Chapter 117 Discovering Rose's Loan Sharking?
Patrick looked at Miguel, quite surprised.
"I didn't know Prince Miguel was coming today. Please forgive me for not greeting you properly."
"I heard Mrs. Mabel Hamilton was seriously injured, so I brought some medicine."
Miguel wore a dark purple outfit. Tall and imposing, he stood in the hall, making Patrick seem cautious and small in comparison.
As soon as Miguel finished speaking, guards behind him carried in a box filled with herbs for stopping bleeding and other medicines.
Patrick was flattered: "Thank you so much for your kindness, Prince Miguel."
Miguel changed the subject: "Is Ms. Cressida Hamilton available to meet now?"
Patrick froze for a moment.
"I'll have someone fetch her right away." After saying this, Patrick immediately called for Noah.
Soon, Cressida came over with her maid.
Today she wore a dress in cool blue, her face still strikingly beautiful.
Miguel took the initiative to look at Patrick: "Lord Hamilton, please step down first. I have something to say to Ms. Hamilton alone."
"Yes." Patrick left, puzzled and uncertain, wondering for a long time when Cressida had become so close to Miguel.
As soon as Patrick left, Cressida said: "Prince Miguel, coming here like this is too high-profile."
Miguel stepped closer: "Recently both Marshall and Odette sent people with medicine. Me coming in person isn't high-profile. You're just feeling guilty, no need to be so tense all the time."
Cressida pressed her lips together, feeling Miguel had a point.
Miguel asked: "Such a big incident happened, why didn't you ask me to investigate this case for you?"
The authorities had been to the church, looked around, and didn't even find the bandits' footprints.
Everyone said this was an unsolved case, but Cressida knew clearly that the insider was right here in this manor.
"If it's something difficult to handle, I'll definitely ask Prince Miguel, but I've already figured out how to deal with this."
Previously, soldiers had used the excuse of searching for fugitives to break into The Hamilton Mansion. Cressida deliberately made a big deal of it, with Miguel helping to fan the flames behind the scenes.
In the end, the officers from that night came to apologize. When Cressida refused to see them, they had no choice but to resign, and the matter finally settled down.
Cressida always believed that even in cooperation, there should be give and take. If she relied entirely on Miguel, it would make her look incompetent.
Miguel looked at her for a long time, emotions churning in his sharp eyes.
After a moment, he said: "Seems like you're used to handling troubles on your own."
Miguel didn't plan to stay long. After saying this, he took out a porcelain bottle, grabbed her wrist, and placed it in her palm.
Cressida opened it and saw five pills inside.
These pills were extremely precious, only circulated within the palace. Getting even one as a reward from Doyle was already the highest honor.
Because they could save lives at critical moments.
She looked up at Miguel's back. Suddenly, Cressida spoke up and stopped him.
"If Prince Miguel is willing, I actually do have something I'd like to ask Prince Miguel to help with."
Fifteen minutes later, Miguel left.
Patrick had been waiting nearby. Seeing him about to leave, he quickly ran over to see Miguel off.
Turning around, Patrick immediately questioned Cressida: "Why did Prince Miguel want to talk to you alone?"
Cressida said calmly: "Prince Miguel was asking about the incident when officers came to search for fugitives at our residence, wanting to know if I was wronged. He wanted to use the fact that I saved the Little Duke to seek justice for me."
Patrick quickly waved his hands.
"That matter is settled. Let's quit while we're ahead. Don't let Prince Miguel get involved again and stir up trouble."
"That's what I told Prince Miguel too." Cressida glanced at him and turned to leave.
Miguel moved quickly. The very next evening, he had Verity deliver what Cressida had asked for.
Cressida looked at the gambling house contract in her hand.
Verity said from the side: "Prince Miguel took over this gambling house, kept only a few managers, and dismissed everyone else. From now on, Ms. Hamilton is the owner of this gambling house."
"There's also an unexpected discovery. Rose had been lending money at high interest rates in the gambling house. Here are the IOUs."
Cressida took a look and saw it was as much as thirty thousand dollars.
Before Cressida came back, you could see how much Clio doted on and was generous to Rose.
"Hold onto this money. According to my original instructions, have some people lure Michael into gambling, and let him win at first."
"Ms. Hamilton, what if he doesn't take the bait?"
"No rush. He's already picked up this bad habit. Once he starts again, he won't be able to stop."
She had plenty of patience. This time she would set a trap to completely ruin Michael.
Without Cressida's restraint, Michael gradually dared to go out.
He was naturally the type who couldn't stay cooped up. Before, it was only because he was simple-minded that he was willing to stay home obediently. Now that he'd regained his wits, naturally he wanted to go out.
On the street, he was grabbed by some gambling house touts.
"Isn't this Mr. Hamilton? Haven't seen you in so long!"
Michael put on a simple-minded act, shaking his head vigorously and waving his hands: "Go away, go away."
The tout held onto him: "Mr. Hamilton, our establishment has new games. Won't you come take a look?"
Michael glanced at the gambling house a couple times, then quickly walked away.
He still knew how to restrain himself.
The two touts exchanged glances and continued calling out for customers.
These days, Cressida visited Mabel every day.
Mabel remained unconscious, but bowl after bowl of medicinal soup was poured down, and gradually her lips regained some color.
The court physician came every other day, saying Mabel was too severely injured, depleted of both energy and blood, and needed rest.
As for when she would wake up, the court physician didn't dare guarantee.
After Cressida returned to her room, Ingrid told her quietly: "These past few days, Brynn keeps going to the prayer room to pray. Della from the kitchen says she saw Opal, the little maid from her courtyard, brewing calming medicine."
Cressida looked thoughtful: "Seems like she's already scared out of her wits. Now is a good time to make her confess."
All Souls' Day.
The Novaria dynasty believes that on this day, the souls of the deceased will return home.
The Hamilton Mansion symbolically bought a lot of prayer candles and floral offerings, planning to pay tribute to Cameron.
Brynn went to the monastery to pray again today, but unexpectedly, on the way back, the sedan chair broke down. By the time it was fixed, it was already getting dark.
The sedan carriers were carrying her through the woods when she lifted the curtain and saw the sky outside had darkened considerably. Her heart was pounding.
"Faster, go faster!"
If it got completely dark before she got home, she feared being haunted by wandering spirits.
Everyone says that on All Souls' Day, the gates of the underworld open. She is extremely scared.
Suddenly, the sedan chair stopped abruptly.
She heard her maid outside let out a sharp scream, then there was no more sound.
"Opal?" Brynn called out, her face turning pale.
Outside was like a dead silence.
From somewhere came a mournful crying sound.
"Brynn, I died so miserably. Why didn't you save me in the church?"
Hearing this voice, Brynn's face turned pale with fright.
She panicked: "Who's out there!"
Lifting the curtain, she looked out through a corner. Outside was pitch black, and the lantern from the maid's hand was rolling on the ground, blown by the wind, making it even more eerie.
The crying sound got closer and closer, as if it were right overhead, lying on top of the sedan chair.
"You harmed me so badly..."
"Mabel?" Brynn was scared out of her wits. "How did you die? Weren't you getting better?"
"You caused my death. Today I died, and now I'm taking you with me!"
The sedan chair suddenly started shaking violently.
Brynn was already timid. Frightened like this, she screamed in panic.
"It wasn't me, I didn't kill you! I don't know anything. I only saw Michael coming out of your room, it really wasn't my fault!" She covered her ears, her screams shrill and tearful.