Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 184: Threat (1)

Theo’s laughter put an end to the chatter as Victoria arrived.

Giselle saw Victoria’s arrival as a new opening for why Ophelia should listen to her and not believe all was well with her marriage.

"Miss Lowe, I didn’t know you were in the castle," Giselle said, bearing a sweet smile for Victoria.

Victoria curtseyed. "Lady Valthorn. I arrived in the late hours of the night. I would have come to greet you, but I would need to wake you. Lord and Lady Hastings," she greeted the others. "We have not been introduced," she said, looking at Theo.

"This is my brother, Theo. Theo, this is Victoria Lowe, a childhood friend of my husband," Ophelia introduced the pair.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet the brother I have heard of," Victoria said, happy Ophelia got the reunion she sought.

"It is good to meet you as well," said Theo.

Theo stared at Victoria as she walked to her seat. He found her to be suspicious only because of the way his mother smiled at Victoria as if her saviour had arrived.

’Is she the one in the gossip?’ Theo wondered.

"I was hoping we would get the chance to speak. I wish to see Cecilia as well," said Giselle.

"Don’t worry. I am arranging for you to meet with Cecilia soon," Ophelia said, creating more tension in the air.

"Finally, there is a matter we can agree on. I don’t want to spend my days speaking with the younger folk. How have you been, Victoria?" Giselle said, placing her hand on Victoria’s.

Victoria looked down at Giselle’s hand, feeling awkward. "I have been well. I am searching for a husband at the moment, so I hope you would be so kind as to offer me advice."

"I would love to offer you advice, but no one thinks my advice is wonderful. Besides, you don’t need to try hard to get a husband. You easily capture men’s attention. Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Hastings?" Giselle asked, playing close attention to Dante.

Ophelia set down her fork and glared at Giselle.

"Victoria, I will find you a suitable lady to help you with your plans. Someone who has helped other ladies. For your father, I will help you to find a caring man," Dante promised.

Giselle felt disappointed that the response she wanted did not come.

Giselle looked at Ophelia, who had turned her attention back to her food, and found her behaviour to be odd. Any reasonable wife would be upset with their husband’s former mistress being seated at the table.

’She doesn’t know any better,’ Giselle thought.

Giselle started to see Ophelia’s behaviour as an insult to her. When others spoke of Lord Hastings having a lover, surely they would mock her for having a daughter in that position.

Though Ophelia deserved a little misfortune, Giselle couldn’t have her name be insulted.

The group ate in silence as Giselle was occupied in thinking of ways to get the poison into the food.

Giselle’s thoughts were interrupted by the display of affection between Dante and Ophelia, with Dante filling Ophelia’s plate with food. Dante filled Ophelia’s plate while she filled Theo’s.

Seeing how the pair was busy speaking amongst themselves and not checking to see if others were watching, Giselle didn’t think it was an act.

’He fell in love... with her?’ Giselle thought. It confused her how love bloomed out of an arranged marriage between two people meant to be enemies.

This was not the way Ophelia’s story was meant to end.

She was not meant to be happy after the way she treated Giselle.

Giselle couldn’t stomach sitting before Ophelia and Dante any longer, so she stood up, ready to return to her chamber.

"I thank you for the warm food, but I have had my fill, so I think it is time I return to my bedchamber to rest for a moment. Will there be an outing for us?" Giselle asked, hoping Ophelia would say no.

Ophelia stood up as she too was ready to leave. She couldn’t put off visiting the dungeon to speak with Eliza and Cecilia.

"I intend to take you both around the town so you can see the beauty of my husband’s land," said Ophelia.

"Our land," Dante corrected Ophelia.

"Yes, our land. You should get dressed to leave in about an hour. I have some matters to take care of before we leave. You should join us, Victoria," Ophelia extended the invitation.

"I will consider the offer," Victoria said as she stood to see Ophelia off.

"I hope you accept. Theo, I will be back soon. Excuse me," Ophelia said, parting from the table.

"I’m afraid I ate so much that I cannot move," Theo announced.

"Victoria, can you stay with Theo for a moment? I want to talk with Lady Valthorn," Dante said before Giselle could leave.

"I can," Victoria replied.

Giselle wasn’t thrilled to speak to Dante after the way he spoke to her when he arrived, but she welcomed the chance to get close to him to please Joel.

Dante walked with Giselle out of the dining chamber so their talk could be somewhat private.

"Are you here to scold me for all that you heard from my daughter?" Giselle asked in a joking manner.

"Yes," Dante curtly replied.

Giselle’s laughter ceased. "It is wrong of you to take one side of the story and deem it as the truth. You have not heard my side."

"My wife’s side is all I care about. I have spent enough time with your daughter to know that she wouldn’t lie about her past experiences with you. It is not as though she opened up about her time in the Valthorn castle right away. She had to warm up to it, and it was not easy to share," said Dante.

"Ophelia was a young girl when she first went there-"

"She is a woman now," Dante spoke over Giselle. "She is old enough to understand what she experienced, yet you only try to speak of when she was a child. So we understand each other, and you take my words very seriously, I love your daughter."

"I know it is hard for you to fathom because of the way you react now, but I love her. I have also made up my mind to never forgive, never be kind, and never show mercy to the ones who have troubled her. You allowed her to be mistreated and, in my eyes, abused by the Valthorns-"

"I did not!" Giselle argued.

"Then, where were you when they punished her? I have seen the markings on her body," Dante said, grabbing Giselle’s arm. "Where were you when they did that to her?"