Cinderella’s words stung Lady Tremaine’s heart and took her by surprise. “It would please me if you could find it in your heart to call me Mama,” she said. “Because I so want to be a good mama to you.” Lady Tremaine tried to keep her face calm, so as not to let the young girl know she had crushed her heart.

“I can call you Stepmother if you’d like,” the girl replied. “Papa said I may call you Lady Tremaine or Stepmother, but never Mama.”

Lady Tremaine’s heart fell, but she didn’t let Cinderella or her father know it. This girl simply didn’t understand that what she was saying was hurtful. Lady Tremaine had to wonder if Cinderella had been so sheltered, so kept from society that she didn’t know how to conduct herself in polite company? Well, it seemed Lady Tremaine had her work cut out for her.

“Very well, Cinderella. You may call me Stepmother if that is what pleases you and your papa,” she said, though she intended to speak with Sir Richard about this later. She realized they hadn’t spoken of these things while they were at Lady Hackle’s, but she assumed they would be a true family. Perhaps Cinderella and her father just needed a bit of time?

Lady Tremaine could see her girls getting twitchy at Cinderella’s treatment of her and thought it was best to usher them to their rooms before they pounced on their fair-haired beauty of a stepsister, but just as she was about to say it was time they all go refresh themselves, Anastasia spoke.

“My mama is trying to be your friend, Cinderella. Why are you being so rude?” she said.

Then Drizella chimed in. “Oh, Stasia, we can hardly blame Cinderella, considering she has such a rude father. We came all this way and he didn’t even greet us—ow!”

Nanny Pinch had grabbed Drizella by the arm and was pulling her toward her. “Drizella, how dare you speak about your new papa like that?” she said, tightening her grip on Drizella’s arm.

“Now that’s enough, the both of you!” said Lady Tremaine, her face undoubtedly red. “Please excuse us, Sir Richard. We have had a very long journey, and the girls are exhausted. If someone could please show us to our rooms, I will help the girls get ready for the ceremony.” She looked around in vain for the servants.

“Nanny Pinch, you will find the girls’ rooms on the third landing,” Sir Richard said. “They will take the first and second from the stairway. Lady Tremaine’s room is the third.”

Lady Tremaine thought this was all highly unusual. She wondered where the servants could be. Would they be expected to simply wander the third landing until they found their rooms themselves?