AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Grand Duke, this is Lady Tremaine, my new wife.”
The duke wrinkled his nose, which made his mustache quiver. “So you’ve finally done the deed. Very good, man. The king expects you immediately. I assume you have all the paperwork, signed and ready?” he asked.
“I do, Grand Duke,” said Sir Richard.
“Very well, then you may ride with me to the castle. It was lovely meeting you, Lady Tremaine. I will send your regards to the king,” he said snottily, which made Lady Tremaine flinch. She had hardly had a moment to say a word, let alone send her regards to the king. Here she was already making the worst of impressions.
“Things are done so strangely here, my love. Must you rush off to register our wedding papers now? I wish you could come back home with me to celebrate rather than go straight to the castle.” She gathered from the look on his face that this was not to be the case, so she added, “But if you must go, then please let us depart with a kiss.” She moved toward him, but he flinched and backed away from her.
“Lady, please!” he said stiffly. “Not in front of the Grand Duke.”
Lady Tremaine flushed, embarrassed. She wondered how many more indignities she would suffer this day. Nothing was at all as she had imagined. As she made her way home in her carriage alone, she wondered how she had gotten herself into this mess. She was exhausted, her wedding had been rushed, and her husband had already started making excuses not to kiss her. She didn’t have a good feeling about any of this.
She felt more alone than she had after her first husband had died. At least in England she had had her friends to comfort her. Here she was almost entirely alone.
When she returned to the château, she let herself inside and stood in the vast vestibule. The house was eerily quiet, and she decided she must be right; the servants had to be working on some sort of surprise wedding reception. Still, as she looked around at her new home, Lady Tremaine couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The château wasn’t as stately as she was expecting. It was a beautiful home, but not quite as grand as her previous home in London, and it was going to take some work to bring it to her usual standards.
Well, she had money enough and planned to do just that the moment she was settled in. If this was going to be her new home, she was going to make it as lovely as possible.
As she stood in the vestibule envisioning all the changes she might make, a squat, round-faced woman, white hair piled into a pristine bun, descended the stairs with a large carpetbag.
“Welcome, Lady Tremaine,” she said nervously.
“Thank you, Mrs….” Lady Tremaine paused expectantly.
The old woman turned scarlet. “Yes, I’m so sorry, I’m Mrs. Butterpants, I was head housekeeper, and Cinderella’s governess.”
Lady Tremaine suppressed a laugh, not missing a beat. “Was head housekeeper and governess? Are you leaving, then?” she said, surveying the woman.
“I’m sorry, my lady; I assumed Sir Richard told you. I was informed that my services were no longer needed now that Cinderella has a stepmother.”
Lady Tremaine narrowed her eyes, her hand reaching for her brooch for comfort. She thought it was odd, as she was certainly no replacement for a proper governess, but she thought it prudent not to argue, and quite frankly she was much too tired.
“I see, but what will you do, Mrs. Butterpants? Do you have another means of employment lined up?”
The woman smiled. “You’re so kind to ask. My brother has a bakery in a neighboring kingdom. I’m sure you passed through it on your way, the one with the very tall tower. I’m going to help him.”
Lady Tremaine laughed at the idea of a family of bakers called Butterpants. “Well, good luck then, Mrs. Butterpants. Before you go, may I ask where the other servants are? I was surprised they weren’t here to greet me when I arrived.”
Mrs. Butterpants turned a deeper shade of scarlet than before. “There are no other servants, Lady Tremaine. I was the last.”
Again Lady Tremaine didn’t understand, but she chose not to share her displeasure with the old woman.
“I see. Well, Mrs. Butterpants, I’d better not keep you from your journey. I assume Sir Richard has arranged your transportation?”
Mrs. Butterpants scoffed under her breath. “No, my lady, but not to worry, my brother has sent a horse and cart to collect me. I think it might be waiting for me outside.”
Lady Tremaine shook her head. She was not impressed by the way Sir Richard ran his home. She would have her hands full getting this place into order.
“Well, then, Mrs. Butterpants, have a safe journey,” she said, feeling completely bewildered.
“Goodbye, Lady Tremaine. Good luck to you,” she said as she made her way out the front door. And something about her tone sounded as if she thought Lady Tremaine would need it.
Lady Tremaine just stood there for a moment taking in the size of the place, wondering how it could possibly be managed without a staff. Just then Nanny Pinch came down the stairs looking frantic.
“Lady Tremaine, do you realize there is no staff here whatsoever?”
Lady Tremaine did her best to remain calm, again reaching for her brooch for comfort. She was happy she had worn it for the journey, because she was feeling she needed an extra layer of protection in this strange new place.
