Penny sat quietly at her dressing table, her reflection barely recognizable. A fresh bandage covered her cheek, the pain dull now, but her thoughts sharp as knives. Hughes worked in silence, tending to her wounds with careful hands.
Penny was grateful for the silence. She didn't want pity. She didn't want questions.
But suddenly, Hughes spoke.
"You shouldn't let her speak to you like that."
Penny blinked. "Who?"
"Ariana," Hughes said after a pause, her voice low. "She shouldn't be allowed to humiliate you like that. None of them should." Hughes said. Penny was the key to their wealth, though she was still a little skeptical about whether to tell Penny about it or not.
Or maybe she'd just let Penny find out on her own.
"I knew they'd try something," Hughes whispered. "I should've never told them."
"Told who what?" Penny asked, her eyes narrowing.
Hughes hesitated, her fingers trembling as they hovered over the bandage. And then, quietly, she confessed.
"Master Osvaldo… he hates the smell of cinnamon. It triggers him. Your body… your clothes… you were covered in it."
"What?"
"It was Master Gregory," Hughes said, voice cracking as she fell to her knees. "He told me to spray it on you this morning. I didn't know why until I saw what happened."
Penny's blood ran cold.
Hughes clapped her hands together, bowing low. "Please forgive me, Miss Penny. I had no idea it was a setup. I thought it was harmless. But he… he planned it. They wanted him to attack you."
Her heart sank as she heard her housekeeper speak.
Penny didn't understand what had happened. She knew something was wrong. The Adkins needed her for Osvaldo's wealth, yet they want her dead? How was that even possible?
She frowned. These people must think she's stupid. Osvaldo would never have hurt her if she didn't have the cinnamon spray on.
This meant he was suffering for nothing. And she has gotten hurt for nothing either. Even though she had a little information, she had yet to pick the puzzles together and that's because she had seen Osvaldo become sane that day.
He had spoken to her and even agreed to divorce her. So what happened?
"Is Osvaldo twin?" Penny asked to see Hughes shake her head chuckling even. It was ridiculous to think her mad master was twin, but she wondered why her new mistress asked that.
"Has he ever been sane even for a minute?" Hughes shook her head again. Penny pressed her lips into a thin line. The man she had seen last night... was that a dream?
She would need to find out herself tonight. She would have to speak to Osvaldo again tonight. But not with the guards beating him that way.
"In truth Mistress, the only reason you're married to master Osvaldo is because of his wealth." Penny was taken aback by Hughes's words.
"Don't think for a second that the Adkins family love you. They don't." The housekeeper continued.
She was loyal to her master and since her master has taken a liking towards the girl, it is her duty to be loyal too to Penny.
They have been with Osvaldo since the beginning of time since his father handed him over to Greg and Abby. They had seen how the Adkins formally known as the Petersons punished the little boy.
They had witnessed how they lavished their portion of the deal and are now hungry for Osvaldo's.
Hughes and Barnaby have both decided never to let the Petersons steal anything belonging to their master. Their new madam would be the right successor.
"Thank you for telling me that," Penny said.
"From now on, Hughes, you cannot betray me anymore. No more secrets if we're going to be close." Hughes nodded at her mistress words simultaneously. This mistress was different from the others.
They would have had her head rolling on the floor now for this betrayal. But Penny seemed kind.
"Help me change my clothes." Penny suddenly said.
"B... But Miss Penny, we haven't been able to shop for you yet. You have nothing to wear." Hughes responded.
"I left my bags in my car. Can you get them for me?" Hughes nodded, she rose, bowing gently to her mistress before stepping out of the room.
In no time she returned with two bags. They're the only properties Penny had, one containing all of her works and important documents and the other containing her clothes.
Penny took the bag from Hughes and stepped into her closet, when she stepped out again, she was in a new dress.
The dress was simple, yet so beautiful. Her hair was tied back, her face still bruised but proud.
"Come with me, Hughes," she said. "I need to save my husband."
Hughes followed her steps quickly. There was no hesitation in Penny now. If the Adkins wanted to kill her, they'd have to try harder. She wasn't going to run.
She would make them pay.
Even if she wouldn't take a cent from Osvaldo, she would make them regret every wound they ever gave him.
They made a mistake playing with her. She was a renowned herbalist, there isn't a sickness she cannot cure. If only they all knew who they were messing with.
Hughes led Penny to the dungeon. A place hidden beneath the estate. Cold. Silent. A prison, not a home. And it was here the truth lived.
When Penny stepped inside, her heart dropped. Her blue eyes went to the man chained like a beast. The sound of whips clashing against his skin over and over again echoed in the empty space.
His back was raw, the skin torn and red. The air reeked of blood and sweat. Penny's heart ached at the sight of him.
Ariana stood there, barking orders like a mad dog. Her maid stood beside her quietly, not dating to refute her words
"You're not hitting him hard enough!" Ariana hissed. The guards there stared between themselves wondering if this was truly the order from their mistress.
They were scared of they continued, they might kill him. They all know Abby would never let them kill the mad master so what is the second miss talking about?
"Didn't you hear me?" Ari screamed again, eyes burning with hatred.
Then the maids voice sounded, she took was scared their mad master was going to die. "Miss Ari, the mistress only said to punish him, not kill him. Look at him... he's already..."
"So what? He's useless. A dead man walking. The sooner he dies the better it'll be for everyone." Her plans were simple, make Penny a widow and kick her out of the Adkins family for good.
Ariana's eyes lit up with wicked joy.
"Flog him! Again! Until I say stop!" the guards were about to continue the torture, then...
"Don't you dare lay a finger on him!"