Lady Tremaine muses on Sigrid’s drastically improved circumstances after the original acquaintance and the history of their relationship. She remembers Sigrid writing to her about her engagement to the future king. Lady Tremaine had hoped that her and Sigrid’s past connection would afford her family an entrance to society life, but they were excluded instead. She attributed Sigrid’s wasp injury and their rivalry over Henry as the reasons for this exclusion.

Lady Tremaine heads out in the carriage for the castle. At the gates, she requests an audience with the queen, introducing herself as “Lady Tremaine” instead of “Lady Tremaine Bramley.” While waiting for the guard to “relay the message” (94), she continues to muse on her past.

When Lady Tremaine and her daughters moved to Bramley Hall, she tried to appeal to Elin and foster relationships between her and Rosamund and Mathilde. However, Elin proved disinterested in a new mother or new sisters. Meanwhile, Robert allowed Elin to spend all her time alone, spoiling her with gifts. Elin was preoccupied with memories of her late mother. Finally, Lady Tremaine asked Robert to remove his late wife’s portrait from the hall. He fell to his death while doing so.

After Robert’s death, Lady Tremaine learned that he had not paid taxes on the house. She couldn’t sell it because the taxes would come due. Further, she had no money to pay the staff. Only Alice and Wenthelen remained at the hall without pay because they were too old to continue working elsewhere. Meanwhile, Lady Tremaine taught her daughters to keep house and also assumed these responsibilities herself. Elin, however, refused to do her part, becoming increasingly reliant on her etiquette book for instructions on how to be in the world. She was convinced that her match would come and that marriage would deliver her from her circumstances.

The guard returns, interrupting Lady Tremaine’s thoughts and leading her to the queen. She is shocked by the sight of Sigrid after all these years and inspects her gloved hand for evidence of the finger she lost in the accident decades prior.

Lady Tremaine and Queen Sigrid catch up. Lady Tremaine is careful about what she shares, aware of Sigrid’s judgment. Finally, she expresses her desire for a ball invitation for her daughters. Sigrid agrees, as if bored by the request.

On her way out, Lady Tremaine encounters the man she met on her property while hunting. She learns that his name is Otto and tries to correct his first impression of her. Before leaving, Otto confirms that Mathilde and Rosamund are invited to the ball.

During the journey home, Lady Tremaine considers her circumstances. She’s proud of her success but realizes how much more she still needs to help her daughters. Back at home, she runs into Moussa, “the itinerant minstrel” who passes through the country each year (117). Lady Tremaine agrees to take a horse from him.

Inside, Lady Tremaine finds her daughters arguing over clothing to wear to the market. They are thrilled to learn of their mother’s successful visit with the queen and immediately begin discussing their dresses for the ball. First, Lady Tremaine insists that they’ll need money to afford new materials for their garments. She insists that they pick apples to sell at the market.

Lady Tremaine continues reflecting on Robert’s death. She tried appealing to Elin afterward, but she reiterated her disinterest in having a new mother. It became increasingly difficult for Lady Tremaine to communicate with her since she was always preoccupied and refused to help around the house. It was around this time that Moussa first visited the house, and he and Lady Tremaine struck up an acquaintance. Tonight, he stays near the house, playing music on the step. He also advises Lady Tremaine not to bring Lucy into the home.

Later that evening, Lady Tremaine visits Moussa at his camp. They catch up and talk about their lives. After she tells him about the upcoming ball, Moussa tells her a story about his past, which intrigues Lady Tremaine.

Over the following days, Lady Tremaine and the girls work hard to gather money for materials—doing embroidery and picking apples. They also review etiquette lessons and design their dresses. Later in the week, they go to the market together. While buying materials for her daughters’ dresses, Lady Tremaine runs into an important friend, Lavinia Enright. Lady Tremaine values this relationship because Lavinia is a lady. They discuss the upcoming ball, the royal family’s search for a bride for Prince Simeon, and travel arrangements to the event, agreeing to ride together and visit beforehand. Lady Tremaine also chats with Lavinia’s son, Finnian, who reveals that a royal hunt will soon be passing through. Lady Tremaine is delighted by this information and concocts a plan.

Back at home, Lady Tremaine sets to enacting her plan. She digs through Elin’s late mother’s old things, finding two half-finished paintings of apples and taking them with her. She checks in on Elin to see how her dress preparations are coming, reminding her she can’t attend the ball unless she’s prepared. Then, she instructs Mathilde and Rosamund to dress well for an evening out.

Lady Tremaine loads the carriage with food, housewares, and decor—including the paintings—and sets out with her daughters. In an open field, she instructs her daughters to set up a picnic, staging them with the half-finished apple paintings. Then, with Moussa’s help, she pushes the carriage and breaks it. Prince Simeon comes riding through and sees the women, their picnic, and broken carriage and insists on helping them. Lady Tremaine is thrilled with her successful plan but disappointed that Otto is in tow. Still, the prince shows Rosamund and Mathilde attention, joins the women for the picnic, and gives them a ride home.