Chapter 263: Quiet life (1)
By night, Ophelia and Dante arrived at the mansion, which was to be placed in both her and Theo’s names.
"When you spoke of this home, I imagined it to be small. Not a mansion," Ophelia said, ogling at the high walls. "We certainly cannot be farmers, so that you may end that thought."
"How could I put my wife and her brother in a small home? I did look for the smallest mansion to be more to your taste, and this is all I could find," said Dante.
"This is small?" Ophelia asked, viewing it as large. "It is not like the castle, but it is quite large. How is it cleaned?"
"A maid comes every few days. It belongs to my family, so it has always been cared for. If you want, that can stop," Dante said as he crept towards Ophelia and hugged her. "We are the only ones here for now, so we will have to do the cleaning and prepare our food."
"Alice thought of today and packed us some food. We do not have to worry about our dinner tonight. I was thinking," Ophelia said, touching Dante’s hand where he held her. "Since I view the castle as my home, perhaps you could place this home solely in Theo’s name."
"He might not always enjoy the castle life, and I have thought about a time when he might want to have his own home. I don’t want to treat him like a child, so he thinks he must stay at my side. Even if he decides to stay in the castle, it would be a thoughtful gift," said Ophelia.
"I can put it in his name. Are you not afraid that if he comes here, he might like it more than the castle and want to stay?"
"I wouldn’t mind. I can always come to visit him when I am bored with you. I want him to enjoy having his own life where he doesn’t need to think about me. I’m sure he would have Thomas as a visitor when he isn’t working. Now," Ophelia said, trying to turn around to see their bags.
Dante’s arms stopped Ophelia from moving.
"There are no servants here, Dante. You must allow me to help put away our bags and take out the dinner. If it gets cold, we will need to go to the kitchen to warm it. Release me," Ophelia said, but she made no effort to free herself to get Dante to release her.
Ophelia felt his lips against the back of her neck. "Dante, as much as I love you, that love cannot replace my love for food. I must eat now. You will not enjoy it when I am without food."
"Enjoy finding our bed for the night. I will bring up the bags," Dante said, reluctantly letting go of Ophelia.
"But-"
"I am capable of carrying all the bags and warming our dinner. I might not be able to be your farmer, but I can be your servant for these few days," Dante offered.
"Dear husband, do not tempt me. I might just enjoy having you as my slave a little bit too much," Ophelia said, looking forward to using Dante.
Dante’s right brow raised. "I said servant," he corrected Ophelia.
"You were about to carry the bags," Ophelia said, shifting the correction.
"Should I take back my offer to serve you?" Dante asked, his body not budging as Ophelia tried to move him. "You seem to have the wrong idea."
"I have the right idea, and you must move faster if we are to eat our dinner on time. I will set the table. No objections. Could you at least pretend to be moved by my efforts?" Ophelia asked, tired from pushing Dante. "You are like an oak tree."
"You are weak. We will need to work on your strength. Some private training would do well for you," Dante suggested.
"So I can eventually end up beneath you? You would not train me as you would do with the knights, so I must decline. Could you point me to where the kitchen and dining chamber are?" Ophelia asked, wanting to move before Dante swayed her.
"They are both to your right," Dante said, pointing in the direction Ophelia was to go.
"Thank you. Have fun with your lifting," Ophelia said, leaving Dante to move the bags alone.
Ophelia walked off in the direction of the dining chamber.
"It is quite large," Ophelia commented when she entered. "We should have a grand dinner when everyone arrives. We can all take part in cooking."
Had Ophelia not fallen in love with Dante and decided to stay in the castle, then the mansion would have been too big for her and Theo. It was too quiet, unlike the castle, which had servants, knights, and noisy visitors.
"Where are the plates?" Ophelia muttered. "Why didn’t I let him give me a tour first?’
"I can go this," Ophelia said, deciding to open all the cabis.
Ophelia found the plates, washed them, and set the table. Since Dante was not yet back, she went to the kitchen to tidy it.
Cleaning came easily to Ophelia, and now that she wasn’t forced to do it, it was relaxing.
’Is this how we would be if we were not Lord and Lady Hastings?’ Ophelia wondered.
"It doesn’t matter," Ophelia shook her head. She liked being Lady Hastings. "I am done. What am I to do now?"
Ophelia looked around for another task to busy herself with. "Alice. Oh, right."
It was strange not to have Alice near.
"I must find him," Ophelia said, leaving the kitchen to find Dante. Being at Dante’s side was the only way she could avoid experiencing boredom. She needed some kind of noise around.
As Ophelia walked in search of the bedchamber, she examined the portraits on the wall. There were portraits of Cecilia, Dante, and other people she believed to be part of the Hastings family.
Ophelia smiled as she found a younger Dante sitting alone. He didn’t look pleased to be painted.
"I was not happy that day. My mother had arranged for us to be painted in different outfits, and we were to sit still from morning to night. All for her to have our portraits removed from the castle," Dante said as he came down the stairs. "She stopped coming here after my father died, so the portraits here weren’t removed."
"How lucky. I got to see you when you were younger. Unfortunately, I don’t have any portraits to remember what I look like," Ophelia said, saddened that she didn’t have a portrait to share.
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