Chapter 35 Writing a Letter, Inviting Him to Meet?
The man said his name was Zaid, and that his sweetheart had written to him, asking him to come here for a secret meeting.
He had been hiding in the prayer area earlier. When Clio learned this, she patted her chest and looked at Cressida: "Thank goodness you didn't run into him, otherwise how would I explain this to your father."
The guards indeed found a letter in Zaid's possession.
When handed to Ursa, she immediately looked away, as if disgusted.
"How awful! How could anyone do such things in a church."
Clio frowned, speaking sternly: "Such a scoundrel should be tied up along with that shameless girl and handed over to the magistrate!"
Ursa glanced at her: "What he says may not be true. This man acts crudely - he's probably a thief who followed the group, trying to sneak into the church to steal. After getting caught, he made up this story."
Mabel Liang also said: "Everyone we brought today is either our own girls or our own servants. No one would do such a filthy thing."
"What are we waiting for? Hold him down and send him to the authorities!" Ursa ordered.
Zaid started shouting anxiously: "Darling, please say something for me. Are you really going to watch me get thrown in jail!"
"How dare you!" Ursa glared furiously. "If you keep making false accusations, you won't be let off easily!"
Zaid looked pitifully at Cressida, his tone miserable.
"Darling, we can't hide our relationship anymore. Tell them we've already promised ourselves to each other."
Everyone around was shocked.
"I don't know you." Cressida's handsome, cool face remained calm.
Zaid panicked: "Don't be afraid. I believe if we ask nicely, your family will accept me."
Mabel was the first to recover, angrily scolding: "Shameless thief, how dare you tarnish the reputation of Cressida of the Hamilton family? Someone, shut his mouth!"
Zaid shouted desperately: "Ladies, I met Cressida at the military fortress. We fell for each other, but then General Hamilton suddenly had troubles, and she had to return to Emerald City. I followed her back."
"All this time, we've been exchanging letters but couldn't meet. Finally finding a chance, she asked me to come here, saying she wanted to see me. Cressida, say something!"
Cressida's eyes darkened as she stared at Zaid.
Before her, Zaid was short and stocky, with dark tanned skin, plain features, and yellowed teeth.
Clio! Her mother, her own mother! Had actually chosen to use such a person to destroy her reputation.
Cressida raised her eyes. When her clear gaze fell on Clio, Clio suddenly felt her scalp tighten.
Mabel's guards were about to restrain Zaid when Cressida finally spoke: "Mabel, don't rush. I want to say a few words to him."
With that, she stepped forward.
As she approached, Zaid caught a fresh fragrance, and greed suddenly appeared in his eyes.
Though he'd been paid to do a job, if he could really ruin Cressida's reputation, then public opinion and pressure would force her to marry him since she'd have no reputation left!
Thinking about possessing such a beautiful woman, becoming the son-in-law of the Hamilton family, and Cameron's brother-in-law!
Such incredible wealth and glory made Zaid's heart race.
"Cressida, Darling, Sweetheart! Explain it to them clearly." He shouted even more enthusiastically.
Jessica couldn't help but turn away, angrily scolding: "So shameless, absolutely disgusting!"
Cressida remained calm and picked up the letter from the ground.
She asked Zaid: "You say this is a letter I wrote to you?"
"Absolutely true!" Zaid nodded vigorously.
The letter began with "Long have we been apart; I know not your recent state."
Cressida pointed at the English words on the letter: "Tell me, how do you read this word?"
Zaid's mouth opened, but he didn't know how to answer.
He couldn't read it!
Cold sweat immediately broke out.
Cressida: "Everyone can see this man is short and stocky, with thick legs, and his palms have thick calluses at the tiger's mouth area, clearly from years of physical labor or driving carts."
"How could such a person understand written letters? Isn't that ridiculous?"
Mabel immediately sneered: "A thief is a thief - probably can't read at all!"
Ethan's tone was cold: "Someone who spreads such lies should have his tongue cut out and fed to the hounds."
Ursa also said: "General Hamilton's reputation is well-known. Now everyone knows he has a sister in Emerald City. Many people with bad intentions try to attach themselves to the powerful. Ms. Hamilton has been wronged. This thief should definitely be handed to the magistrate for severe punishment."
Seeing things going wrong, Clio secretly glanced at Orla.
Orla gritted her teeth and dropped to her knees.
"Ms. Hamilton, just admit it! I saw with my own eyes that you wrote him letters."
Emma cursed angrily: "You wretch, try saying that again?"
Orla flinched but kowtowed, steeling herself: "I'm willing to swear an oath. Ms. Hamilton has been in close contact with Zaid. Before, when Ms. Hamilton went out in the carriage, she said she was going to the martial arts hall, but actually she was secretly meeting him."
Rose covered her mouth in surprise: "Those times Cressida wanted to go out before, was it for this reason?"
Orla: "Ms. Hamilton, before God and the saints, how can you lie? I really can't stand watching this anymore!"
Such blatant lies - they were determined to completely ruin Cressida.
Zaid got even more excited: "Cressida, I understand you look down on my humble background, but you can't deny our agreement! We privately promised ourselves to each other. You said you'd marry no one but me!"
"What proof do you have?"
"This letter is the proof. Though I can't read most of the words, I understand some. You said you miss me and want to marry me!" Zaid shouted.
Cressida suddenly smiled.
She rarely smiled; her manner was always cool.
Her handsome, cool face gained some brightness from this smile.
"But this isn't my handwriting at all." Her tone shifted as she handed the letter to Mabel. "Mabel, take a look. Isn't this Ethan's writing?"
Mabel froze, took it and looked, greatly shocked: "It really is!"
Ethan took out the scripture he had copied while listening to prayers in the church.
"It is my handwriting."
They showed it to Ursa for comparison. Ursa's face turned ugly.
"This thief, this scoundrel - how did he get Mr. Hamilton's handwriting?"
Cressida: "Not long ago, I borrowed some calligraphy books from Ethan to look at. Someone close to me must have stolen his copybook, treating it as mine, and forged this letter."
Ursa immediately looked at Clio.
For such a thing to happen in the inner household clearly showed the mistress's poor management.
To allow servants to do something that would ruin their own young lady's reputation - a girl's reputation is so precious, how could Clio not understand?
Perhaps Ursa's gaze was too sharp. Clio's mind suddenly jolted.
"Orla! Did you do this!"
Orla's face lost all color. Just as she was about to speak, Ursa's guard came in holding a bundle.
"This person dropped this bag when he was hiding in the prayer hall."
The guard used his sword to open it, and two women's undergarments fell out, causing everyone to gasp.