Chapter 54 Punishment! Is She the Sinner of the Family?
The guard responded immediately and stepped forward, his iron-grip hands seizing Rose's arm.
"Mother! Father! Save me!" Rose's cries were heart-wrenching, her nails nearly digging into Clio's dress.
Clio held the trembling Michael tightly, kneeling on the ground with silent tears streaming down her face, her shoulders tensed and rigid.
Patrick turned his head away, looking at the neatly trimmed holly bushes outside the window, unable to bear watching this terrible scene.
Only Cressida stood quietly in place, her gaze calmly following Rose as she was dragged away.
Watching Rose stumble and struggle, Cressida's thoughts drifted back to three years ago—when she herself had been just as helpless.
To marry Cressida off to a distant land, her mother Clio had secretly added muscle-weakening powder to her medicine, and even allowed Michael to break Cressida's sword-practicing wrist and sever her tendons. On the day of Clio's birthday banquet, when Sophie came to the estate, Cressida seized the chance to break free and knelt before Sophie's horse, begging for help.
Cressida publicly revealed her identity as the Hamilton family's biological daughter, told of the mistreatment she had suffered over the years, and begged Sophie to help her. But at that time, Rose, who had already been chosen as Marshall's concubine—Marshall being the designated heir to the throne—wrapped in an expensive mink cloak, said to everyone with reddened eyes:
"Ever since Cameron died in battle, Cressida has been mentally unstable. I'm afraid her madness has struck again."
As soon as she finished speaking, Rose covered her face and cried her heart out, repeatedly calling Cameron's name. Because of her tears, everyone gathered around to comfort her, while Cressida herself was roughly dragged back to the woodshed by servants and locked up for three whole months.
That moment of hatred remained fresh in Cressida's memory. She had given up her identity as the Hamilton family's only daughter to the adopted Rose, and handed over Patrick's affection as well, yet Rose wouldn't even leave Cressida a way to survive.
Now that suffering had finally fallen upon Rose herself, Cressida wondered if she too felt that bone-deep helplessness from back then. Cressida thought to herself that granting Rose a quick death today, rather than letting her wither away in despair, was already showing mercy.
"Wait! Please wait! I've caught the real culprit!" Tatum's breathless voice came from the doorway.
Cressida turned to look and saw Tatum dragging in a maid—it was Mia, Rose's trusted confidante who had served her closely for years.
Mia was pushed roughly to the ground, her face landing right in front of Brian's cold corpse, causing her to let out a piercing scream. Tatum then pulled out a stack of receipts and letters from a cloth bundle and slammed them heavily on the low table in front of Marshall.
"Your Highness Marshall! The matter of bribing the doctor to falsify records has nothing to do with Ms. Rose Hamilton! I just saw Mia sneaking back to her room, with the smell of burning things coming from inside. When I searched, I found she was trying to destroy this evidence! If I hadn't arrived in time, Mia would have gotten away with it and implicated Ms. Rose Hamilton!"
Cressida raised her eyebrows slightly, a flash of surprise crossing her cold eyes. She watched as the guard presented the receipts and letters to Marshall, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the embroidery on her sleeve.
Marshall looked down at the documents, his brows slightly furrowed. After a moment, he fixed his gaze on the trembling Mia, his tone cold: "Why did you do such a thing?"
"My, my mother at home is seriously ill and urgently needs money for treatment," Mia kowtowed desperately, blood soon seeping from her forehead. "I was confused for a moment and conspired with the doctor to stage this act. I really didn't mean to harm Ms. Rose Hamilton! Please spare my life, Your Highness!"
Marshall turned to look at Patrick, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry: "So it seems I wrongly accused Ms. Rose Hamilton, and she's actually innocent?"
Patrick had already been shocked speechless by the reversals in this short hour, his heart pounding so hard it nearly burst from his chest. After a long while, he said in a trembling voice: "I, I leave everything to Your Highness Marshall's judgment!"
Marshall's gaze fell back on Cressida, as if seeking her opinion: "What does Ms. Cressida Hamilton think about this?"
Cressida understood—Mia had volunteered to take the blame. Tatum must have secretly made promises to her, giving Rose a chance to escape punishment. But even if Rose didn't die today, how could Cressida allow this threat to remain by her side?
After a moment of thought, Cressida spoke slowly: "Your Highness Marshall, since Rose was deceived by her servant, naturally she shouldn't bear the death penalty. However, as the mistress, she failed to properly supervise her personal maid, allowing her to commit such deception. She can't escape the blame for negligence."
She paused, then continued: "I think it would be better to send Rose to the family's countryside estate for a while. It would serve as punishment and also help her avoid gossip. What does Your Highness think?"
Rose stared hard at Cressida, her swollen eyes full of unwillingness and resentment, but she could only hold back her tears and sob quietly.
Marshall nodded in agreement: "My thoughts exactly."
He immediately ordered Mia's execution and finalized with Patrick the arrangements for sending Rose to the countryside estate. Patrick, already exhausted, hurriedly had someone call the butler Noah to make arrangements.
Noah came forward to support the nearly collapsed Rose and led her out. As she passed Michael, Rose stopped and looked at him deeply through tear-filled eyes. The grievance and reluctance in that gaze burned itself into Michael's heart like a brand.
Clio's face was extremely pale as she slumped in her chair without a word. She was now helpless and could only let Cressida control the situation.
Marshall then ordered the court physician Clifford who had accompanied him to treat Patrick, gave some instructions about his care, and rose to take his leave. Before departing, Marshall suddenly looked at Cressida and said gently: "I wonder if Ms. Hamilton has time? Before I leave, I'd like to pay respects to your brother, General Hamilton who died in battle at the border."
Patrick quickly tried to get up: "Cressida, take His Highness Marshall to the family shrine."
Cressida nodded in agreement and, with several servants and Marshall's guards, led him to the shrine.
Inside the shrine, Cameron's memorial tablet was placed in the most prominent position, above all the Hamilton family ancestors. Marshall's eyes showed approval when he saw this, and he nodded slightly.
Cameron had single-handedly repelled Eldoria's invasion, earning great military honors for Novaria. He not only elevated the Hamilton family's status but also protected the people's peace. This achievement was enough to earn him such honor.
Marshall respectfully lit incense and paid his respects. After placing the incense in the burner, he turned to Cressida: "I heard Ms. Hamilton and General Hamilton were born of the same mother, not only looking alike but also having similar temperaments. You stayed with him at the border for three years?"
"Yes, Your Highness, exactly three years." Cressida's answer was calm and composed—this was the story she had prepared long ago before returning to the Hamilton family.
Marshall casually traced the edge of the incense burner: "Your brother must have loved you dearly."
A faint smile appeared on Cressida's lips: "My brother treated me like his own sister."
Marshall showed a thoughtful expression: "I also have siblings, so I know how precious such bonds are. If your brother knew after his death that you've been mistreated at the estate, I wonder what he would think."
"I haven't been mistreated." Cressida's tone was light, "Father is strict but fair, Mother is loving, my brother is sensible, and everything at the estate is fine."
With Marshall's intelligence, how could he not see the undercurrents at the estate? A Clio who could watch her biological daughter Cressida walk through a blade formation could hardly be called "loving." But Cressida hadn't said a single bad word about her family throughout. This restraint and wisdom made Marshall admire her even more.
He said nothing more, just looked deeply at Cressida before turning to leave the shrine. Cressida personally escorted him to the estate entrance and watched his carriage disappear at the end of the tree-lined path.
When she turned around, the calm smile on her face instantly faded, replaced by bone-chilling frost. In the shadows at the end of the corridor, there was still much unfinished business waiting for her to handle.
Her personal maid Verity appeared from somewhere and asked quietly: "Ms. Hamilton, do we still need to invite Dr. Lawson into the estate as planned?"
"No need." Cressida shook her head. "Send him away quietly later, and explain to Prince Miguel on my behalf that I didn't expect His Highness Marshall's sudden visit."
"I understand." Verity bowed and quickly left.
Cressida walked slowly toward Patrick's bedroom. Before entering, she heard suppressed retching sounds from inside. She walked around the screen and saw the tall Patrick leaning against the bed, coughing and crying, his former dignity completely gone.
Clio and Michael were long gone, and Brian's corpse had been dragged away. Undried bloodstains remained on the floor, glowing an eerie dark red in the afternoon sunlight.
Hearing footsteps, Patrick looked up sharply, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Cressida as he shouted angrily: "Unfilial daughter! You almost got me killed!"
Cressida remained calm: "Why are you scolding me, Father? Did I bribe the doctor to falsify records? Or did I make Mother set up the blade formation?"
Patrick was momentarily speechless, opening his mouth but unable to speak.
Cressida's voice was gentle yet carried tremendous weight, each word like a knife: "Father, your legs are perfectly fine, yet you lied about being disabled and forced me to take on the family's military duties. Who did that?"
"It, it was your mother." Patrick's voice weakened.
"Isn't that enough?" Cressida stepped forward, her gaze sharp as a sword. "Faking disability to avoid military service is a capital offense under the kingdom's law! Not only does Mother show no remorse, she wanted the doctor to repeat the trick. And that fire in Sable's courtyard—Father should now know who set it, right?"
Patrick's whole body trembled, cold sweat instantly soaking his nightclothes. He looked at Cressida, his eyes gradually clearing: "Also your mother."
Cressida took paper and pen from the table and placed them in front of Patrick, her tone brooking no argument: "If Father truly wants to restore order to the family and prevent such disasters from happening again, you should write a divorce letter and send Mother back to her family."