Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 22: Selfish (4)

Victoria didn’t understand what Dante said to her. She wished Nora were still present in the chamber so she would have someone to help her.

"I don’t understand," Victoria said, smiling in an effort to calm the how tense the chamber became.

"Your parents ensured you had the finest tutors at your fingertips, yet you would discard all that you learned to act ignorant now. Was poisoning yourself worth it?"

Victoria frowned, but quickly caught her mistake and smiled. "Why would you accuse me of putting myself in pain? I have been in bed since dinner, and it is worrying your servants."

"Drop the act. My patience with you is gone. If not for your father’s sacrifice, being the reason my family still stands strong and my promise to keep his cherished daughter alive, I would send you away. You danced on a very thin line which has now snapped," said Dante.

Victoria was abusing the wish Dante tried to uphold for her late father.

Victoria momentarily avoided Dante’s gaze. There was no point in further denying it since Dante came to accuse her.

"How did you find out it was me? Your mother is accusing Ophelia, and I thought you would suspect my uncle," Victoria said, gripping the blanket which covered her.

"I did suspect him at first, but then I realised just how much you wouldn’t want to leave. I’m sure you had help to know which part of your food was poisoned. Was it the maid outside? Or, is it someone in the kitchen?" Dante asked, curious how she pulled it off.

"They were only following my orders. Please don’t hurt them," Victoria pleaded, remorseful about what she did. "I cannot leave your side. I fear I might die."

"When it reached your ears that Ophelia was being accused, did you not think it wise to confess to save her from possibly being killed? Did you only think of yourself?"

Victoria didn’t enjoy how Dante added to her guilt. "I hoped you would place blame on my uncle instead of Ophelia."

"Now that you know, will you expose what I have done and send me away? I was desperate," Victoria said, trying to keep Dante on her side. "You have witnessed how my family turned on me and became loyal to my uncle. I have only you and your mother."

"Rather than speaking with me once more, you decided to harm yourself and stay silent whilst someone else is blamed. Have you decided to start thinking of yourself?" Dante inquired, seeing Victoria as a stranger.

"All others do is think of themselves-"

"If I thought of myself, I would have turned you away and allowed your uncle to kill you. Poisoning yourself was uncalled for. You could have died, and your efforts to reclaim your home would all be for nothing now!’ Dante raised his voice.

"You will allow me to stay despite knowing what I did?" Victoria asked, her surprise evident in her tone.

"I made a promise with my mother, and I intend to keep it, but if you will go so low to gain my sympathy, you will have to leave the castle. I will pray to your father for forgiveness. It will be that you were already ill, and there was no poison involved. Keep your maids silent."

"I will. I am sorry," Victoria apologised, her head bowed as she was too ashamed to look at Dante. "I knew it was wrong, but I am scared to leave. There was trouble when you were away. If you don’t wish for me to hold the title of your mistress, then so be it, but don’t leave my side."

"It was acceptable for you to be at my side when I was not married, but to be known as my lover while I am married would sully your name. You can find a decent husband if you distance yourself from being rumoured as my lover," Dante suggested, wanting better for Victoria.

In place of her father, Dante would find Victoria a good husband.

Victoria could only smile. "A husband? It hurts a little to hear you speak of me finding a husband. We are not in love, but we could have benefited greatly from a union. My uncle wouldn’t have dared come near me."

"I suppose there is no point in dwelling on what could have been. I am truly sorry for the disappointment you experienced. I won’t be so careless again," Victoria promised.

"Unfortunately, you broke the trust I held in you. I will pick another chamber for you since this one is too close to mine. There will be some distance between us until the rumours settle, and you are to have a guard wherever you go," Dante said, listing new rules for Victoria.

"Allow me to continue being known as your mistress," Victoria blurted out, making one final attempt to sway Dante.

Dante pinched the bridge of his nose. In his current state, it was best that he didn’t get angry to provoke what lingered inside of him, but it was nearly impossible to keep himself calm.

"I will not attend dinner, nor will I cross paths with your wife. Your name only backs me when I am gathering allies. If Ophelia grows jealous, I will tell her the truth."

"It is embarrassing to have to ask this of you. Since you do not love Ophelia, can we not continue as we always have?" Victoria requested. "Or do you plan to stay true to your vows and be with her forever?"

"Enough!" Dante finally snapped. "My marriage shouldn’t be your concern, and no, you may not stay as my lover. It is final, and should you speak of it anymore, I shall take back my offer to let you stay."

Having a wife was already troublesome. Dante didn’t need the drama which would follow from having both a wife and a mistress.

Victoria’s shoulders dropped as she felt defeated. "Very well. I never answered when others asked me if I was your lover. It was always rumours and your mother wanting us to be together. I will be your friend again."

Victoria didn’t like the change in plans, but she didn’t want to lose Dante.

"You are leaving already?" Victoria questioned and reached for Dante without noticing. "Aren’t you going to punish me for what I did?"

Victoria didn’t want Dante to leave so soon. She enjoyed his company more than everyone who came to her side.

"You drank poison. The effects of it are your punishment. You should hope that you have healed yourself completely and you won’t fall sick one day. Rest," Dante advised Victoria. "A guard will soon be placed at your side."

"Thank you," Victoria responded.

Victoria thought of whether to tell Dante about his mother’s plans for them to have a child.

’If I tell him, they would argue,’ Victoria thought.

Victoria didn’t want to lose Cecilia’s favour, so for now, she would keep Cecilia’s plans to herself.

’We are just friends anyway,’ Victoria thought, saddened by the reality of her courtship with Dante.

Victoria felt as Cecilia did that Dante was slipping through her fingers.

Victoria wiped a tear before it fell. There was one saving grace which stopped her from worrying.

Despite Dante not wanting Victoria to act as though she were his mistress, no one who had seen them before would believe that they weren’t lovers.

Nora entered the chamber as Dante exited. She noticed Victoria’s gloomy expression.

"Did something occur, Milady? Your mood has changed," Nora noticed.

"I am not to be seen as his mistress anymore, but we mustn’t be concerned. She has the ring, but I am loved by others. To everyone around, I shall be his one true woman without needing to say it," Victoria spoke with confidence.