Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 216: New beginnings (4)
"I have had it with the two of you. I am going back to start my plans. Why don’t the two of you keep yourselves busy with each other’s presence?" Ophelia suggested as she stood up.
Ophelia walked out of the bedchamber, leaving the two men to speak to each other.
Theo chuckled. "She’s mad at the two of us. Luckily, she won’t stay mad at me for too long. I don’t know what you’ll do. She’s going to take her anger out on you."
Dante wasn’t the slightest bit concerned. "I can take it. I think she’ll feel better being angry than sad. It was right that you decided to tell her. It’ll take a few more days for her to get used to it fully, but she’ll be fine. You were the only family she had for a long time."
"I know. It’s going to be hard for you to measure up to me, but I’m certain you can come close. Even though I might not be around, just know that I would haunt you if you hurt my sister. I can be one vengeful spirit," Theo warned Dante.
"How about you linger around to bring her some comfort when she misses you? I would prefer that you don’t speak of death, even as a joke, before Ophelia. You have reached that comfort, and I am used to death, but think of her. This isn’t easy to accept," Dante said, certain that it brought Ophelia discomfort.
"I had not thought of that. I will be more careful from now on. I never thought I would see the day there is someone more protective of Ophelia than I am. I hope you fully understand that it is easy for me to go ahead with this decision because I trust you," Theo said, wanting Dante to understand the trust placed in him.
"I know. I will take care of her," Dante promised.
"I’m sure you will. If not, I am rooting for Ophelia to get rid of you and run this castle alone, which reminds me. I am a little worried about you going to the palace and leaving her behind. Can you not take her?"
"No," Dante shook his head. "She will be my weakness if she is at my side. Ophelia will be most protected here in the castle. Your mother is locked away, and I will have more guards at her side. Guards whom I trust. She will stay."
"What if your enemies learned you have left the castle vacant with only Ophelia to protect it? What if Joel thinks that with Giselle inside the castle, he will have someone to let him in? Ophelia is wise, but there is still reason to be concerned," said Theo.
Dante nodded his head. "I agree with you. I don’t want to leave her here, but I know more harm will come from taking her with me. I will always have to be looking over my shoulder, and frankly, I don’t want her with me near the duke. Lord Valthorn has never reached my castle."
"Are you a spy?" Dante questioned Theo.
"For the Valthorns? You insult me," Theo replied.
"Then I am not concerned. The Valthorns would need to make it past my border to get to the castle, but even then, news of their arrival would have been long sent to the castle and to the villages around for families to move. I am prepared for all of this. I have been fighting this war for years," Dante reminded Theo.
"I know. I know, but I can’t shake this unsettling feeling. Perhaps touring the castle with Ophelia as she makes her plans will bring me some comfort. I might be worrying over nothing," Theo admitted.
"It is not wrong for you to worry so much about her safety."
"When you are finished with your reasons for going to the palace, will you go to the Valthorns afterwards to be done with this war forever? I would like to know that Nigel and Joel are dead. They are the ones I fear most coming after Ophelia," said Theo.
"They will die," Dante assured Theo. "How soon it happens depends on the success of my plans in the palace."
Dante knew that once Edward and Sebastian were announced dead, Joel would either become afraid and hide away in his castle or act recklessly to push an attack. Whatever the plan was that Joel would have, Dante was ready for all of it.
"I see that you have your plans well thought out, so I will leave it to you. Since Ophelia has abandoned me, I am left to find a way to amuse myself," Theo said, not knowing what to do.
"Would you like to see the training grounds? It is usually off-limits to guests, but I can make an exception for you since you are family," Dante offered.
"I would like that. If I am granted a second life, I would like to become a knight. I should get a glimpse of what I am up against," Theo said, accepting the invitation.
Dante moved to help Theo from the bed, whilst in another wing of the castle, Victoria sat in the gardens.
"The castle doesn’t feel as how you left it," Nora pointed out. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
"It feels like Ophelia has made her mark, which is good. We were to be out of the castle already," Victoria said, feeling she had overstayed her welcome. "I have not yet written for anyone to take us in. Should I take the home which once belonged to Cecilia so we have our own home? Even if just for a few weeks."
"If I may."
"Speak," Victoria allowed.
"It appears that you don’t like being a guest in anyone’s home. You are forced to move when your relationship turns sour. It might be best to take Cecilias’s home or to stay here. Lord Hastings has been your friend long before that-"
"Nora!" Victoria exclaimed, silencing Nora. "I have told you time and time again to forget the past. We must leave the castle if I am to move on with my life and find a husband. Your actions reflect on me, so I suggest you be careful with what you say."
"She has been kind to accept us being here. I see now that I must leave by the end of the day. I shall accept the offer to use Cecilia’s home since my belongings are there. We must get back to attending balls and finding me a husband. I must find Lady Hastings," Victoria said, getting up from where she sat.
