“Now that is enough!” Lady Tremaine got up and walked to the center of the room. “I don’t know what’s come over you, Mrs. Bramble, but you must pull yourself together. I won’t have you speaking to me like this,” she said, pulling the cord to call Rebecca.

“Mark my words, dearie, you will regret it if you go to the Many Kingdoms. Please just read the book of fairy tales I gave you, it’s all in there. Then you will see why I am so worried about you,” said Mrs. Bramble with imploring eyes.

“I wish there was something I could say to ease your mind, Mrs. Bramble.” Lady Tremaine eyed the door, waiting for Rebecca to knock and put an end to this conversation. “I assure you I will be very happy with Sir Richard.” She was worried for the woman’s state of mind.

“There is a special bond between a nanny and her charge, as you will learn in the pages of that book. I’ve always seen you very clearly, and I know beyond a doubt that something horrible will happen if you leave.”

Lady Tremaine took her hand. She wondered if the poor dear wasn’t suffering from some sort of dementia from old age.

“Why are you so convinced something terrible will happen to me?” she asked. “Why do you think someone will hurt me?” She searched the old woman’s face, wondering what made her look so heart-stricken.

“I’m not worried you will be hurt, my little one. You’re a strong woman, and you can handle anything those witches try to cast your way,” said Mrs. Bramble.

“Then what has you so worried? What are you so afraid of?” asked Lady Tremaine, and the strangest look came over Mrs. Bramble’s face.

“Oh, my dear, don’t you see, I’m worried about those you may hurt, those you will destroy with your hate and cruelty.”

Rebecca walked into the room just then and heard what Mrs. Bramble said. “That’s utter nonsense. My lady doesn’t have a cruel bone in her body,” Rebecca said.

“Oh, your lady will after you and your witches are done with her!” Mrs. Bramble croaked. “It happens to all of them! Something is terribly wrong with the Many Kingdoms. It turns stepmothers into horrible monsters. It destroys everything good within them.” Mrs. Bramble grabbed the book of fairy tales from the table beside her. “Just read this, my lady. Read it before you make the biggest mistake of your life.”

Lady Tremaine took the book and smiled at the old woman. “I will read it. I promise,” she said, trying to make the woman happy and opening the book.

“What’s this, an inscription from Lord Tremaine?” she said, taking a closer look. “You got this book from Lord Tremaine’s library? Why didn’t you say so from the start?” Lady Tremaine asked.