Chapter 17 Miguel Suspects Cressida's Identity?
The maid in charge of feeding the red-tailed hawk rushed over in a hurry. Without a whistle, she could only wave her arms to drive it away.
With the help of the servants, they finally managed to subdue the red-tailed hawk.
Rose's earring had been torn right off, and a small piece of flesh was missing from her left ear, blood streaming down.
The clothes on her shoulder were torn to shreds. She was so terrified that she couldn't even cry out. She just stared with tear-filled eyes at the blood on her hands in horror.
"My poor Rose, does it hurt?" Clio was so heartbroken she was about to cry!
Rose didn't respond. Clio knew she was scared out of her wits and quickly had the servants help her back to her room.
Watching Clio's anxious and worried reaction, Cressida remembered her past life.
Rose had deliberately kept this kind of bird of prey and let it attack her in the garden.
Back then, the wound on the back of her hand had exposed pink flesh that was slightly turned outward.
Cressida had wanted to kill the red-tailed hawk, but Rose wouldn't agree.
What had Clio said at the time?
"Don't you know how to dodge? You just let it scratch you."
She had spoken so casually, without shedding a single tear, and without being as anxious and flustered as she was now.
Clio was worried about Rose, so she hurriedly bowed to Miguel and excused herself, then left quickly.
The clan elder walked over to Patrick's side.
"Mr. Hamilton, take my advice - this Rose is too unlucky. The ceremony failed, the ancestors didn't accept her, and she almost made you offend the royal family."
"If you really like her, keep her in the mansion as a goddaughter who doesn't enter the family records. But whatever you do, don't let her into the family tree - it'll affect the good fortune of the Hamilton family's descendants."
Patrick's face looked terrible. He bowed and said, "I know what I'm doing. I won't be foolish. Don't worry."
Saul walked over and lowered his voice: "Mr. Hamilton, you've really caused me trouble!"
Patrick was startled: "What happened now?"
"You...!" Saul couldn't speak plainly. He bowed and left in a huff.
Earlier, Charlie had called him aside and given him a severe scolding.
Charlie had asked what kind of person Saul was, to serve as witness for a nobody goddaughter.
Saul really had no way to explain himself. He had only done it to curry favor with Patrick. Who could have known things would turn out like this?
Patrick could tell that Saul was blaming him.
What was there to blame? Patrick himself was full of anger!
So when he saw Michael kneeling on the ground trembling, he got even angrier.
It was all Michael's fault, this troublemaking son, for stirring things up. He just had to make a move at this time. He'd definitely get a beating later!
"Get Michael out of here!" he barked. The servants quickly carried the limp Michael away.
Out of the corner of his eye, Patrick saw Miguel and Charlie about to leave and hurried after them.
"Prince Russell, about today's events..."
Before he could finish, Miguel had already walked forward without even giving him a proper look.
But Charlie blocked Patrick's path.
"Mr. Hamilton, if we had known today was for your goddaughter's entry into the family tree, Prince Russell would never have come."
"What... what do you mean? Please explain, Mr. Chambers."
"Prince Russell values talent and holds General Hamilton in especially high regard. The reason he came to your mansion this time was because Prince Russell heard that the Hamilton family was going to create a separate page in the family tree for General Hamilton's biological sister, Ms. Cressida Hamilton."
After Charlie finished speaking, Patrick's face changed dramatically.
Create a separate page in the family tree for Cressida? How could that be possible!
"Mr. Chambers, this is my oversight. Who would have thought a mere goddaughter would cause so much trouble? Please put in a good word for me with Prince Russell."
Charlie before him was Miguel's uncle. Miguel would surely listen to what he said.
Charlie gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes and bowed: "Mr. Hamilton, you flatter me. I'm afraid I can't help with this."
With that, he left, leaving Patrick alone, breaking out in a cold sweat.
He turned around wanting to ask Cressida for help, but couldn't see her anywhere.
Cressida had already found an opportunity to slip away earlier.
Let Patrick and the others deal with the mess that was left.
But she hadn't expected Miguel to come after her from behind.
By the stream in the Hamilton Mansion, their two shadows faced each other, reflected on the flowing water.
"Prince Russell." Cressida curtsied with her head lowered.
Miguel's tone was impossible to read: "I heard you and your brother are twins."
"Yes."
"No wonder you look so similar."
"Everyone says so." Cressida's answer was neither warm nor cold, and couldn't be faulted.
She was very calm. Even though her heart was racing, her face remained as still as an ancient well.
"I never saw you when I was at the border."
"My brother said the border was full of all kinds of people and was strictly controlled. He didn't let me wander around."
"I see."
After Miguel spoke, he didn't say anything more, but he didn't leave either.
The water in the peach blossom stream kept flowing. Cressida's palms gradually became damp with sweat.
"Ms. Hamilton, do you also practice martial arts?" Miguel suddenly asked, his voice cold and deep.
Cressida knew he was testing her, so she answered even more carefully: "I practiced with my brother when I was young, but I'm not very good."
Miguel nodded: "Your brother once took an injury for me. He did me a favor. If you're in trouble, I'm willing to help."
"Thank you, Prince Russell, but my brother taking an injury for Prince Russell isn't a favor - it was just his loyal service, for country and family. I can't use that favor to ask for repayment."
Her words were flawless. Miguel suddenly laughed.
Cressida couldn't help but lift her eyes and quickly glance at him.
She saw that beneath Miguel's sharp eyebrows, his thin eyes gleamed with a cold, dark light. When he looked at her, there was a hint of sharp scrutiny.
Cressida had met many people with strong presence, but none could compare to Miguel.
The last time they met was four years ago.
Compared to then, Miguel's presence was even more severe now, like a precious sword that had learned to hide in its sheath - not as openly sharp, but harder to read, making people feel like a blade was constantly hanging over their heads, ready to fall.
"My father's birthday is coming up," he suddenly said.
Cressida was startled. Before she could figure out what he meant, Miguel turned and left.
Charlie, who had been waiting for him in the distance, bowed toward Cressida and also took his leave.
In the carriage, Charlie tucked his sleeves and placed his hands on the warming stove.
"Patrick really has no sense. He ignores his own daughter to take in a goddaughter. No wonder he has no achievements of his own - it's all earned by his son."
Charlie's tone couldn't help but carry some envy, especially when he thought of his own unruly children at home. It gave him a headache.
Miguel leaned against the carriage wall, his deep eyes calm.
"What do you think of this Ms. Hamilton?"
"She's alright, didn't leave much of an impression. But in the Hamilton Mansion, she seems to have no status or position." Charlie said, "With twins, when the brother is too outstanding, the sister naturally seems less impressive."
Miguel raised an eyebrow: "Really? Seems she's quite clever. Today's move to ruin the ceremony fooled even you."
Charlie was stunned: "Prince Russell means she was the one behind this whole drama?"
Originally Charlie thought it was impossible, but thinking it over carefully, while Cressida seemed wronged, everything actually worked in her favor.
Michael's arrogant behavior would spread throughout Emerald City by tomorrow, definitely affecting his reputation. Rose, the goddaughter Patrick and Clio valued, would never have a chance to enter the Hamilton family tree.
And everyone now knew that she, Cressida, was Cameron's biological sister with no status in the Hamilton family. If word reached Doyle's ears, he would surely ask questions.
After all, everyone now knew that Cameron had suddenly died in battle with no remains, and Doyle was deeply grieved by this.
The more Charlie thought about it, the more incredible it seemed.
"Why is she fighting for this? General Hamilton is her real brother. How would the Hamilton family dare to mistreat her?"
"I don't know," Miguel paused, "Is General Hamilton's memorial tomb ready?"
Charlie nodded: "King Russell personally supervised it. Within one day, they selected the burial site and held a grand funeral. Oh, speaking of this, I remember an interesting story I heard a couple days ago."
He was talking about how Cressida had returned to Emerald City that day, holding the bloody clothes, kowtowing with every step, but wasn't recognized by the servants at home and was nearly beaten to death.
"Princess Russell was there at the time, and Tyler's wife was also visiting the Hamilton Mansion that day. I heard about it from Tyler."
"What about the bloody clothes?"
"I heard they were buried in the Hamilton family's own ancestral tomb."
Two tombs, of course - the one Doyle personally established was the official one. The one in the Hamilton family's ancestral tomb was just for remembrance.
Miguel pressed his large hand against his forehead, his thin eyes slightly lowered.
How could there be two people so similar in the world? Even for twins, their height and appearance were extremely similar.
The moment Miguel helped her up, he felt the calluses on her fingertips.
Even if Cressida had practiced martial arts since childhood, it would be impossible for all four of her finger pads to have thin calluses.
If her hands also had calluses, it would prove she had been holding guns and swords for years. And what Cameron was best at, besides hand-to-hand combat, was the red-tasseled spear.
Were Cameron and Cressida really that similar?
Cressida made a special trip to the entrance, wanting to see off Donny's family.
Donny and Jessica were arguing by the carriage. Jessica refused to get in.
Cressida walked over and heard Jessica say—
"Father, Ethan placed second in the national martial arts exam. It's been a year, and he still hasn't been assigned an official position. Patrick has such high status now - can't you ask him for help?"