Cold Hearted (Villains 8)

Sir Richard

Lady Tremaine handed the letter back to her friend so she could read it.

“Oh, you have to go to him at once,” Lady Hackle said.

“But I’m already leaving as quickly as I can. What of the house in London?” Lady Tremaine was distraught. “What about the girls? I haven’t even told them we are moving, and I must book us all on the next evening voyage?”

Lady Hackle looked off for a moment as if she was formulating a plan. “Nanny Pinch will just have to bring them to the dock. Hopefully she will agree to come along with you to the Many Kingdoms, but if she doesn’t, the least she can do is bring your girls to meet you at the boat. Your new family needs you. If you had any doubt of his feelings of love toward you, this surely squelches that,” she said.

“I think you’re right, but what of the house and the servants? There is so much to do.” She took a cup of coffee from a tray that had been brought in by one of the maids.

“The ship isn’t leaving the dock until this evening. That should give Nanny Pinch enough time to get some things together for you and the girls. Piggy and I will go to your place in London tomorrow and supervise everything else and arrange to have the rest of your things shipped to the Many Kingdoms,” said Lady Hackle.

Lady Tremaine took her friend’s hand. “You’re such a good friend, Prudence. Thank you.” She laughed.

“It’s nothing, dear friend; it’s just a matter of directing your servants. Will you pay them a severance? Should we double the usual under the circumstances?” She continued, “And what about the house and the things to be auctioned? Is your solicitor handling that? Should Piggy and I stop by his office when I’m in London to make the arrangements for you?”

Lady Tremaine started to panic. There was so much to be done, and here she was dashing off before she could sort any of it out. “Oh, Prudence, would you handle all that, really? I’m afraid I am asking too much of you, my sweet friend, but I have no choice.”

Lady Hackle laughed. “It’s for the best possible reason. You’re sailing off to be with your love!” she said, smiling.

“This is all happening so quickly. I wanted time to talk with the girls before rushing off to lands unknown,” said Lady Tremaine, motioning to one of the servants for another cup of coffee.

Lady Hackle put her hands on her friend’s shoulders tenderly. “You can talk to the girls on the ship. Listen to me, my friend, you are the strongest woman I know. You can do this. You’re finally going to have your happily ever after, in the land of fairy tales. This is a dream come true.”

Lady Tremaine stood nervously on the dock, waiting for Nanny Pinch, Anastasia, and Drizella to arrive. She kept looking at her watch pendent, worried they wouldn’t make it to the dock in time.

It was a grand and beautiful ship, all white and gold, reminding her of a many-tiered wedding cake. Every time the ship’s horn blasted she jumped, thinking it meant they were about to ring out the last call for passengers to board, but logically she knew they had plenty of time. Her nerves were such a jumble.

She had at least managed to arrange two very fine staterooms, one for herself, and some rather large quarters for Nanny Pinch, Rebecca, and the girls—all adjoining, of course.

As she stood there, she felt like she was in a dream. It didn’t seem real, the thought of leaving her entire household without seeing it again, or without saying goodbye to those who had cared for her for so many years. She had gone straight from the train to the dock. She would have been more upset, but it was all terribly romantic, the idea of her dearest love, so desperate to have her at his side that he asked her to dash it all and come to him as quickly as she could.

Just then she saw her precious girls and Nanny Pinch approaching in the carriage. Her girls were waving frantically, smiling, and eager to bolt out of the carriage. The moment it pulled to a stop, they climbed over Nanny Pinch and bolted from the carriage, running straight into Lady Tremaine’s arms.

“Oh, Mama, we missed you so much!” cried Anastasia.

“We promise to be good from now on!” said Drizella, squeezing her mother tightly.

Lady Tremaine was so happy to see her daughters. Seeing them made everything seem more real to her. They were the center of her universe, and she felt untethered without them.

“Hello, my darlings! I am so happy to see you,” she said, giving them both kisses. “And thank you, Nanny Pinch. You have no idea how much I appreciate you agreeing to come along with us to the Many Kingdoms.”

“I’m sorry I won’t be able to stay with you longer than the first fortnight to see the girls settled,” Nanny Pinch said, “but Lady Hackle explained everything, and I couldn’t let you and the girls travel alone all the way to the Many Kingdoms.”

Lady Tremaine gave the young woman a smile. “Oh, but we won’t be entirely alone. Rebecca will also be traveling with us. She is my new lady’s maid. You will meet her on the ship. She is in our rooms making sure everything is satisfactory.” Lady Tremaine reached for her daughters. “Come, Anastasia and Drizella,” she said. “Take my hands. We are about to embark on a marvelous adventure.”

Lady Tremaine and her daughters sat together in a little sitting area in her stateroom, while Rebecca and Nanny Pinch unpacked their things in the adjoining room they would share with Drizella and Anastasia. The girls were on either side of her, as close as they could manage. She could tell they had missed her, and she, too, had missed them terribly.

“My angels, what did Nanny Pinch tell you about our journey?”

Anastasia spoke first. “She said we were going to a magical land with princes and princesses.”

Drizella scoffed. “We have princesses in England; I don’t see how that’s magical,” she said.

Lady Tremaine laughed. “That’s true, my dear, but it seems the Many Kingdoms has far more royalty than London. I am told we are moving to a kingdom with a very jolly king and his son, the young prince who is about your age. Who knows, maybe one day one of you will marry him,” she teased.

“But what of Shrimpy and Dicky? I thought we were to marry them!” said Anastasia.