Chapter 147 Cressida Seduces Marshall?
In front of everyone, Marshall grasped her wrist and helped her up.
"Ms. Hamilton, no need to be so formal. Since this is your first time entering the castle for the transcription, I was worried you might not be comfortable, so I brought some things for you."
As he spoke, several guards behind him stepped forward carrying boxes filled with crystal ornaments and velvet tapestries.
Marshall instructed the maids to decorate Cressida's quarters to make her stay more comfortable.
Except for Emily, all the noble ladies present looked at Cressida with strange expressions.
"Prince Marshall, are these things just for me, or does everyone get them?" Cressida asked directly, her tone clearly refusing. "If they're only for me, I can't accept them. I'm honored to be chosen by His Majesty the King for this transcription work, and I only want to do my duty properly. I must decline Prince Marshall's kindness, and I hope he can forgive me."
Marshall's gentle smile froze at his lips for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
He turned and glanced at Emily.
She walked forward with a smile and said, "Cressida, don't blame me for being forward, but actually I begged Prince Marshall to prepare these things for you. It's just because this is your first time entering the castle for transcription, so it's better if you're comfortable first. It's my fault for not explaining this to you beforehand. This is a gesture of goodwill from Prince Marshall and me."
Marshall nodded to Cressida, his voice deep and pleasant, "You're right to remind me. I only remembered Emily's request and forgot I should take care of everyone equally. No matter, I'll give the order right now to arrange for everyone to receive a share."
Everyone bowed to thank Marshall, who didn't wait long before getting up to leave.
Emily personally saw him to the door. Before leaving, Marshall looked back at Cressida once more.
She stood among the noble ladies with her head down. Her cool face showed nothing but calm indifference toward him.
After Marshall left, everyone dispersed.
Emily returned to her room, and the proper smile on her face instantly faded, replaced by a cold expression.
Just then, Madeline's voice came from the doorway, "Emily."
She immediately put on a smile and turned around. "What is it, Madeline?"
Madeline walked into the room and immediately vented her dissatisfaction."Emily, I really can't stomach this! If it were me, I'd be furious already. Cressida is just relying on Cameron's abilities—what is she really? How dare she provoke Prince Marshall? She's absolutely shameless!"
Emily looked shocked, and her maid quickly closed the door.
"Madeline, you can't say such things carelessly. Cressida hasn't done anything like that."
"You're just too nice! Can't you see? She's deliberately putting on that cold act—it's all just a trick to seduce men!"
After saying this, Madeline urged Emily, "You should teach her a lesson and take her down a peg."
Noticing the calculating look in Madeline's eyes, Emily completely understood.
Emily smiled and said, "Madeline, why do you care so much? If Prince Marshall really likes Cressida, wouldn't that be wonderful? Cressida should be qualified for the position of Prince Marshall's concubine."
Then Emily looked at Madeline's hair and teased with a hand over her mouth, "But why aren't you wearing the jeweled hairpin Prince Yosef sent back this time?"
Madeline froze instantly.
"What jeweled hairpin?"
"You don't know?" Emily looked confused. "A while ago, Prince Yosef sent a letter back to Emerald City for the Queen, and the letter included two jeweled hairpins. Strange, I clearly heard that the hairpins were meant as gifts..."
Suddenly, Emily thought of something and stopped speaking mid-sentence.
She said, "Madeline, I'm a bit tired. I won't keep you for tea. You should go back now."
Madeline felt utterly humiliated and with an awkward smile, she hurriedly left Emily's room. When discussing her marriage to Yosef before, Odette had specially summoned Madeline's mother to the palace to ask about her preferences.
She thought her marriage to Yosef was a done deal. The Lopez family even proactively spread word of the alliance, but who would have thought that Yosef kept refusing to get engaged to her, and Doyle hasn't issued a royal decree for the marriage either.
Madeline twisted the silk handkerchief in her hands forcefully, full of doubt, wondering who Yosef's jeweled hairpin was meant for.
Just then, her maid said, "Ms. Lopez, look, isn't that the head maid from the Queen's side?"
Madeline spun around and truly saw the head maid leading two people. They were holding silver trays and knocking on Cressida's door.
There was some pearl jewelry and two jeweled hairpins on the silver trays. Madeline was so angry, she nearly fainted.
Back in her room, she couldn't help cursing, "Cressida really has no shame! She's done provoking Prince Marshall, now she's seducing Prince Yosef!"
"No wonder Emily isn't worried and won't be swayed by me!"
Emily was already engaged to Marshall and could marry next spring. But as for Madeline, her marriage to Yosef still had no result.
Madeline collapsed on the table as tears of grievance, jealousy, and bitterness fell from her eyes.
"I will never forgive Cressida!"
In the evening, Cressida got permission from the head lady official Jada to view the Sacred Scripture early.
This scripture was discovered by Novaria's founding king. Legend has it that divine revelation came to him in a dream, guiding the founding king to find this scripture.
Furthermore, the founding king passed away on Harvest Festival day, and from then on, each year every king always organized noble ladies to transcribe the scripture and then, they'd burn it in the royal chapel as an offering.
Jada smiled and said, "Ms. Hamilton, you're the first person to request viewing the Sacred Scripture early."
"They've all transcribed it before. Only I am seeing it for the first time."
Cressida's tone was humble, yet neither servile nor overbearing, with just the right sense of proportion that made Jada very comfortable.
Jada smiled. "Although I can let you view the Sacred Scripture early, the time can't be too long. I'll give you thirty minutes. Is that okay?"
Secretly listening nearby, Emma became alarmed. Thirty minutes wasn't possibly enough time. There were seven volumes of scripture.
However, Cressida simply nodded calmly. "Okay."
Jada didn't leave but sat down nearby and started reading other books.
Cressida looked down at the scripture. The text was extensive and densely packed, yet quite neat.
She read quickly, and within thirty minutes, managed to go through all seven volumes.
The next day, Cressida followed Jada and the other noble ladies to the Wisdom Court, specially designated for transcription.
One desk per person, one volume of scripture per person.
Cressida was led to her desk, and Emma ground ink for her.
She was meant to transcribe the fourth volume of the Sacred Scripture. However, when she unrolled the scripture, she couldn't help but frown.
She directly called Jada over and said firmly, "Something's wrong with this volume of scripture."