“Goodbye, Lady Valentina!”

“Thank you for inviting us! I really enjoyed this.”

“Have a nice day! Bye!”

“See you! It’s been a pleasure!”

I smiled as I bid farewell to my guests, who I knew would immediately seek out their friends to describe all the gossip that passed today. Rumours would spread like wildfire, and I looked forward to every bit of it.

Annalise and Delilah helped usher the ladies out of the gazebo, leaving with them to discreetly add fuel with theories and suggestions. With some small talk, Lady Bryant held back the real star for me, until she, Briana, Catherine, and I were the only ones left at our table.

“I’m very happy you could come, Lady Catherine. This was your first tea party, yes?”

“Ah, yes! Thank you so much for inviting me, I liked it a lot!”

Catherine was smiling brightly again, her previous apprehension nowhere to be found. Either she was a terrific actor or truly generous enough to forgive and forget instantly, I didn’t particularly care which. I must go beyond morals, devoid of pity and all hints of sympathy shoved away.

“What do you think of the other ladies? Would you like to be friends with them?”

“Definitely! They’re very kind.”

A good actor, then, like I had been. Always smile and be polite, because of the consequences of offending someone. I kept my smile from curling into a smirk. I, the villainess, was powerful enough not to fear every word, but she, the heroine, wasn’t. Was it the price of having God on her side?

I turned to Lady Bryant, carrying out the last bit of my plan today. She, who knew what I was going to do and had prepared a perfect act of natural surprise, met my eyes with excitement.

“Oh, by the way, Lady Bryant, did you know Lady Catherine is acquainted with Lord Kyle Whittle?”

“The accomplished mage and Lord Damian’s partner? Indeed? How wonderful!”

“Certainly. In fact, in addition to his work, which allows him a handsome income, I know him to be of a most kind and considerate temperament. An attractive bachelor, no?”

“Absolutely! He would be a splendid match with our Catherine, if he would be so good as to have her. Don’t you agree?”

She shot the last remark at Catherine, rather sharply. The girl, caught off guard, blushed like an inexperienced child, which she was, to be fair.

“I think Lord Kyle is kind, but I’m not interested in marriage yet, Lady Bryant.”

“Nonsense! You’re recently debuted and at the height of youth. It’s the ideal time for a courtship and an engagement. Lord Kyle would be a blessing, as it’ll be fortunate for any nice respectful young man to want to marry you at all, given your circumstances.”

Lady Bryant sniffed with just the right amount of dignity and disdain. She smiled at me warmly.

“Our family would be eternally grateful if you could help us arrange it, Lady Valentina.”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure to bring together a match so suitable.”

Catherine spoke quietly, her voice nervous but her gaze firm. Ah, the fear of disappointing the one that raised her was greater than the fear of upsetting Lady Bryant.

“Actually, I think we ought to consult Father first.”

The sheer impudence of the girl, to openly contradict her stepmother! Amusement rose and I resisted the urge to smile. Lady Bryant gazed at her coldly, and with my good training, responded quite civilly.

“My dear Catherine, I believe I’m the mistress of our House, not you. I will most assuredly speak to your father, but I’ll have you know that you ought to be appreciative of everything I’m doing for you.”

Catherine’s eyes widened and she flushed. As opposed to straight out insults, guilt tripping worked much better to injure her innocent nature, especially from those she was trying to please.

“I’m so sorry, Lady Bryant! I didn’t mean anything of the kind! If you’ll just let me explain-”

“There is no need. I am very understanding, so it’s not necessary to embarrass yourself further in front of Lady Valentina. If you’re done humiliating us, we should go home.”

Little Briana giggled. Catherine stammered out apologies while Lady Bryant bid me farewell, and I watched with satisfaction as they left. Lady Bryant and Briana with grace, and Catherine like an ugly duckling.

As a good friend, I pitied Lady Bryant. It must be hard to have a stepdaughter as ill bred as Catherine, especially with the bad name I was dumping on her that would taint the reputation of her whole house. Alas, she knew it was for the best, to remove Catherine quickly to save future suffering. I couldn’t risk killing Catherine directly, since it risked triggering her divine powers, but if only she would do us all a favour and kill herself!

For Lady Bryant’s sake too, I couldn’t be soft even if the heroine happened to be truly kind. I must treat the female lead with the same indifference as I did before meeting her and seeing her as an actual person instead of a mere character. I was no hypocrite, so I admitted to myself that the absolute priority was my happiness, not saving a girl I barely knew.

It was simply easier this way. If I couldn’t kill the puppeteer, I would have to destroy the puppet, no matter how innocent it may be.

- - -

Catherine sat nervously across from Lady Bryant and Lady Briana on the carriage home. The elegant woman was educating the little girl.

“Darling, a proper lady must know how to support herself, like Lady Valentina. Anyone with self respect would take every opportunity to do so, whether that’s an independent profession or a stable marriage, especially when one is offered. If they don’t, they’re useless parasites that bring nothing but shame as they leech off of their family. “

“Like that girl?”

Lady Briana pointed at Catherine with the gaze one might use to look at a rodent. Catherine winced as Lady Bryant glanced at her.

“You must excuse her. The child has the tendency to approach unfortunate truths.”

“I’m deeply sorry, Lady Bryant-”

Her stepmother turned away from her, tossing her hair and affectionately addressing her real daughter.

“Anyways, darling, you can’t be like that. Understood?”

Lady Briana nodded vigorously, and received an embrace from her mother. Catherine watched, curiosity distracting from her discomfort. They seemed so happy together, Lady Briana perfectly at ease, giggling and playing with her mother’s hair. Lady Bryant laughed with mild annoyance, but mostly pleasure. She held the girl with a gentle smile.

A mother’s tenderness, Catherine realized, like those described in novels. A woman that would always be on her side, no matter what, with unconditional devotion and seeking nothing in return. What a strange and wonderful thing it must be! Could Catherine ever…no, her mother was dead, and despite her yearning, she couldn’t possibly expect Lady Bryant to regard her, a practical stranger, as a daughter.

Catherine felt a surge of sadness. Ah, she was lonely again. It happened often when she lived in the bookstore, but she was usually used to it. Yet after a fantastic novel, she would so desperately yearn for something more. Company, like she had now, but seeing the life she’d dreamed of, just out of reach, merely made her lonelier.

No, she mustn’t dwell on it. Uncle didn’t like it when she was gloomy, and she could see him now, pacing by the front door. He eagerly came as she descended the carriage.

“Cat! I’ve been waiting for you, my girl! Oh, and good afternoon to you, my lady and my lady.”

Lady Briana ignored him and Lady Bryant narrowed her eyes with scorn.

“I advise you, Mr Sawyer, to remember your manners, though I understand that it may be difficult for you. However, you will address Lady Catherine appropriately and not make our House a laughingstock.”

She glided into the mansion, Lady Briana trotting behind. Uncle’s face reddened and Catherine held her breath, tensing. Oh no, was he going to be in a bad mood? He muttered angrily.

“Ungrateful bitches…don’t know all I went through…I’ll tell the baron, that’s what I’ll do! Shame the old mistress died, awful shame…she liked me, and I did right by her, didn’t I? Raising her baby into such a fine lady!”

He grinned at Catherine, and she relaxed. Uncle was in a good mood today, so she didn’t have to…

Have to what? Catherine blinked. Worry that he would hit her? She knew he’d never do that, but the words of the ladies at the tea party wouldn’t stop ringing. Why couldn’t she see him like Lady Briana saw Lady Bryant?

“Come along, let’s walk. Haven’t talked in a while, haven’t we?”

Catherine followed obediently and they strode around the mansion’s garden in silence. It was true that they now rarely had the chance to talk, but they hadn’t really spoken often either back at the bookstore. She never wanted to risk saying the wrong thing and making him upset.

Catherine studied Uncle. He was about the same age as the baron, with dark blonde hair and dark brown eyes, and a light beard, and looked much happier than he did at the bookstore. He had often said he was looking towards coming back to the baron, after all.

“Right, I was thinking. I got worried, see, so I want to make sure you’re adjusting fine.”

“I am. Thank you, Uncle.”

“Very welcome. Don’t worry about anything, like the Avington girl’s betrothal, all right? Just follow what me and the baron say, and you’ll be good.”

“I understand, Uncle.”

“Good. It’s nice to be appreciated. You know, you’re the only one that respects me around here, with all the new staff the baron’s brought in. Those young ones don’t know how to treat their elders…”

Just like old times, the typical conversations that made up most of the time they spent together. Uncle grumbling about a bad day and Catherine making replies at the right moments, almost mechanically. It was the least she could do for him, after all he did for her.

Catherine recalled the good days, scarce but wonderful. Uncle would be happy, and sometimes he even praised her. He would buy something special for dinner, maybe candy and treats for her, or small trinkets like cheap jewellery. Nothing like what she had now, but she’d treasured them dearly. He’d give her more books, and she’d go to sleep absolutely delighted and glad to have him. She held onto these moments on the bad days.

“Tsk, and with the baron telling me to quit drinking…what does he know? He didn’t live in a shack for a decade…”

On the bad days, Uncle drank. She would stay silent, because whatever she said would be wrong, and do her best to make him go to bed. He would yell and stomp and shout, complaining about the baron, the customers, her, and the world. She’d go to bed, and in the morning, it’d be over, like a bad dream that just repeated once in a while. But he never, ever, hit her or hurt her. Never.

Uncle cared about her, Catherine was certain. He was the kind man that raised her, no matter what anyone else said. She couldn’t see him or the baron as a father, but she trusted that they wanted the best for her, and wasn’t that enough? She couldn’t ask for too much.

If Catherine could be good enough, Uncle would be happy. If she just obeyed perfectly, it would all be fine. She mustn’t doubt, because in the end, Uncle was all she had.