Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 209: Prisoner (1)

Giselle’s eyes widened as soon as Ophelia gave the order. Her first thought was that Ophelia found out about her plans to work with Nigel to kill Dante, but that wasn’t possible.

’I was careful,’ Giselle thought, failing to place how Ophelia could have figured it out. Giselle had not yet taken out the poison since arriving because it was too risky.

Giselle laughed, believing that it was a joke. "You mustn’t speak of these things so carelessly. Tell them that it is only a joke to scare me," Giselle said, her heart beating fast as Thomas entered the bedchamber. "Ophelia, dear. We have been slowly getting closer. Send them away so we can talk."

Ophelia pulled her hand out of Giselle’s hands and stepped back. "There is nothing for us to speak about. You are now our prisoner for trying to poison us. That crime is worthy of us killing you, even though you have the title of Lady Valthorn."

Giselle couldn’t believe the cruel punishment Ophelia wanted to give her when she had not yet attempted to poison the couple.

Giselle smiled, realising that Ophelia couldn’t possibly have any proof.

"Keep your distance from me!" Giselle snapped at Thomas. "To imprison and to kill me, you would need to have proof unless you want the king to order the arrest of your husband. You must start taking your position seriously and stop throwing out orders. You must be wise."

"You’ve done nothing good for Theo after bringing him into that castle. I have taken care of him in your stead, yet you cannot thank me and leave us alone. I defy you. I speak back to your husband, and I am far from the perfect daughter you wanted, but you had no reason to hate Theo."

"What is this about now?" Giselle asked, followed by a sigh. "Are you angry because I wouldn’t allow Theo to buy what he didn’t need? You mustn’t spoil him too much, Ophelia. Do not take your anger out on me because you are in a foul mood about Theo," Giselle said, realising the source of Ophelia’s anger.

Ophelia always lashed out at the wrong person in Giselle’s eyes.

Ophelia clenched her fist, wanting to hit Giselle again until her face was so swollen she could no longer speak.

Theo wanted to die, yet his mother did not have the slightest clue.

Knowing the decision that Theo came to about his life, Ophelia couldn’t be patient and wait for Giselle to try to poison her. Giselle shouldn’t be able to roam the Hastings’ castle whilst enjoying life.

"Thomas, I said to arrest Lady Valthorn and take her to the dungeon. She has committed a crime," Ophelia gave the order again.

"No, I have not!" Giselle yelled, frustrated with Ophelia acting well above her authority. If anyone were to speak of imprisoning her, it would have to be Dante. "Do not let his recent affection get to your head. He will not want trouble with the king for falsely imprisoning me."

Giselle sighed once more. "You know nothing about how to be a lady. We must stand aside and allow our husbands to take the lead. If you act well beyond the scope of your authority, he will become bored with you. You must know your place."

Ophelia stepped towards Giselle, and in response, Giselle stepped back, worried that Ophelia was going to hurt her again.

"You fail to realise that we do not share the same husband. We might both be married to Lords, but mine loves me despite my background. Your husband only wanted a woman who had no place to question him to raise his children. We are not the same," said Ophelia.

Ophelia lazily moved her gaze from Giselle to the bedchamber. "You are not in the Valthorn castle. You cannot get the servants to do your bidding, nor is there a corner in this chamber where you can hide your secrets. You are in my home with servants who know every hiding hole."

"There is poison somewhere in this bedchamber, and I will find it. If I cannot find it, I will make sure one can be found," Ophelia said, willing to go so far as to frame Giselle.

"You would go so far as to plant poison to frame me? I have been trying my best to get close to you to make up for the past. I have not tried to poison you, nor do I intend to. You must stop being so paranoid," Giselle said, taking the chance to reach for Ophelia to place her hand on her shoulder. "I don’t want to harm you."

Giselle was desperate to get rid of Ophelia for a moment so she could discard the poison. If she were caught with the bottle, she would anger Joel because he would be accused as well.

Ophelia looked over her shoulder at Thomas, who started to move again when she looked at him. "Thomas, bring in the guards to search every inch of this chamber. No drawer, no dress, and no garment is to be left untouched. I suggest you move faster this time, Thomas." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

It annoyed Ophelia that Giselle had not yet been sent to the dungeon.

"This is absurd," Giselle said, backing away as the guards, who once stood outside the bedchamber, flooded into her chamber.

They touched what she owned and ransacked it to find the poison.

"I want to speak to Lord Hastings!" Giselle demanded.

"My husband can’t come to your aid at the moment. You will be dealt with by me," Ophelia replied.

"No," Giselle whispered, her palms sweating as the guards ransacked her chamber. At this rate, they were bound to find the poison she hid in the chamber. "Ophelia, dear. We should talk amongst ourselves like women. I am willing to speak with you civilly."

"I never liked it when you called me dear, and we have spoken enough. There is someone in the dungeon whose company you will enjoy. Speak to her then," said Ophelia.

Giselle panicked as the guards got closer to the pouch where the poison was hidden.

"You know my position with the Valthorns. I have always followed along with what Joel wanted," Giselle confessed, needing Ophelia to remember she was powerless compared to Joel.

"That sounds like a confession to Joel sending you here with a plot. Get it out now, and I might not have you killed today. Don’t let the guards waste their time searching when you could confess," Ophelia said, giving Giselle one chance.

"Why are you doing this? We were doing so well before this. I planned to have a picnic, and we left on good terms," Giselle said, missing what prompted the search.

Giselle had not spoken to Ophelia since they returned to the castle, so what sparked this? Was it the conversation she had with Dante about children?

"Theo wants to die because he cannot bear the pain any longer," Ophelia said, studying Giselle’s expression.

"What?" Giselle replied, surprised by the revelation, but she didn’t understand why it meant she had to be imprisoned.