Chapter 40 Wanting Her to Be Marshall's Concubine
Sophie has a better relationship with Marshall.
Yosef, born to Odette, has been making his mark in recent years, gradually gaining more followers in the palace.
Although the two of them are technically family, there's a natural competition between them.
Smart people either don't take sides or keep their distance.
Sophie felt Cressida had the brains for that.
Juliet thought about it: "Really? Even if Ms. Hamilton were to take sides, she should be closer to you. When she returned to the city that day, if you hadn't stood up for her, the Hamilton family would have bullied her to death."
Thinking of how helpless Cressida was back then, Sophie felt there was some truth to that.
Cressida was smart, but didn't have the ability to analyze pros and cons to that extent.
Juliet added: "Ms. Cressida Hamilton was really upset. Her reputation was insulted, and Mrs. Clio Hamilton initially wanted to keep it quiet and not report it to the authorities. Emma said that when Ms. Cressida Hamilton had a high fever, she was so heartbroken and confused that she took scissors and cut her own hair."
Sophie's well-maintained face showed a moment of shock.
She shook her head and sighed: "Cressida's spirit is something I really admire."
Juliet nodded along: "Exactly. With a mother like that, Ms. Hamilton is quite pitiful."
After hearing this, Sophie's suspicions and doubts about Cressida completely disappeared.
"Let's wait and see. When is Marshall coming back?" Sophie suddenly changed the subject.
"Probably next month."
"Good. When he returns, I want him to meet Cressida."
"Your Highness, are you thinking of making Ms. Hamilton the prince's side consort?"
After all, Marshall's main consort had already been chosen and was sitting at the banquet outside—Emily Gomez, granddaughter of Armando Gomez.
The Gomez family had been officials for generations. Many officials in the palace were Armando's students. Emily had frequented the court since childhood and could be considered Marshall's childhood sweetheart.
Emily and Marshall's wedding was scheduled for the spring of the year after next.
Sophie looked at herself in the mirror and murmured: "Yosef's followers are growing, which is bad for Marshall. Cressida represents the new nobility and is the most suitable choice for Marshall's side consort."
Patrick's title could be inherited for nine generations—the first of its kind since Novaria's founding.
Yosef wasn't married yet, and Odette's overtures to Cressida were probably also to win her over.
But Juliet said: "Prince Yosef Russell can't compare to Prince Marshall Russell. Prince Miguel Russell is Prince Marshall Russell's own brother. Now that Prince Miguel Russell commands the three armies and has General Hamilton's strong troops under him, Prince Marshall Russell can rest easy."
Sophie just smiled without saying anything.
Military power, no matter whose hands it's in, is never as useful as having it in your own hands.
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Snow was falling, the outside world a blanket of white.
Cressida wore loose robes, standing at the table practicing calligraphy.
Her figure was slender, her ink-colored skirt trailing on the ground, folding like sheets of paper.
In her hair, she wore two jade hairpins, making her whole person look even more upright and coldly spirited.
Three days had passed since the church incident. The Hamilton Mansion had been in chaos for several days and finally quieted down today.
Emma said that Zaid had killed himself in prison, taking all the blame upon himself.
Someone had cut out his tongue and stuffed something in his mouth.
Emma said with satisfaction: "Serves him right. That's exactly what should happen to him. That damn criminal dared to ruin your reputation—plenty of people wanted him dead!"
As for Orla, she had hanged herself on the very first night in prison.
She was too scared. Before she could even be interrogated, she killed herself out of fear.
Cressida asked: "Brynn was sent back too?"
Emma nodded and lowered her voice: "Della from the kitchen said Brynn was carried back, and her clothes were all soaked."
Soaked? Cressida raised her willow-leaf eyebrows and sneered inwardly.
Brynn, who bullied others using Clio's power, was the first to go weak in the knees and faint when something happened to her.
"Oh, Ms. Cressida Hamilton, Della also said that after Mrs. Clio Hamilton had her heart attack that day, Ms. Rose Hamilton went out at night, and when she came back, she had several packages of herbs. Mrs. Clio Hamilton drank it that night and it worked right away. She woke up the next day."
Cressida narrowed her eyes: "That late at night, which shop did she buy this miracle cure from?"
Emma shook her head, indicating she didn't know.
Cressida pondered.
She had always been somewhat doubtful about Rose's medical skills.
Although she often heard Patrick and Clio mention how Rose had cured Patrick's legs, Cressida had never personally witnessed Rose display any medical skills.
If Rose was so capable, why did she need to get medicine from outside? Did she meet someone?
She was an orphan. According to what Rose herself said, she had no parents and came from a miserable background.
If she really knew medicine, who did she learn it from?
Cressida's eyes turned, and she whispered to Emma: "I want to set a trap to test where her skills come from. I need you to do something for me..."
Clio hadn't been idle these past few days either. She went to the church every day to kneel and pray, calling it repentance.
She would kneel for most of the day.
All the believers coming and going could see this devoted mother, dressed simply, kneeling for hours on end so that her daughter Cressida's illness would heal soon.
Today it had snowed. In the evening, Clio returned in a small sedan chair.
As soon as she entered the main house, Tatum immediately brought a heating pad to apply to her red knees.
When Michael saw the bruises on Clio's knees, he couldn't sit still.
He gritted his teeth: "Mother, why go to such lengths for her? Does she deserve it!"
Clio gave him a sharp look: "I'm not doing this for her, but for the family's reputation. Right now, how many eyes in Emerald City are watching us? Don't you dare cause trouble."
Michael angrily flicked his sleeve, breathing rapidly, feeling extremely frustrated.
Rose was beside them, massaging Clio's shoulders.
Her eyes were red: "Mother, will you go again tomorrow?"
"I have to. As long as Cressida doesn't show her face, your father won't let it go." Clio shook her head, somewhat exhausted.
These days, Patrick hadn't come to see her in the main courtyard, but stayed with Sable every night.
Fortunately, Sable couldn't have children, so she posed no threat to Clio.
Hearing this, Michael became even more furious: "She's doing it on purpose. It's just falling in water—does she need to be sick for so long? These days hiding in her room, she's probably just enjoying watching Mother being tormented by Father. She finally got her wish!"
"Don't let me find a chance to deal with her, or I'll settle both new and old scores with her, including Vida's share!"
Clio immediately scolded him sternly: "Michael! Don't let my words go in one ear and out the other. This just happened, your father hasn't calmed down yet. Don't you dare cause trouble."
Michael said nothing.
"Did you hear me? Stay far away from that Cressida. Don't provoke her for now!" Clio emphasized again and again.
Rose spoke up: "Don't worry, Mother. I'll watch over Michael."
Only then did Michael nod: "I understand, Mother."
After treating her knees, Clio was exhausted and was helped to bed by Tatum.
Rose and Michael left the main courtyard together.
Walking under the corridor with wind and snow swirling, Michael suddenly said: "Just thinking about Cressida bullying Mother makes me unable to swallow this anger."
Rose looked at him: "Michael, don't fight with her. We can't win against her anyway. You know that she's earned merit, and Father values her right now. None of us can compare to her position in Father's heart."
With just a few words, Rose fanned the flames of Michael's anger even higher.
His face darkened as he gritted his teeth: "I refuse to believe it. This time I'll do it secretly. Let's see how she can blame Father and Mother for it."