Back inside her room, Daphne had come to terms with her situation. She was no longer in panic or doubt. Now, anxious curiosity gripped her.
She was still feeling up her body, lifting her skirt to look at her creamy and very not muscular legs when the door opened and the maid who'd left came back in. Behind her were three other women who were carrying buckets of hot water and towels.
They all bowed at once. "My lady."
Daphne did not know what to say. From the mental snippets she'd gathered, she, or rather the woman she was in, Lady Mariam was under some kind of house arrest because she did not know how to stop screaming and throwing hands. Apparently, she hated being married to Sir James of House Hamstead. And that was reason enough for her to act out. She had been married for less than a year and already she had done so much damage. Pendennis Castle was no longer the happy home it had once been, and the crazy new lady was the one to blame.
"My lady, shall we pour the hot water into your bath?"
"And balance the temperature with the cold water?"
The maids questions sounded like they were talking to a fucking idiot. But Lady Mary was so bad tempered that she would rage at them if they came into her room and did anything without explaining properly. She did not like any of her possessions to be touched. If you even walked on the wrong carpet, she'd land a slap on your face.
Daphne felt so grossed out seeing the images of the abuse. It was very fast and confusing, they blared inside her head like a trumpet. Sounds of breaking glass, hitting, crying, screaming and pleading.
Looking upon the scared maids, Daphne felt very sorry for them. What kind of a monster was Mary? The maids fidgeted as their lady just continued to stare at them in complete silence. Was she going to hit them? Was this the calm before the storm? They tensed their bodies to flee at first sign of pursuit.
But, their ladyship's expression was very strange. There was no anger there, just...pity? Was she actually looking at them with pity? One of the older maids looked at the younger maid, who had told her that their lady was acting very strange. Was it this strange silence she was referring to?
Daphne finally spoke. "Very well. Prepare my bath and bring me my breakfast."
The maids were surprised by how calm and not hateful Lady Mary sounded. They breathed a sign of relief and did their duty.
Daphne went behind the partition and took off her clothes. Under her sleeping dress, her undergarments were one article of clothing. So sheer it almost looked transparent, it was shaped life a bathing suit with two straps going over her shoulders and very thin sleeves. This was called a chemise, Daphne realized. Terminology for basic things were now all foreign to her. She was never a girly girl. To dress up, even in 21st century dresses was a hassle for her, but now that hassle was going to become so much worse.
Images of all the extravagant dresses, jewelry, makeup and hairstyles that Mary maintained every single day filled her mind. Daphne groaned in horror. No way in hell was she doing all that. Besides this woman was under house arrest, why did she feel the need to still dress up? Was it to maintain the illusion of freedom?
This woman was very vain. She loved being the center of attention. That's why this confinement was driving her crazy and she'd been having maniac episodes until her diet had been cut down to just water for nearly a week.
Stepping out from the partition, Daphne was a little shy being butt naked in front of two of the maids. Naturally, ladies born in this era had maids to assist them with bathing. Though it would make scrubbing her back easier, Daphne wasn't comfortable with it. The only time she'd been helped in the bathtub was when she was a toddler and it her father's sturdy, trustworthy hands that had doused her with strawberry shampoo.
Not strangers.
Daphne stepped into the steaming bathtub which was the size of a hot tube. Though she wasn't a fan of hot baths, the scent of the bath oils and the sight of rose petals floating on the water was very compelling. The bathtub was also a piece of art. "You can both leave. I will call you when I'm done."
The maids retreated in surprise. "My lady, do you not need our assistance?"
"No, not today." Daphne leaned her head against the rim and closed her eyes. "This is nice. Thank you for preparing this for me."
The maids were even more shocked. Lady Mary had just praised them for their work!? That had never happened. Was she truly suffering from some kind of brain fever or had Lord James's punishment changed her for the better?
The maids walked out from behind the partition and saw the other maids standing there in shock. "Did our ladyship just say thank-you?"
"Indeed, she did. I think maybe her punishment has had the desired effect."
"This may be why the Lord has decided to let her out again. Maybe he already came in saw how calm she is."
"I doubt it. That kind of crazy just doesn't go away."
"Umm, well that's true but..."
The maids moved further away from the partition as they continued to converse in hushed tones.
As Daphne soaked in her tub, she felt a moment of peace and sense of bliss which was strange given the circumstances. Every second that passed more and more of Mary's memories were appearing in her mind. She started to feel sick to her stomach at how rotten the woman was.
Mary must be suffering from like bipolar disorder or something. But what was wrong with her marriage? Why did she hate being here so much? She was a spoiled brat who regularly threw tantrums, but she never acted this crazy in her own home.
What was her beef with her own husband? He had never been cruel to her.
Daphne also sensed an urgency and impatience where Mary's feelings towards her husband was concerned. She wanted him gone to make room for...somebody else? Was that it? Did she have another man in her heart? But how could such a hateful and selfish woman settle for less? This other man, whoever he was, was not on Sir James's level in terms of power and status, and yet, Mary wanted him.
But why? What did he offer her that Sir James could not?
Daphne spent so long in her tub, the water got cold. Still, she was reluctant to move until she figured out more. She did not want to face Sir James or all the other servants and knights of Pendennis castle. They all hated Mary, and rightfully so, but now she was Mary.
But how did she even get here? And why? What happened to her body? Did she go through a freak accident the same way her father had? Had her soul been ripped out and thrown back into time because of it? Is this what happened when you died? You ended up in someone else?
But Daphne could clearly remember the last thing she had been doing. The same thing Mary had been doing. Why did she fall asleep and wake up here?