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“Yes, Nanny Pinch. I know I only have you for a fortnight before you must go back to London, but could I prevail upon you to stay a bit longer, just while Rebecca and I arrange for a new staff?”
Nanny Pinch looked almost as uncomfortable as Mrs. Butterpants had. “My lady, what am I thinking, speaking with you about servants when you’ve just returned from your wedding? I’m so sorry. Where is Sir Richard?” she asked, looking around for him.
“He had some business at the castle. Things are done so strangely here, Nanny Pinch. The moment we were married the Grand Duke was there demanding he file our marriage contract with the king,” said Lady Tremaine. “But you didn’t answer my question. Could you find your way to staying on just a little longer?”
“I’m sorry, my lady. I wish I could stay, but I just can’t. I hate the idea of being so far from my mother; it would take ages for me to get home should she need me,” said Nanny Pinch, looking sincerely sorry.
Lady Tremaine clenched her fist, wishing she were in London, surrounded by her own servants, in her own home, with beautiful things that she loved, where Nanny Pinch would be happy to stay on.
“I understand, Miss Pinch. I appreciate you agreeing to stay as long as you have already. I know you have to get back to London to your mother. You’re a very devoted daughter, and she is lucky to have you. I promise I won’t keep you a moment longer than we agreed. Now, I suppose I’d better see how one goes about finding servants in the Many Kingdoms.”
Nanny Pinch smiled. “I think Rebecca can help you with that,” she said.
“Yes, how clever of you, Nanny Pinch. I knew that girl would be a boon to me. Now I suppose we’d better go upstairs and break it to the girls that there will be no wedding reception this evening.”
Not for the first time that day, Lady Tremaine wondered if she had made the right decision, bringing her girls clear across the world where they didn’t have a single soul who loved or cared for them.
Lady Tremaine was sitting in her room while Rebecca busily unpacked her things, finding a proper place for everything. The carriage with the rest of their belongings had finally arrived when she and Sir Richard were at the chapel. She sat in a faded green velvet chair near a window that overlooked the courtyard. It was lightly dusted with snow, and Lady Tremaine wondered if her journey to the Many Kingdoms had been longer than she had thought. Surely it hadn’t taken more than two months to make their journey. Could it truly be winter already? She found herself musing at how lovely it would be for Anastasia and Drizella to have snow on Christmas, like they might have in London, and with that she felt a little bit more at home. Her things didn’t look quite right in her new room. It was cavernous, and rather sparse with furnishings that looked as though they had been c
hosen many years before, and they weren’t at all to her taste. She sighed and decided to look out the window again, losing herself in the snow-covered garden. She felt very thankful the holiday season was already upon them and hoped it would bring all of them together as a family.
“Rebecca, have you had any luck finding the book of fairy tales now that our things have arrived?” asked Lady Tremaine.
“Not yet, my lady. I’ll be sure to give it to you the moment I find it,” Rebecca said as Nanny Pinch came into the room with Anastasia and Drizella.
“Ah, my lovely girls,” Lady Tremaine said, reaching out her arms so they could come in for hugs. “How are you, my darlings? I presume Nanny Pinch is helping you get settled in your new rooms?”
“Yes, Mama, but we hate it here. Cinderella is rude, the house is empty, and we hate Sir Richard!” said Anastasia.
“It’s true, Mama, we hate it. We thought you were bringing us to a magical place, not some old stone house in the middle of nowhere. We can’t even see the castle from here,” added Drizella.
Cinderella came into the room just then, in time to hear Drizella’s complaint.
“That’s not true, Drizella, you can see a view of the castle from the attic tower.”
Drizella just scoffed in response.
“Now, now, Drizella, be sweet to your new sister,” said Lady Tremaine.
“She’s not our sister!” said Anastasia.
Nanny Pinch was about to scold both of the girls when Lady Tremaine did her best to create a diversion to appease all of them.
“Nanny Pinch, would you mind serving the tea for the girls in here? And some coffee for me. I would love to just sit and visit with my girls,” she said, smiling at Cinderella. “Now, girls, let’s acquaint ourselves better while we wait for our tea, shall we? Sit down, Cinderella. We would love to know more about you,” she said, motioning for Cinderella to come sit near her, Anastasia, and Drizella. Cinderella took the seat across from them instead, keeping a bit of distance.
“I hope you’re enjoying my mother’s home, Lady Tremaine,” she said, smiling at her stepmother.
Nanny Pinch nearly unsettled the tea cart, she was so shocked by Cinderella’s words. “Cinderella, dear, we already talked this over,” she said. “This house now belongs to your papa and new mama.”
Cinderella just smiled sweetly. “No, Miss Pinch, Papa told me that this house will always be Mama’s no matter who calls herself lady of the house.”
Lady Tremaine understood what the little girl was saying, even though it stung. She wasn’t being malicious, or even trying to be hurtful. She didn’t think the girl was even capable of being mean. She was just repeating what her father had told her. The girl simply didn’t understand that it hurt her feelings, or why.
“Yes, my dear Cinderella, in a way this house will always be your mother’s because her spirit is kept alive by the memories you have of her here. I think that is a beautiful sentiment.” Lady Tremaine reached her hand out for Cinderella to take. “I know I said this already, but it really would please me if you could find it in your heart to call me Mama.”
Cinderella was fussing with something in the pocket at the front of her skirts, not paying attention to what Lady Tremaine was saying.
“Cinderella, did you hear your new mama?” asked Nanny Pinch, trying to divert the girl’s attention from whatever it was that she was messing with in her pocket. “Cinderella?” she said again.
