Damien and Penny shared breakfast together with all the other family members, Damien was the first to leave the table. Kissing Penny’s cheek he left for the council in the carriage with his father who accompanied him as the man had work to do too.
With the five ladies at the table, Lady Fleurance finally brought up, “Let’s go out to Isle Valley. Grace has been looking forward to having time with everyone,” even the lady herself didn’t know why her daughter wanted to spend time with the poor girl and her friend who were still worthless in her eyes.
Lady Fleurance didn’t approve of the girl to be her daughter-in-law, she not only was a human but she came from the slave establishment that made it difficult and hard for her to see eye to eye with the young human, Penelope.
Grace hearing her mother bring the topic up where her mouth had been full, she continued to chew her food before saying, “I am busy. I have other things to do.”
“Weren’t you throwing a tantrum two weeks ago about wanting to spend time with all of them. Gracie?” her mother questioned her.
“I have other plans, mother. You cannot keep bringing things up without letting me know. I am not going to change my schedule that has already been fixed,” Grace said taking another bite and continuing to chew, “I thought I would spend some time but then I realized how worthless it would be.” she threw a look at Penny who had been listening and watching the conversation.
Penny wasn’t surprised by Grace’s behavior. For a person like her to have a sudden change of behavior meant the world was going to end. The young vampiress was a jealous little girl who was not only happy with the things around her but also wished ill to her own siblings.
Wanting to share her own sentiments, Penny voiced her thoughts, “I hope you utilize your day and time well without having to badmouth at every single person you are unhappy with. Maybe discussing out in the open with your own family might give you what you need,” she offered the young vampiress a smile.
Grace hadn’t expected Penny to speak. The girl had been used to and had it been introduced to Penny with the mindset that she was a slave girl. A girl, lower than any other status that was present in the world where people spat on the slaves and servants. For a person with Grace’s pride, she couldn’t digest the fact that the girl was talking back to her openly without any regard to the fact that her mother was at the table too.
“It seems like someone forgot their place,” Grace commented at Penny’s words for her.
“I think someone forgot manners and how to respect people,” Penny retorted back with the same ferocity.
“You think you are safe just because you think you are going to marry Damien? You must be dreaming to think that you can fill the position of this house,” said Grace, her red eyes glaring down at the human across the table.
“Grace, haven’t we already established the fact that Penelope is going to marry Damien,” Maggie interrupted them not liking the way her sister was on it again. It seemed like her younger sister enjoyed dragging people in for no reason but for her very own joy, “Drop it.”
“Please,” Grace rolled her eyes at her sister, “Stop telling me what to do when you yourself cannot do anything right. Going out with a lowly vampire who is of no proper status. Don’t you think you are going too far with it yourself? Mother seemed to have not told anything because of our father but you should have had your mind in the right place. Do you think your mother would be happy about it if she were to be alive?”
This struck a chord in Maggie, “Stop bringing mother in here for no reason. All you want to do is create unnecessary scenes in the house. I guess you aren’t able to fall asleep unless you create a mess or try to jeopardise someone’s happiness.”
“There’s nothing wrong in what Grace said, Maggie,” said Lady Fleurance, “Your mother would be truly disappointed if she were to know what you have done. Wasn’t she the one who didn’t want you working for others. Not only that, but you go far as to meet a man who isn’t of our very own class.”
Maggie placed her spoon down that left a loud clutter, “Is that all you can think about?” Silence filled the room because of the sound that echoed in the hollow dining room they sat in.
The older daughter of Quinn spoke, “Every time something doesn’t go your way you bring up my mother. Do you think you know my mother better than I did?” she questioned both Grace as well as her step-mother.
“You were a young girl what would you know what yo-” Lady Fleurance was interrupted by Maggie,
“I am her daughter while in truth you are an outsider in this matter. I was young but I wasn’t so small that I wouldn’t know what she wanted and she wanted her children to be happy. I gave it some thought because every time all you both do is bring her up when you have no right to talk about her. She was my mother and she wished both Damien and me well. She lived in a way to protect us, to keep us safe and happy.”
“Watch your tone, Maggie,” Lady Fleurance warned her, “Aren’t you crossing your lines?”
“There is no line to cross. Maybe you’re the only one who thought there were lines because the parents I know didn’t draw lines over us to stay in a place. We are the pureblooded vampires,” turning to her step-mother, she said, “It was you who coaxed and asked me to meet Sven and look what happened. Your choice was the worst and if my mother were to be alive she wouldn’t have ever set me up with that man.”
Lady Fleurance chuckled softly, “Are you being serious? You were the one who fell in love and didn’t mind going to meet him when he was introduced. If you didn’t want to meet him you should have refused it in the beginning than complain now.”
Maggie stared at the woman in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that Fleurance was throwing the blame on her right now. She had tried her best to accept the woman with all of her heart and she had taken her as her mother, and right now this woman was speaking to her and putting the blame on to her when it was her who had persistently pushed her for marriage.
“You are unbelievable,” Maggie whispered, her voice then turned louder, “I cannot believe you would say something like that to me.”
“You were the one to cross your line, sister. You expect not to receive the same treatment when you are speaking to back mother-”
“Wow, the double standards in this room is amazing. I speak my mind out and it’s taken to be speaking back to her while you diss and shun people around you as if your life is pathetic, do you know how pathetic you look right now saying that?”
