Chapter 78 Shave Her Head and Send Her to the Convent
Cressida's cool, composed face paused for a moment.
"What happened?"
"Jack took money meant for purchases to buy hairpins and got caught by Mrs. Hamilton's people. When he came back, he was beaten badly. Later, somehow, he confessed about putting medicine in Mrs. Hamilton's food."
Emma and Verity were both stunned.
"He dared to betray Ms. Hamilton?"
Cressida's eyes flickered. "Did he say I told him to do it?"
Ingrid shook her head. "Not yet, but Della got dragged into this. She's been tied up and taken to Mr. Hamilton. I'm afraid if Della can't take the beating, she'll tell them everything."
"They're all at Mr. Patrick Hamilton's place now. Should Ms. Cressida Hamilton go take a look?"
Cressida thought for a moment, calm and unhurried.
Her eyes were peaceful as she lowered her head to continue practicing calligraphy.
"No rush. Let them come find me." She had plenty of patience. The one who should be worried was Clio.
Emma suddenly knelt down, her face pale. "Ms. Hamilton, is this my fault?"
Cressida looked at her. "What do you mean?"
Emma told her about Jack coming to see her that day.
She was anxious. "I clearly refused him. I never thought he'd dare do something like this!"
Cressida had Ingrid help her up.
"Next time something like this happens, tell me first so we're not caught off guard."
Emma was full of regret, her face dark as she nodded. "I didn't think he was so unreliable."
Verity cursed directly. "What he did didn't just hurt Ms. Hamilton, it hurt his own sister too."
Less than thirty minutes later, the butler Noah came in person.
He looked troubled. "Ms. Cressida Hamilton, Mr. Patrick Hamilton wants to see you."
Then he said quietly, "Mrs. Clio Hamilton found a medicine prescription in Della's room. Mr. Patrick Hamilton is very angry."
Cressida calmly put down her brush.
"Got it. I'll go see."
She took people to the main courtyard. Inside, everyone looked serious, especially Patrick, whose expression was extremely grim.
Mabel was there too. Seeing Cressida, she gave her a look and gently shook her head.
"You rebellious daughter, kneel down!" Patrick slammed the table and roared.
Cressida looked at the people kneeling in the room—Della, Jack, and an unfamiliar servant.
She looked away. "Father, if you want me to kneel, at least tell me what I did wrong."
Patrick's eyes widened. "You still dare argue? Look at this!"
He threw a prescription at her. It floated down and landed at Cressida's feet.
Cressida picked it up and looked at it.
Clio clutched her chest, her eyes red.
"Cressida, you're my own daughter. Haven't I treated you well? Why would you have Della put medicine in my food? I'm your mother!"
Patrick cursed angrily. "Drugging your own mother—this goes against all human decency!"
Cressida looked at Della. Her mouth was gagged, her body covered in shocking whip marks, her hair messy, but she kept shaking her head at Cressida, making muffled sounds.
Della was trying to say she hadn't confessed that Cressida told her to do it.
But Clio had suddenly had Della tied up, and Nanny led people to raid Della's room. Della had no time to react.
That's how they got the prescription.
Cressida asked calmly, "Mother, have you had a doctor look at this prescription before accusing me of harming you?"
Clio stared at her, her eyes seeming to burn through Cressida.
"Do we need a doctor? You secretly had Della put medicine in my food—how could it be anything good?"
Clio gave a signal. Nanny slapped Jack's swollen face and pulled the rag from his mouth.
"Speak! Tell them what you just told Mr. Patrick Hamilton and Mrs. Clio Hamilton!"
Jack had been beaten until his eyes were dazed, showing only fear.
He trembled. "Ms. Cressida Hamilton, you... you should just confess. You told my sister to put medicine in Mrs. Clio Hamilton's daily meals."
Patrick said, "Cressida! Do you admit you gave her this prescription?"
Cressida nodded. "Yes, I did have Della add it."
Everyone in the hall was shocked, their faces showing different reactions. No one expected her to be so honest.
The next moment, Patrick grabbed a teacup beside him and threw it at her.
Cressida tilted her head slightly and dodged it.
The teacup hit the wall and shattered into pieces.
Patrick shook with anger. "Rebellious daughter! How dare you drug your own mother!"
Cressida raised her voice. "Father, I'll say it again—have you had a doctor look at the prescription? I did this for Mother's good."
"You're lying!" Clio glared at her viciously, as if she wanted to tear Cressida apart. "If it was for my good, why did you do it secretly?"
Mabel glanced at Cressida and said to Patrick, "Patrick, I happened to invite a doctor today to give Donny acupuncture for his leg. If you want to check the prescription, why not have the doctor come now?"
As soon as Mabel finished speaking, Clio sharply interrupted, "Absolutely not! Mabel, it's not that I don't trust you, but you're an outsider after all. This is our family matter."
Mabel frowned slightly.
Patrick slammed the table. "Noah, go get a doctor. Right now!"
Noah bowed and immediately ran out.
During the wait, Cressida stood quietly in the hall.
Her figure was slender, her manner cool as jade.
Clio looked at Patrick and asked, "Mr. Hamilton, when the doctor comes and the evidence is clear, how will you punish her?"
Then she added, "If you don't punish her severely, I won't be satisfied!"
Patrick said sternly, "We'll do as you said last time—shave her head and send her to a convent!"
Soon, Noah returned with the doctors.
And there were two of them.
Noah bowed. "I was afraid one doctor might not be accurate, so I brought two."
He was smart—afraid of getting in trouble or being accused of colluding with a doctor, so he brought two back.
Patrick handed them the prescription. "Look at this. If this medicine is put in food, would it be bad for someone with heart disease?"
The two doctors looked at it together, examining the prescription carefully.
Finally, they both reached a conclusion and bowed, answering one by one.
"Mr. Hamilton, there's nothing wrong with this prescription. It's an excellent medicine for soothing the heart and improving circulation."
"We both agree this prescription not only nourishes the body but also protects the heart."
Nanny brought Clio's uneaten lunch for the doctors to see. They confirmed the food contained these three medicines.
However, these herbs didn't conflict with the food.
Clio suddenly stood up, pointing at them. "Have you all been bribed? How dare you say there's nothing wrong with this prescription?"
The two doctors looked at each other, both feeling wronged.
Noah explained, "Mrs. Hamilton, I brought these two doctors from different pharmacies."
"No, no!" Clio paced back and forth. "I specifically observed—I get dizzy after eating the food, but I'm fine when I don't eat it. There must be something wrong with this prescription!"
"Enough!" Patrick slammed the table, scolding her. "In front of outsiders, say less! Isn't this embarrassing enough?"
He gave a look, and Noah took the two doctors away.
Cressida said softly, "It's not just Mother's food that has this medicine. Actually, Father's food has it too, and so does mine. Do Father and Mother know what medicinal cuisine is?"
"Medicinal cuisine?" Patrick was startled. He immediately looked at Ingrid behind Cressida. "Did you prepare this for Cressida?"
Ingrid stepped forward and bowed. "Yes, Mr. Patrick Hamilton. After I returned to the estate, I've been helping Ms. Cressida Hamilton recover her health. Since you and Mrs. Clio Hamilton fell ill, Ms. Cressida Hamilton has been very worried, so she had me add some herbs to your food to nourish your body."
Echo, standing behind Patrick, immediately said, "No wonder Mr. Hamilton has been looking so much better lately."
Cressida's tone was flat. "Father and Mother personally chose Ingrid as my nanny. Does she have a problem too?"
"If Mother doesn't believe it, I can take the prescription to the royal physician for another opinion."
By the time Cressida said this, Clio's eyes were completely wide.
How could this be? It was medicinal cuisine!
Of course Clio knew Ingrid could make medicinal cuisine. Back then, Clio had carefully selected Ingrid specifically to care for Clio and help her recover after childbirth.
Later, because Cameron died at birth, Clio got annoyed just seeing Cressida, so she just threw Cressida to Ingrid and ignored her.
"Mr. Hamilton, I don't believe Cressida didn't do anything. Send someone to..."
Before she could finish, Patrick glared at her fiercely. "Are you done yet? How long are you going to keep this up?"