Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 135: Spark (2)

"I’ll be taking daily reports from the head maid and taking into consideration if you are allowed to stay. You are here to work, not get involved with the politics of the Hastings castle. Do not step out of line," Ophelia advised the group.

"You may all get back to work," Ophelia ordered the maids.

Ophelia wanted to give them time to digest what she told them and start changing their ways.

"Stop," Ophelia said, halting the maids’ movement. "You know better when it comes to how you are to act when leaving my presence."

The maids curtsied and reluctantly walked away from Ophelia, fearing they would do more she considered to be wrong.

"Mrs Porter, it appears you have a lot of work to do. You will need to teach them how to greet me and other guests we have in the castle. Though I have a feeling it is only me they lack manners toward," Ophelia said, turning to face Frances. "If anyone causes trouble, I want it to be reported to me right away."

Ophelia continued to say, "Don’t hide it from me because you care for them, as it will reflect poorly on you. If you care for them, allow me to help them. Don’t let their bad behaviour continue."

"I will do as you ask, Lady Hastings. I intend to follow only the orders of Lady Hastings," said Frances.

"And my husband," Ophelia added.

Frances smiled. "Lord Hastings spoke to me the day you returned. I was instructed to obey your every order alone. Should it be changed?"

"No. We don’t need to go against my husband’s wishes. Were you close to the old Lady and Lord Hastings?" Ophelia asked, curious about Frances’s ties to Cecilia.

"I worked as a maid during the later years of their marriage and was learning to become the head maid, but the job was given to someone else. I was told to leave not long after, but I was in luck as of late to be searching for work and be told by a servant of Lord Hastings that I was to return," Frances shared her story.

"Who told you to leave?" Ophelia inquired, but she had a good idea of who it was.

"Lady Hastings. Lord Hastings, your husband, helped me to find other work for the time being and now that he has given me the chance to prove myself, I will not disappoint him or you," Frances promised.

"I am starting to have a feeling you won’t. I won’t ask about why Cecilia sent you away just yet. I will give you the chance to prove yourself without judging you on what happened in the past. Since my husband brought you back, there must be something he sees in you. Do him proud," said Ophelia.

"I will do my best, Lady Hastings. I can assure you that by the end of the day, there will be notable changes you shall enjoy. If you have time to spare, I would like to give you a tour before dinner of what I deem needs to change," Frances requested.

"I would like that. I will make it to see you before dinner. Have a good day," Ophelia said, bidding Frances goodbye.

Ophelia walked off, wanting to see Dante to speak of having guests.

"Should I not watch her anymore?" Alice whispered as it seemed Ophelia took a liking to Frances.

"Why would you change my order? She is off to a good start, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t watch her. While she might be upset with Cecilia sending her away, it doesn’t mean she is on my side. It simply means she is grateful to Dante for finding more work for her. Keep watching," said Ophelia.

Ophelia couldn’t take any chances. Not everyone was truly as they presented themselves.

Ophelia made her way to the training grounds where Dante led the men’s training. She stood on a balcony, peering down at the numerous lines of men. There were too many for Ophelia to bother herself to count.

Dante stood at the front of the men, lazily waving his sword around.

"This is the harsh training?" Ophelia muttered, thinking it to be easy.

Dante made it sound more exciting.

"This is just Lord Hastings warming up. His training methods are harsh and would make a grown man cry. We always start light with a little exercise and go for a run around the land. Afterwards, he will make us fight each other, and the ones who lose will be made to endure harsher training," Thomas shared.

"Do you want to be down there with your peers? I don’t want to have you miss the chance to prove yourself to my husband," said Ophelia.

"Thomas should get to go down, and we watch him from here," Alice suggested.

Ophelia and Thomas both turned to look at Alice.

"Are you being kind, or are you finding a way to watch the men in their current state?" Ophelia asked, suspecting it was the latter.

It was a good sight for any woman.

"I wouldn’t dare. You must know many ladies burn with jealousy when they look at Lord Hastings. The maids aren’t allowed near the training grounds because they get distracted by Lord Hastings. You have wed a handsome man," Alice said, envying Ophelia.

Ophelia peered down at the men, her gaze fixed on Dante. She couldn’t be upset with the maids for staring at Dante and having indecent thoughts. He was a handsome man, and it was distracting when he stood without a shirt.

The sun seemed to be on Dante’s side for his body to glisten in the light, even from the distance Ophelia stood at.

The other ladies might think of Ophelia as a fool for denying sharing a bed with Dante. They would think she needed a doctor if they knew they were intimate only on their wedding night. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Ophelia shook her head, trying to shake those thoughts out of her head. She wanted to look at more than just attraction.

Ophelia gasped, startled when her eyes met with Dante. She wasn’t going to bother him anymore, but she had been caught.

"We must go before we bother them," Ophelia said, turning around to leave.

"Milady, Lord Hastings is running towards us. I think you must stay," Alice said, watching as Dante moved quickly.

"That man and his eyesight," Ophelia muttered.

Ophelia was grateful she didn’t comment on Dante’s body since he would have picked it up with his good hearing.

"You two may go for now, but don’t wander off too far. I won’t be long," Ophelia said, looking back down at where Dante ran. "Silly man. What is there to run for?" She wondered, but a smile started to form on her lips as she watched Dante run like his life was in danger.