Chapter Five

Danielle was quiet during the short journey to her former home. She gathered her strength in her quiet state, preparing to confront Rodmilla and Marguerite about how they had treated her. She barely glanced out the window at the passing countryside. Her concentration was on the upcoming confrontation. She knew it wasn't going to be pretty.

Danielle's gaze turned to the window as they approached the Manoir de Barbarac. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for the outburst she knew she would get from her stepmother.

They pulled up in front of the manor a moment later. Danielle saw Rodmilla and Marguerite waiting outside for them. She knew she was in the midst of a noble much greater than her. She had to honor that fact. Little did Rodmilla know that this noble was there to punish her for mistreating a member of this family.

The coachmen opened the doors of the carriages and helped Danielle, Andrew, and Marina out. Danielle turned her eyes to her stepmother and glared at her.

Rodmilla and Marguerite froze at the sight of Danielle in such a beautiful gown accompanied by the distinguished gentleman and lady. She had never seen Danielle quite like this. Not even the night before at the masque did she look this beautiful.

Marguerite sunk to her knees and bowed her head. Before Danielle could even speak to her, she spoke. "Danielle, you may punish me however you see fit. I now see that I was wrong about you. You are so much more than I ever realized. You are obviously the grandchild of an Earl or greater, by how your companions look, whom I assume are your grandparents."

Danielle looked at hr for a moment. "You are taking a step in the right direction, Marguerite. That is why I decided on a lighter punishment for you. You will spend the next two years as a servant at the Chateau du Loncret."

Marguerite nodded and accepted her fate. "I bow to your command, Danielle. I am at your beck and call."

Danielle touched her stepsister's shoulder and beckoned her to rise. "The experience you will get at the Chateau will change you, Marguerite. You will be humbled and you will learn what really matters. Now you may go inside and pack only the necessities and then come out and that carriage," Danielle said, pointing to a small carriage," will take you to the chateau."

Marguerite nodded and rose from the ground. She turned and walked slowly into the manor.

Rodmilla was turned to at that moment. She was standing to Danielle's right and she had a haughty look on her face, as if she was expecting a punishment similar to Marguerite's.

Danielle scoffed at her stepmother before speaking. "Well, Rodmilla, you seem to believe, by the look on your face, that your punishment is the same as Marguerite's. Well, my dear, it is not."

Rodmilla's face fell at those words. "But why is it different?"

"Because more of the blame is on your shoulders. You were the one who turned my granddaughter into a servant in her own home. You treated my granddaughter as if she was nothing and you influenced your daughters to believe the same thing. And plus, you doted more on Marguerite than you ever did on Jacqueline, whom will now be the owner of the Manoir de Barbarac. Your punishment fits your many crimes," Andrew said as he came up behind his granddaughter.

"My grandfather is right, Rodmilla. You've done more to me than Marguerite ever has. You mistreated me as well as mistreating Jacqueline. You must pay for everything you've done and your punishment fits that. You will be sold to Cartier and shipped to the Americas on the first available boat, that is, once we have told King Francis about this. He will agree to this punishment, I am sure about that and grandfather is as well," Danielle said with determination.

Rodmilla quickly sank to the ground in despondence. She couldn't believe it. She had lost everything. If only she had known the truth about her stepdaughter and her family. If only she had let Andrew take his granddaughter years before, she wouldn't be in this situation now.

Marina spoke up at that moment. "Looking despondent won't help you, Rodmilla. You will be punished just as my dear stepgranddaughter has said. Our men will take you now to the dungeon of our chateau until we are able to tell his majesty the truth about you and about what you have done, and he doles out the final punishment for you. You may be lucky to only be shipped to the Americas," she said as two men came up behind Rodmilla and hauled her up and tied her hands behind her back. They then hauled her to the same cart where Esther was also awaiting her punishment.

Danielle sighed in relief. Rodmilla hadn't fought her about her punishment. She had accepted it and knew she would be punished in that way.

Danielle, Marina, and Andrew got back into the carriages. Andrew directs the head carriage driver to head to their final destination. The line of carriages takes off slowly as the cart behind it takes off with Rodmilla and Esther for the chateau.

Danielle sighed as the carriages carried them closer to Hautefort. She was nervous about what she would do when she saw Henry again. She pressed her hands together, trying to gain enough strength to truly take her future in her own hands.