Chapter 65 Clio Discovers Michael Is in Trouble?
Late at night, all was quiet.
In the reeds by the river, a small boat drifted in silently.
Sean steadied the boat, then rubbed his hands together, an evil grin showing in his murky eyes.
"A noble girl, no less. I've had my way with plenty of women, but never this kind."
He pulled out the dagger from his waist and excitedly cut through the rope on the burlap sack.
"Blame your brother. Who told him to be so heartless, wanting to drown you? Since you're going to die anyway, might as well let me have some fun first!"
Sean's laughter grew more disgusting as he tore at the sack. When the opening widened, he dragged the person halfway out.
However, by the moonlight, Sean saw that the person in the sack wasn't Cressida—it was Michael!
Michael's face was deathly pale, his eyes tightly shut, dried blood stuck to his cheek from a wound on his forehead.
Sean was shocked: "Mr. Hamilton?"
Sean screamed in fright and kicked Michael into the river.
The stones in the sack were heavy, dragging Michael down into the water.
"I didn't kill him, I didn't kill him!" Sean panicked and quickly told his accomplice to row away from there.
His accomplice hesitated: "Just leave him? What if he's not dead!"
"Are you stupid!" Sean cursed. "Dead or not, if the Hamilton family sees him like that, they'll kill us both. Let's go!"
It was like urgent knocking at the door.
In the dim room, Clio's shrill scream rang out.
Nanny quickly raised her lamp and pushed the door open.
"Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton! What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
Nanny lit the candles in the gauze lantern, filling the room with warm light.
Clio's face was completely pale, covered in cold sweat, breathing heavily.
She clutched at her collar: "Was someone knocking? I dreamed Michael came back."
Nanny wiped the sweat from Clio's forehead with a handkerchief: "No one was knocking. Mrs. Clio Hamilton just had a nightmare. Mr. Michael Hamilton hasn't returned yet."
Clio felt uneasy: "What time is it now? The Flower Festival must be over, right? Nanny, go tell Patrick quickly to send people to look for Michael."
Just then, a maid's voice came from outside the door.
"Mrs. Clio Hamilton, a group of officers has arrived at the estate. Mr. Patrick Hamilton is calling everyone to wash up, get dressed, and come to the front courtyard."
Cressida was also helped to the front courtyard by Emma.
The flush on Cressida's face hadn't completely faded, coloring her skin like a light touch of rouge.
Wearing a lapis-colored cloak, she stood in the courtyard watching Patrick negotiate with the officers.
Mabel and Reid had also come with their families.
Everyone gathered, chattering and asking what had happened.
"Did something happen to Michael? Did it!" Clio rushed over without any composure. Nanny tried to stop her but couldn't hold her back.
Clio crashed into Patrick, who glared at her fiercely.
"What kind of behavior is this!" Patrick scolded. "This has nothing to do with Michael."
The lead officer was Ronin, the same one who had come about The Hamilton Mansion fire.
Ronin bowed apologetically: "I'm very sorry to disturb you so late at night, Patrick, but I received orders from above and must conduct a thorough investigation."
"Tonight at the Flower Festival, thieves suddenly rioted, drawing knives and attacking innocent people. Eight were captured, and two are still at large. We're worried they might be hiding in people's homes, so we're here to search the premises. This is the search warrant—please review it, Mr. Hamilton."
Patrick only glanced at it before saying: "Thieves? This indeed can't be taken lightly. Please search quickly."
Mabel volunteered: "We'll arrange for some guards to go with you. We have many young women in the house who can't afford any risks. Please search thoroughly, officers."
Ronin bowed: "It's our duty. We'll do our best."
He raised his arm, and the guards behind him immediately began their search.
The torches blazed brightly, their light burning fierce.
Patrick led his family to the main hall to wait.
Cressida quietly sipped her tea, listening to Clio pleading with Patrick nearby.
"Mr. Hamilton, something must have happened to Michael."
"Nonsense!"
"Didn't Mr. Hamilton hear? The officer said thieves appeared at the lantern market and injured many people. Michael might be among them!"
Clio grabbed Patrick's sleeve, crying: "Michael is our only son, Mr. Hamilton!"
Patrick was shaken by Clio's words.
Cressida spoke softly: "Mother, don't worry. Michael is skilled—nothing will happen to him."
Clio immediately turned a hateful, cold gaze toward Cressida.
"It's you! You deliberately left Michael behind and came back safely yourself. If anything happens to my Michael, I'll kill you!"
Mabel stood in front of Cressida: "Clio, why are you yelling at Cressida? Michael isn't a three-year-old child anymore. He can take care of himself."
"Exactly," Jessica muttered. "Maybe he went drinking with friends and left Cressida and me behind."
Patrick said with a stern expression: "At this hour, the city is probably searching everywhere for those two bandits. Let's not add to the chaos for now."
"Tomorrow morning when I go to court, I'll ask about the situation, then send people to look for him."
Clio lowered her head and sobbed. She felt very uneasy.
Patrick found Clio's crying annoying and had Nanny help her back to her room.
As they passed Cressida, Clio raised her tear-filled eyes and examined Cressida coldly.
But Cressida looked back at Clio openly. The night wind swept into the hall, making the candles flicker, yet Cressida's eyes remained very calm.
Reid and Brynn shrank back, with Rita standing beside them, never daring to raise her head.
Mabel brought up what happened tonight. She had learned from Jessica that Rita had helped Pearl bully their own family.
In front of Reid and Brynn, Mabel made the matter clear.
"When family is out, they should help family, not outsiders. Reid, Brynn, what Rita did is heartbreaking."
Brynn became somewhat timid, only giving Mabel a resentful glance without speaking.
Reid, however, smiled apologetically: "Mabel is right. When we get back, I'll teach her a good lesson."
Rita's body trembled: "Mabel, I was wrong!"
"Good that you know you were wrong. Young ladies need dignity. I won't punish you otherwise—just one month without allowance and three days of reflection. Do you accept this?"
When Mabel said this, she was very strict.
Rita nodded silently.
"We can't do without rules. From now on, all the children in the family must be sensible. Only then can The Hamilton Mansion prosper."
Cressida listened quietly. Mabel really did value rules and propriety.
Mabel wouldn't indulge family members' mistakes like Clio did.
An hour later, Ronin entered the main hall with his subordinates.
Ronin bowed: "Mr. Hamilton, we've finished searching. Nothing unusual was found. For safety's sake, please have more guards patrol these next few days. If you discover any suspicious persons, inform us immediately."
Patrick nodded: "Certainly."
Ronin left with his men.
Patrick was tired too and said perfunctorily: "Everyone go rest."
Cressida returned to her room and unfastened her cloak. Emma took it from her.
"Emma, Verity, you may both leave. No need to attend to me tonight. I want to rest well."
"Yes." Emma and Verity blew out the candles and left, closing the door.
Cressida gently rubbed her fingertips, lost in thought.
On the battlefield, she believed in one principle: those without foresight will have immediate troubles.
Even if the enemy hadn't launched an attack yet, she always prepared backup plans to prevent bad situations.
She lay down, closed her eyes, and thought about what else she could do with this situation. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
She woke up early. Noah bowed outside the curtain and said,
"Ms. Cressida Hamilton, someone has come to the estate. Mrs. Mabel Hamilton is calling you to the front courtyard."