"The least you could be is respectful when speaking to the Hastings. Why don't you understand why she treats you with such hate?" Victoria asked, puzzled by Ophelia's resilience.
"She treats me as she does because she hates the Valthorns and doesn't think I am suited for her son. Just as you don't think I am suited for him. I could be respectful and sit on the floor as she asks, yet she won't treat me any different," said Ophelia.
"Still, it wouldn't hurt to try-"
"Yes, it does hurt," Ophelia interjected, refusing to listen to Victoria's delusion. "I once listened, hoping it would change them, but all it left me with was being insulted even more. Instead of asking me to obey her orders, why not ask that she show more respect for life?"
"You must understand the position she is in. You are not the one we thought would be sent to marry Lord Hastings. That is why I think you are not suited for him," Victoria confessed.
Ophelia smiled, but the warmth didn't reach her eyes. "So, would there be better treatment for a proper lady of the Valthorn family? How unfortunate for me that though I didn't ask to be a part of their family or to be wed, I must be punished."
"That is not what I mean," Victoria said, not liking that her words were being twisted. "You are right that you shouldn't be punished, but no matter how humiliating it is, there are things that we must do as ladies to survive."
"Then, how about we switch places, and you tell me if you could go on with others abusing you and not think of putting up a fight? I would rather be beaten than to be made a fool again," said Ophelia.
"You don't know my battles, so it is easy for you to judge me, but I have survived by staying quiet when needed and doing as I am told," Victoria said, annoyed that Ophelia seemed to think she had an easy life.
"How you fight your battles will not work for me. We are not walking the same path, and you are favoured by everyone here. We should stop this here before others think I am being rude to his beloved woman," Ophelia said, noticing the stares around.
Surely, others awaited a show with the wife and rumoured mistress standing before each other.
"May I return to the comfort of my chamber, or will you scold me first?" Ophelia asked, offering her hands for Victoria to hit.
Victoria stared at Ophelia, still yet to understand her, but she understood well why Cecilia felt so troubled.
Victoria sighed. "Lord Dante is a kind man. He does what is best for his people. As long as you don't bring him any harm, he will treat you well. It is Lady Cecilia and the other Hastings with whom you shall have battles."
Victoria set the branch down. "I was willing to help guide you so you may blossom into a lady close to being worthy of standing at his side, but you like to fight your battles alone and place yourself in danger. I shall attend gatherings at his side until you learn."
"That would be best," Ophelia agreed, happy to hear she didn't need to be social. "Then, I am counting on you. May I go now?"
Victoria didn't know what to say at first.
In Ophelia's eyes, Victoria was the mistress, yet Ophelia wasn't throwing a fit about it.
"You may go. I will tell Lady Cecilia that you regretted your actions and apologised," said Victoria.
"Please don't. It may bring on further conflict when she expects me to apologise in the future and I do not. Thank you for stepping in to aid me. I won't burden you any longer," Ophelia said and then turned around to return to her chamber.
Nora came forward to Victoria's side and said, "She is rude. You offered her good advice, yet she is too stubborn to take it."
"She doesn't need to accept it if she doesn't like it. The more she spoke, the more I disliked her for Dante. He has social events to attend and visits to the palace. He will be made a mockery of with her at his side," Victoria said, upset with the marriage once more.
"Perhaps that is why Lord Valthorn sent her. There are rumours that he envies Lord Hasting and wants to see him lose favour with the other nobles. If she behaves like this before the others, they will speak about Lord Hastings," Nora spoke, worried that Hastings would fall.
"Dante is wise and won't allow her to make a fool of him. When he is out of the castle, I shall keep an eye on her. Luckily, I will be invited to all the gatherings to keep her in check, and Lady Cecilia might not let her be seen by others. I am tired," Victoria sighed.
"I am retiring to my chamber as well," Victoria announced.
If anything more were to happen, Victoria didn't want to be around, so Dante couldn't fault her.
Nora started to follow Victoria out of the garden, but stopped to look back at where Ophelia walked.
'Was I to escort her back?' Nora wondered.
Ophelia wasn't to be let out of sight.
'I hope it places her in trouble,' Nora thought, deciding to stay with her lady.
Elsewhere, Ophelia walked the very path she took to get to the garden. All she wanted was to return to her chamber and rest, but she was not so lucky.
Ophelia kept her gaze forward even after noticing her husband ahead of her.
Unfortunately for Ophelia, Dante placed himself so that she would walk right up to him.
"I was invited to the gardens by your mother and Miss Victoria. I am returning to my chamber now," Ophelia quickly spoke before Dante accused her of sneaking around.
"You want me to believe that my mother let you out of her sight without a guard or a maid at your side?" Dante questioned, finding it a little odd.
"The maid sent for me must work for Miss Victoria. It is not my fault that no one decided to follow me. It was their carelessness to allow me to be alone, not mine. I simply want to go back to my chamber. May I?" Ophelia inquired, hoping not to be forced to sit with Dante.
Dante silently stared at Ophelia, trying to make sense of her story. "It is hard to believe you," he said.
"I wouldn't believe me either, but I can't help it if they slip up. If you are going to punish me, I'd rather you get it over with than drag it on with this talk neither of us cares for," said Ophelia.
"I beg to differ. I'm rather intrigued right now."