“What does he mean, Mama?” asked Drizella, running over to her mother.

Anastasia was close behind. “He can’t be serious!”

“That isn’t fair,” said Cinderella. It shocked Lady Tremaine that Cinderella was standing up for her stepsisters.

“You are such a dear girl, Cinderella, and you’re turning into a beautiful young woman, just like your mother. It’s remarkable how much you favor her,” he said, ignoring Anastasia and Drizella and smiling at his daughter. “I think it’s time to present you to court. I have long held a wish that you and the prince would eventually marry.”

Cinderella dropped her fork, which fell to her plate with a loud clank. “Oh, Papa, I will never leave you. Not ever,” she said.

“Well, I think it’s a wonderful idea to present the girls to court,” said Lady Tremaine, eagerly scanning his face to guess what he might be thinking before he replied. But his answer was quite clear.

“I don’t intend to present your girls to court, Lady Tremaine. They will be far too busy in the kitchen helping you.”

Lady Tremaine was livid. “I wonder that you didn’t just hire a housekeeper, Sir Richard, because it’s clear that is all you wanted from the start,” said Lady Tremaine.

Sir Richard scoffed. “Housekeepers don’t come with large dowries, and besides, I’d have to pay a housekeeper,” he said, sneering at her.

Chapter XIV: The Odd Sisters

Five long years passed since that horrible Christmas Eve, and the girls were now old enough to be presented at court, but Sir Richard wouldn’t hear of it.

“But why won’t you let my girls be presented along with Cinderella?” Lady Tremaine had broached the subject as he was heading out the door on castle business one morning.

“I don’t have time for this conversation again. Standards are different in the Many Kingdoms. Your girls are just not, well, very presentable, shall we say, and I would be ashamed to claim them as my own in public. I’m sure you understand.” He tried to put an end to the conversation by scurrying out the door, but Lady Tremaine followed him.

“I do not understand! What are you saying? My girls are beautiful!” she said sincerely, for she truly felt that way. But Sir Richard laughed.

“You really believe that, don’t you?” he said, making his way to the carriage. “I must leave now, I’m late. And I won’t hear any more of this, do you understand?”