This story picks up several days after Auguste's death and burial.

Danielle sat on the ground near the hearth in the kitchen staring blankly into the fire. Utopia - the last memory she had with her father - sat unopened in her lap. She couldn't bring herself to read any more of it without him. It felt wrong to not have him by her side reading it aloud to her, to not hear his warm honey voice washing over her as she drifted off to sleep.

She had hardly left the kitchens since her father had passed. Louise and Paulette spent much of their time here, and she craved the familiarity and comfort of their presence. Every night since it had happened, they had held her, rubbed her back, sang to her, or told her stories as she drifted off into fitful sleep. Her stepmother had tried to put an end to this after the first night - she believed Danielle needed to grow up and move on as the rest of the family was doing - so Danielle had been sneaking out of her room each night to seek their comfort by the warmth of the hearth.

Now it was mid-morning, and the sun was streaming in through the windows as if beckoning her to step out of the house. Gustave had tried to come visit, but her stepmother disapproved of his "crude manner and filthy presentation" and banned him from the main house. Louise and Paulette were bustling about the kitchen making frenzied preparations for lunch; the Baroness had already proven herself to be an exacting mistress. Danielle startled out of her reverie when a tiny hand touched her shoulder. It was her stepsister, Jaqueline.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" she cried. "It's just, I always see you sitting with that book in your lap. I've never heard of it before - what's it about?"

Danielle hadn't spoken with either of her stepsisters since her father's burial, she'd been too consumed with grief. Now she looked up into Jaqueline's chocolate eyes and saw nothing but tender compassion. She could almost feel her heart going out to her.

"I'm not really sure yet," Danielle replied. "My father had just brought it back from his last trip and had only read a little bit of it to me before he left."

"Your father read to you?" Jaqueline asked, a note of curious envy in her voice.

"All the time!" said Danielle. "My mother would have too had she not died when I was so young. I'm sure of it. They both loved books - my father always told me it's what brought them together. Does your mother not read to you?"

"No, never" said Jaqueline.

Danielle was aghast. "Did your father, before he died?" she asked.

Jaqueline shook her head. "He was gone a lot of the time."

"What was he like?" Danielle asked.

"I really don't remember much. When I try to remember him, I remember his laughter and feeling warm inside. He was so gentle..." Jaqueline trailed off "...kind of like your father."

Danielle was silent, tears forming in her eyes. She stared back into the fire.

"Do you read well?" Jaqueline asked after a moment.

Danielle looked back at her. "Yes...I think so at least. My father made sure to start teaching me when I was very little. This book," she said, looking down at Utopia, "is a bit hard though."

Jaqueline considered Danielle thoughtfully for a moment. She felt terrible for her stepsister but didn't know what she could do to help her. After a moment she said, "Would you read it to me?"

Danielle's head snapped up to look at Jaqueline. Was this a trick? Marguerite and her stepmother had been teasing her about carrying the book with her everywhere, especially when she brought it with her to her father's burial. To Jaqueline's credit, though, she hadn't said a word to her about the book until now.

"Do you really want me to read it to you? It's very dense. I don't even know all of the words in it." she finally said.

"I've never had anyone read to me before," Jaqueline said quietly, looking away. "It sounds lovely." Looking back at Danielle she said "Maybe we could help each other find out what the words are!"

Danielle's eyes sparkled and her she felt excited for the first time in a week. "Yes! Or we can make up what we think it means and tell silly stories!"

The girls laughed. Paulette and Louise made eye contact across the kitchen and smiled. They had missed Danielle's melodic laughter. They watched with warm hearts as Jaqueline settled down next to Danielle, and Danielle opened Utopia back up.

"We can start from the beginning so you're not lost" she said to Jaqueline, and began to read aloud.

Hours had passed and it was time for lunch, but Jaqueline was so engrossed in what Danielle was reading that she forgot the time. Paulette and Louise hurried into the kitchen.

"My lady," said Paulette, addressing Jaqueline, "It's time for lunch! We don't want to keep your mother waiting."

"Oh no!" Cried Jaqueline, jumping up and attempting to dust off her gown. "She's going to be so upset with me!"

Danielle, on the other hand, remained sprawled on the ground. She hadn't gone to a meal with the family since her father died. "Can't we eat later? It's just getting good!"

Jaqueline, visibly nervous, said "Maybe you can, but if I don't show up there will be consequences."

Danielle contemplated her stepsister for a moment and then rose from the ground. "I am a bit hungry - I haven't eaten much lately. Perhaps I will join you all for lunch today."

Together, they left the kitchens and made their way to the dining room.

The Baroness' sharp voice cut through the otherwise silent room. "Jaqueline, where have you been? You were supposed to be working on your embroidery but I saw you've made no progress at all." When she looked up and saw both Danielle and Jaqueline with a light dusting of soot on their clothes her face grew thunderous. "And why do you look as if you have been helping the servants sweep the kitchen?"

Danielle looked at Jaqueline, confused as to what offense had been committed. Jaqueline had somehow grown even more pale than she usually was.

"I-I-I'm sorry mother. I was reading and lost track of time," she stuttered.

Without breaking eye contact with Jaqueline, the baroness said, "Marguerite, what do I always say about punctuality?"

"A lady who is not punctual is not courteous, lacking both self-discipline and humility" said Marguerite in a cloying tone. Jaqueline hung her head.

"And you," the Baroness continued in a tone even more barbed than before, directing her gaze to Danielle. "What are you doing here? You're filthy." Before Danielle could respond, Marguerite chimed in, looking down her nose at Danielle, "Did nobody ever teach you that cleanliness is next to godliness?"

The Baroness shifted her gaze to Marguerite and smirked in approval. "Thats right, my dear. I'm pleased to see you've been paying attention to your lessons." Danielle still looked bewildered.

The Baroness looked back at Jaqueline and Danielle and screwed her face up in disgust. "What are you two still doing here? Get out of my sight. There shall be no lunch for either of you."

Danielle was frozen to the spot, struggling to process what had just happened. Jaqueline turned to leave and, seeing that Danielle hadn't yet moved, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out of the room.

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