To all my readers and especially to my reviewer Logique, thank you!
And a little note: I am a college student and I have been slow at updating the stories because of my classes plus work. But it is summer vacation now, so I hope to have the next chapters out faster. And without any other delay, here's chapter four.
Chapter Four
Danielle woke up slowly the next morning. She was so happy and she knew why. She was home, with her beloved cousin, grandfather, and stepgrandmother. She was where she had always belonged. She slowly got out of bed and pulled her bell pull.
Within minutes, Anne came into the room and helped Danielle get ready for the day. Danielle donned a sky-blue gown with many lace ruffles on it. It was a dress that Danielle hoped would put Rodmilla and Marguerite to shame. Anne combed Danielle's hair before plaiting it into a braid running past her shoulders and intertwining white and blue ribbons in with each braided section.
Once they were done, Danielle walked out of her room and stood waiting by the stairs. A moment later Meredith came out of her room dressed in a yellow dress with as many lace ruffles as Danielle's gown, one that Meredith hoped would put Esther to shame. Her dark hair was also braided, with yellow and white ribbons intertwined in each section. Both girls smiled before they quietly headed down the grand staircase and turned toward the dining room of the chateau.
Marina was already waiting at the table when both girls walked in the room. "Good morning, girls. I hope you both slept well, after all, we have a big day ahead of us."
"Yes, Marina, I slept well. I haven't slept that well since I was a child, since before father died and Rodmilla made me a servant in my own home," Danielle said as Marina waved both girls to a couple of ornate chairs surrounding the table.
"Same here. I haven't slept that good in a long time," Meredith said with a smile as she and Danielle sat down.
A moment later, Andrew, Armand, and Livia joined then at the table and they all quieted down as they ate their breakfast.
An hour later, the family was on their way, joined by Alexandre and Natalie. Both of them enjoyed meeting the young women who were going to be their nieces and they talked all the way back to Danielle and Meredith's home province.
Their first stop was at Meredith's home, the Manoir de Lov. As the carriages stopped outside of the manor, the door opened to reveal Viscountess Esther deVille and Meredith's stepsisters Emilie and Amelia deVille.
The coachmen opened the door of two carriages and Andrew, Marina, and Meredith stepped out.
Esther, Emilie and Amelia all looked shocked at how Meredith looked as well as the fact that she was with her beloved grandfather and stepgrandmother.
"Hello, stepmother," Meredith said with a smile on her face.
"Meredith, my dear. What is going on here? Where have you been all night?" Esther asked cruelly.
"I was where I was supposed to be, Esther. With my family where I belong," Meredith said equally as cruelly to her stepmother.
"Esther, we've been told how you've been treating my granddaughter and I am not very happy about it. You will be punished for the mistreatment," Andrew cruelly told Esther.
"And what of my daughters?" Esther asked fearfully. "Will they be punished as well?"
"They've never mistreated me, Esther. Emilie and Amelia are and will always be my sisters," Meredith said incredulously, unable to believe her stepmother. She couldn't see that Meredith would never harm her sisters.
"Correct, my darling," Marina says. "We will allow the girls to either remain here or to come with us back to the Chateau du Loncret and live as if they are our true granddaughters," she said to Esther, Emilie, and Amelia.
Emilie smiled brightly at the words of her stepgrandmother, as did Amelia. "Marquise, we love our sister dearly and we are so happy that you are willing to treat us like your grandchildren and we would love to come live with you at your chateau. And you can sell the manor, Meredith. We don't need it anymore," Emilie said with a smile.
"Pack your bags, my dears, and then we will make sure it all gets to the chateau. Rooms are being prepared for you as we speak," Marina said with a smile.
Both girls smiled, then ran back into the manor to pack. Esther was left outside with Andrew, Marina, and Meredith. "Well, Esther, I guess it's time for your punishment to be given," Marina said.
"Correct, Marina," Meredith said with a smile. Her next words were directed at Esther. "The punishment is my choice, as you well know, Esther. And I spent the past few hours making that decision. Execution would be too kind for you, so I have decided that your punishment will be this. You will be sold to Cartier and sent to the Americas on the first available boat."
Esther hung her head in shame and acceptance. "I understand and I thank you for sparing my daughters. They've always treated Meredith with love and respect and I never tried to do that." Esther raised her eyes slightly and gazed upon her beautiful stepdaughter. "I should have never treated you that way and I know that now."
Andrew made a sign with his hands and several of his men came forward and grabbed Esther's hands and tied them behind her back. They then dragged her into the back of the old cart Andrew's father had used to transport prisoners to the palace and placed her in the back.
After an hour, the girls were packed and their things loaded into a wagon for transport to the Chateau du Loncret. The girls then were helped into the carriage and taken to their new home while the rest of them headed for their next destination, the Manoir du Barbarac.