Victoria and her mother sat at the table in silence. To the servants, it was awkward, but to Victoria, it was normal and felt comfortable.
After a couple of minutes, her father finally came to the dining hall, not looking as angry as before. "Apologies for the wait," he said as he sat down at the end of the table. Her mother sat at the other end while Victoria sat close to her father.
"Shall we eat?" Her father stated, and Victoria picked up her knife and fork and began cutting her sausage and began eating.
The Grosely family ate in silence. The norm for this family, and no one seems to mind. "Father," Victoria broke the thick silence, her words sharp enough to cut it. "May I know what kind of book you have brought for me?" She asked her father, who was drinking his tea.
"Oh, yes." He set down his tea and looked at her. "I have brought a poetry book, a few novels you will enjoy, and a history book." Her mother clicked her tongue as she set down her fork and dabbed the napkin on the corners of her mouth.
"Darling, no man wants a woman who only pays attention to books. What will a poetry book do for her? Novels? Her mind will be filled with worthless expectations. History books? All she needs to do is be a pretty little thing for the prince." Her words held venom.
Victoria could only continue eating as she listened to another fight break out at the dining table. Once she was done, she wiped her mouth with her napkin and stood up from her table.
"Victoria! Where do you think you are going? Will you not wait for your parents to finish eating?" Her mother looked over at her, and Victoria could only sigh in annoyance. "Excuse me for being rude, but I feel uncomfortable sitting down while you two fight. The problem will leave the scene," she gave a courtesy "Enjoy breakfast, mother, father."
She walked away from the dining hall, her parents yelling, becoming nothing more than muffled words the farther she walked away from them.
Upon walking to her room, she sees Alice standing next to the door, waiting for her. "I put the supplies on the vanity table, my lady." Victoria nodded and opened the door. "Make sure no one comes inside. Not even the butler. I'll be writing a letter to Mrs. Johnson; tell them that I'll be reading instead."
Alice nodded while Victoria walked inside her room and shut the door behind her. She pressed her back against the door and looked up at the ceiling.
It was supposed to be a joyous day when her father arrived. But it is full of anger and annoyance.
She turned her head and looked at the stacks of paper and other supplies on her vanity table. She moved away from the door and went to sit down at the vanity table, undoing the ribbon from her hair and letting her hair loose.
She grabbed a piece of paper and dipped her fountain pen in ink. "I'll have Alice deliver this letter once I am done," she tells herself as she begins writing.
She mentions the arranged marriage, her father coming home, and how her mother has been acting. She wrote on a couple of sheets of paper, and on her fourth sheet she stopped. Furrowing her brows, she did not mean to go overboard with her writing.
She folded the papers in half and put them in an envelope. She poured the melted wax on the envelope to seal it.
"I should visit Mrs. Johnson tomorrow," Victoria told her that she would visit two times a week, but she could already tell that she would be visiting more than twice a week.
Victoria stared down at the sealed envelope in her hands for a few minutes. Letting out a sigh, she stood up from her seat and walked towards her door, opening it.
There, the butler was standing in front of an angry-looking Alice. "What is going on?" Victoria questions the two and sees a couple of books in Robert's arms.
"Your father instructed me to give you these books," Robert said, pushing the books towards Victoria, who had no choice but to quickly grab them before they fell on the floor.
"Robert!" Alice yelled in irritation. "I know you are very loyal to the madam, but Victoria is also your master!"
"Alice," Victoria said sternly, and Alice had no choice but to keep quiet. "Robert," Victoria looked over at the butler, "thank you for the books. But the next time you do not behave appropriately, I will give you punishment." Her words were as cold as ice.
"Hmph." Robert looked down at the two with disrespect in his eyes. He turned around and began walking away from the two girls. "This is too much, my lady!" Alice began yelling once Robert was out of sight.
"You are the madam's daughter! Why does she act like you are not family? She is being far too harsh!" Victoria shook her head. "Quiet. You do not know who might be lurking in the shadows."
"Let us go inside." The two walked back inside the room, and Victoria tossed the books on her bed. She then gave the envelope to Alice: "Give this to Mrs. Johnson, Alice. I will be waiting for a response."
Alice took the envelope from her hand and asked, "What will you be doing while I am gone, my lady?" She asked her with curiosity in her eyes. "I will do what I always do. Act like an awful daughter and do what I want to do," she tells her with a smirk.
Alice nodded her head. "I will be sure to give Mrs. Johnson this letter. I will not fail you, my lady." She said it with confidence and walked out of the room.
Victoria looked over at the books sprawled on her bed. She went to grab the poem book and walked out of the room as well and headed towards the garden.
"My lady? Where are you going?" A maid called out to the retreating girl. "I will be sitting in the garden. Please make me some rose tea," she said quickly, not stopping to talk properly.
After arriving at the garden, she sat down on a bench and began reading her poetry book while the birds sang a song to her.
Victoria wasn't going to start another fight; she wanted to enjoy her time alone while reading poetry to herself while the sun was smiling down on her.
The maid walked into the garden and put the tea cup down by her on the bench. "Thank you for the tea." Victoria thanked the maid, who bowed and walked back inside, leaving Victoria alone once again.
"I will have to bring this book with me to Mrs. Johnson's. She loves poetry," she says with a small grin as she takes a sip of her rose tea.
Victoria looks down at the liquid in her teacup, a flower petal flowing down to her cup and lying on the liquid. Her reflection in the liquid contorted once the petal landed in the cup.
She stayed silent, not saying anything and ignoring the odd feeling that she felt. She set the tea cup down and closed her book, looking up at the sky.
It is only morning, and she already feels so exhausted. "Victoria," a voice called out, and Victoria didn't have to look away from the sky to know who it was that called her.
"What did I say earlier, Robert?" She questions. "The only people who can say my name are my parents and Alice. A mere butler who shows no ounce of manners towards me should not speak my name."
"The madam told me to relay a message to you," he ignored what she said. "Starting next week, you will spend time with his highness to start getting to know one another. It is time to stop being around that pathetic old widow."
"What did you say?" Victoria finally looked over at him and said, "I do not care if that is a message that my mother ordered you to tell me, but do not bring up Mrs. Johnson being a pathetic widow. She may be a baroness and a widow, but she is still a noble, and you are a mere butler. What that tongue of yours?"
She is infuriated. Mrs. Johnson is like her grandmother, and she won't allow anyone to disrespect her. "Tell Mother that I will meet up with His Highness next week, but I will not stand idly the next time you insult Mrs. Johnson."
Robert stood there, eyes twitching in annoyance. "A butler is supposed to watch out for their facial expressions. It is a wonder how you came to be a butler, and if I wasn't clear from this entire conversation, you may respectfully get out of my sight or I'll splash you with my tea."
She smiled while he clenched his fists and turned around, walking away. It seems that she will meet the prince far earlier than she expected. But she will be ready when the time comes.