown towards me in the end, but I agree with you. You have to punish her a little so she can learn. That was your mistake," said Ophelia.
"Somehow I get scolded?"
Ophelia nodded her head. "You must. Like everyone around her, you enable her. That is why she is so careless and waits until she creates a mess to think clearly. She makes mistakes because she knows you will be there to fix them for her. She cannot be this way any longer."
"I truly wanted her to learn from you. Sometimes I don’t understand Victoria, and you are partly in her shoes. She could have benefitted from your friendship, but she’s too wrapped up in her thoughts," Dante said, uncertain of what awaited Victoria in the future.
"I don’t know if sending her to be with your mother is the best idea. You’re taking her from one person who spoils her and sending her to another who wants her to be with you. Why don’t you tell your mother it was all a lie? About Victoria being your mistress," Ophelia clarified.
"My mother is unlikely to believe it was a lie. If there is a small chance she believes it, she won’t stay silent. Somehow, the blame will be shifted to you. What matters is that I have made it clear that Victoria is not my mistress now. My mother tried putting us together for years and failed."
"Then she is quite determined. I shared with Victoria that she should give up on her father’s home for now. Eventually, war will come, and her uncle will stand with the king. He will die then, and the home can fall back into her hands," Ophelia suggested.
"She won’t have a choice but to wait until then. I understand that she feels bad sitting around doing nothing while her home is in someone’s hands. That is like someone I know," Dante said, looking directly at Ophelia.
"Stop trying to make it sound like I am the same as her. We might be fighting our families, but Victoria and I are not alike. Doesn’t she have another family?"
"She does, but her mother wasn’t close to them. If she writes to them, they will take her from my land and marry her off," Dante answered.
"I see. I would have gathered what I cherished and set the home on fire with Alistair in it. What?" Ophelia asked, startled by Dante’s laughter. "The home can be repaired. I would take what would go up in flames and place it in a safe keeping. I would also start rumours that the home is haunted, so no one wants it."
"That is a dramatic plan," Dante said, his laughter ceasing.
"But it would work, and you know it. Forget talking. He would meet my father in the afterlife. If the Valthorn castle wasn’t so big, I would have succeeded in setting it on fire," Ophelia confessed.
"Have you set the castle on fire before? Must I be concerned about my castle?" Dante asked, turning serious for a moment.
"It happened when I was younger, and I hated being in the castle. The fire was only meant to be a distraction while I tried to get Theo out."
"It didn’t work, and even if it did, I would have faced the reality that I couldn’t afford to take care of him alone. It would have been nice to burn it to the ground," Ophelia said, regretting she did not succeed.
"You did not answer my question," Dante said, still concerned for his castle.
"Have you done something to require me to set your castle on fire? You should only worry if you have done wrong. If you behave, there will be no fires. In case anyone heard us," Ophelia said, looking around for eavesdroppers. "You mustn’t assume any fire started was done by me."
"I haven’t had a fire started in my castle. Should there be one, shouldn’t I first assume it is the little fire starter?" Dante asked.
"You should stop to think if you have done wrong by me, and if you haven’t, then I didn’t start the fire. I have come to like the castle, so I wouldn’t ruin it. Would it be bad if I started eating the pastries now?" Ophelia asked, opening the bag.
Ophelia could not resist the scent any longer.
"You may do as you like as long as you have room for dinner. I don’t suggest eating so much bread now without any meat," said Dante.
"Says the one who got me a bag of pastries. Will food always be your way of making amends with me? I am not upset with it. I only suggest that it not be pastry all the time. I like meat," Ophelia said, hoping for a variety.
"We will be having meat for dinner. I thought something sweet would suit you for the time you sit in the carriage," Dante explained.
"It will. I will share some with Thomas and Alice in the morning. Where are they?" Ophelia asked, searching for the pair.
"You have taken quite a liking to them both. I have also noticed that Thomas has formed an unbreakable bond with you. He placed a sword to my chest to stop me from disturbing you. He has never done it before. Must I be concerned about losing Thomas to you?" Dante asked, but he was more concerned about Ophelia liking Thomas more.
"How many times must I say that Thomas is more loyal to you? He is only taking his job seriously to protect me. I am certain if you place him to protect someone else, he would be the same way."
Dante shook his head in disagreement with Ophelia. "Thomas listens to me well, but he has never bonded with anyone outside the knights as he has with you. Just as he reminds you of your brother, you might be reminding him of his mother. Be kind to him when your brother is here."
"I would never mistreat Thomas. I will apologise on his behalf that he placed a sword to you. On the other hand, I am happy to hear that he follows my order to the end. He did not yield because it was you. Perhaps it is Thomas whom I must give a gift for," Ophelia considered.
"Certainly not. It was your husband who picked him, and your husband who protects you the most. You should think of my gift first before another man," Dante said, unwilling to be second.
Ophelia laughed. "You are a man who has everything, yet you feel the need to be gifted first. Shame on you."
