Rodmilla:
Are you ill?
Danielle:
[half-asleep] No, yes.
Rodmilla:
Where were you?
Danielle:
I got lost.
Rodmilla:
I don't believe you. You're hiding something from me, I can feel it. I demand to know what it is.
Danielle:
Why don't you tell me so I can go back to sleep?
Marguerite:
What about our breakfast?
Danielle:
[sighs] You have two hands, make it yourself.
Marguerite:
Why you lazy little leech!
Rodmilla:
Jacqueline, go and boil some water.
Jacqueline:
Me? Boil water? [to herself] Oh, I knew it, I just knew it! [walks away]
[The scene changes to show Danielle collecting water from the well]
Paulette:
[quietly, from the second-floor manor window] Mistress, you better get in here, quick!
[Danielle comes inside to find Rodmilla and Marguerite stealing her mother's dress]
Rodmilla:
[in a sarcastic tone of voice] Oh, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence.
Danielle:
What do you think you're doing?
Marguerite:
Trying on my dress.
Rodmilla:
Did you honestly think that after that performance this morning I'd let you go anywhere?
Danielle:
[appalled] Do you honestly think these games, these intrigues are going to win you a crown? To hunt royalty like some sport, it's disgusting!
Marguerite:
You're just jealous.
Danielle:
[picks her mother's shoes up off the table] These are my mother's.
Marguerite:
[smirks callously] Yes. And she's dead.
[Angered, Danielle marches right up to Marguerite and punches her in the eye, toppling her over the bed. Marguerite immediately charges out the door]
Danielle:
[enraged] I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR HAIR OUT!!! [charges after Marguerite]
Jacqueline:
[horrified] Mother, do something!
[Danielle chases Marguerite down the stairs and into the manor's front room. Marguerite grabs Danielle's father's book off a nearby chair, threatening to throw it into the fire]
Marguerite:
Get away from me or so help me, God...
Danielle:
No, Marguerite, don't! Put it down!
Marguerite:
Gimme the shoes!
Danielle:
PUT IT DOWN!!
[Rodmilla and Jacqueline enter the room]
Rodmilla:
Consider carefully, Danielle. Your father's book, or your mother's shoes, though neither will save you from a sound lashing.
[Danielle looks in anguish at Marguerite, who is holding the book directly above the fire. Not wanting anything bad to happen to the book, Danielle reluctantly holds out the shoes. Rodmilla snatches them. However, instead of putting the book back where it was, Marguerite spitefully throws it straight into the fire before making her getaway]
Danielle:
NO!!!! [reaches for the book, only for Rodmilla to hold her back] NO! No! NO!!! NO!! No! [sobbingly turns and leaves. Jacqueline watches with pity as the book burns. The scene changes to show Jacqueline treating the huge, bloody lash-marks on Danielle's back]
Jacqueline:
Now, you've really brought this upon yourself, you know. First with breakfast, then that horrid display downstairs.
Danielle:
I don't know what's come over me.
Jacqueline:
Of course, I shall never forget the way Marguerite's feet went up over her head like that! [giggles] She should not have said that about your mother.
Danielle:
Thank you.
