Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 94782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry.” My head dips under the weight of her scrutiny. There’s no point in arguing. I learned that the hard way. This life is my punishment for taking my father away. I caused his death and ruined all our lives.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” she mimics. “That’s all I ever hear. Do you think I don’t know where you spend all your time? On that godforsaken shamble of a farm with all those critters. You seem to have trouble performing the most basic of tasks here, and I’m starting to wonder if it’s because I’ve given you too much freedom.”
The cups in my hands wobble as I look up at her, hoping she will just dismiss me. But I’m not so lucky.
“Perhaps you need a refresher course,” she says. “Is that it? Do I need to forbid you from going there to wake you up to your obligations at home?”
“Please don’t!” I blurt.
A sinister smile curls across her lips as she watches me squirm. Realistically, we both know she can’t truly forbid me from doing anything. I’m twenty years old. But given that she spent all my father’s money and has never allowed me to work outside the manor, my options are limited. She hates me, but she isn’t willing to let me live a life free of her demands, either. To Narcissa, I have only ever been a prisoner, working my debt off with a life sentence.
“Girls, what do you think will inspire Ella to be on time?” she muses.
“We could bring back medieval punishment.” Magnolia twirls a strand of dark hair around her finger with a cruel smile.
Narcissa laughs casually as if they are discussing the weather.
“Maybe Cinderella could tend to the fire tonight.” Lavinia holds me hostage with her shrewd eyes, taunting me with the nickname.
Without thinking, my attention drifts to the sleeves covering the scars on my arms, and Lavinia doesn’t miss it. A wicked gleam flashes in her eyes, and I shudder at the memory. The way she tells the story, I slipped and fell into the fire, but the truth is, she flew into a fit of rage when I’d refused to do her homework. She’d pushed me straight into the fireplace with so much force I was convinced she never wanted me to crawl back out. To this day, I can’t forget the expression on her face when I dragged myself out of there, pleading for her help. The pleasure she reaped from my suffering was nothing short of psychotic. I’ve done my best to steer clear of her tantrums since then, but I always wonder what evil is lurking just beneath the surface.
“What do you think, Ella?” Narcissa asks. “Are you up for the task?”
“Please, no.” I shake my head. “I’ll do anything else. I won’t be late again, I swear it.”
“Very well.” She sighs. “In that case, you can give me whatever you earn from your little sewing projects this week.”
The protest tumbles from my lips before I can think better of it. “I can’t. I’ve already promised that money to Olivia.”
Narcissa whips her hand out, snatching a handful of my hair and tugging until it feels like she’s going to rip it from the roots. “Did I just hear you tell me no?”
I stare through her, biting my tongue before I say something else I’ll regret. Already, the dishes in my hands are about to topple over, and God knows I don’t want to provoke her again.
“Answer me!” She leans into my face, eyes piercing mine.
“You can have the money,” I reply bitterly. “I’ll give it to you just as soon as I have it.”
“You disgust me.” She shoves my head away, and I stumble back, nearly losing the dishes as I try to steady myself. “Pathetic, ungrateful little bitch. All these years, I’ve had to support you. I could have sent you to an orphanage, you know. It’s times like these I wish I had.”
Biting back the sting of my emotions, I try again to move past her, but she isn’t done yet.
“You can forget about going to the farm this week,” she adds. “You’ll be doing chores at the manor from sunup to sundown.”
“Okay.” I force myself to reply before she makes it two weeks.
“And while you’re enjoying that, we’ll be getting ready for the ball,” Lavinia chimes in. “You’ll need to steam all my dresses so I can decide which one I want to wear.”
“What ball?” My gaze whips to her.
“The royal family is hosting a masked charity ball.” She speaks as if I’m too slow to comprehend such a thing. “All the eligible royals from around the world have been invited. And this morning, our dearest mummy managed to secure us tickets.”
“Us?” My belly flutters as I consider what this could mean.
“Don’t be daft.” Narcissa slices her red clawed hand through the air with a sense of finality as she points at her daughters. “Lavinia and Magnolia will attend the ball with me. These tickets are very exclusive, and you would just embarrass us.”