“Those locks won’t help you. Go to your room and bring me your brooch. It’s time we give it back to its rightful owners,” Nanny said.

But Lady Tremaine didn’t comply. “Those women said you would ask me for my brooch. They were trying to help me, encouraging me to wear it.” She eyed the old woman warily.

“Of course they’re encouraging you to wear it; it’s cursed! They know you’re too smart to fall for their trickery and manipulations, so the only way to seduce you is through curses,” said Nanny, heading up the stairs.

“And just where are you going, witch?” spat Lady Tremaine.

“Upstairs to get your brooch,” Nanny said. “That’s one thing the sisters weren’t lying about. I did come here to retrieve it, but Rebecca was always encouraging you to wear it.”

“What does Rebecca have to do with it, and why did those women say my letter would never reach London?” asked Lady Tremaine, trying to wrap her mind around all this.

“I imagine the Odd Sisters are intercepting your correspondences, to keep you under their control. They say they want to help you, yet they lured you here just as it was written in the book of fairy tales. I’ve always found their ways confusing, honestly. Their good intentions tend to run afoul. Oh, Lady Tremaine, I wish I could tell you more, but I fear I’ve already overstepped by telling you my purpose. I fear you will just have to trust me when I say it’s of paramount importance that I have your brooch.” She started to make her way up the first set of stairs, but Lady Tremaine was right behind her and seized her by the arm.

“You will not take my brooch! It was given to me by my first husband, and it’s the only thing I have left of him. You and Rebecca are the witches, hiding in my house, plotting against me, making me look the fool in front of Sir Richard. Those women warned me about you. They said you would want to take the brooch!”

Nanny sighed. “It’s true,” she said. “Those women are the Odd Sisters, and I’m afraid Rebecca has been working with them. I have the strangest feeling she thinks she is helping you, encouraging you to wear the brooch, keeping the book of fairy tales from you, but believe me, Lady Tremaine, every time the Odd Sisters and their ilk try to help someone it turns into a disaster. You have to trust me; I’m not here to harm you, I’m here to help. Haven’t I kept your secrets from Sir Richard? Don’t I care for your girls and teach them in secret? Does that sound like a person who is plotting against you?”