Chapter 120 He Set His Eyes on Echo?
They began their match, while Michael watched anxiously from the sidelines.
He cursed Wilder in his heart for being such an idiot!
Didn't Clio tell Wilder that Cressida was skilled in martial arts?
Everyone thought she was just an ordinary noble lady who had spent a few years at a military fortress, but she was Cameron - someone with exceptional fighting skills!
Michael couldn't say anything, nor dared he show his worry. He could only continue playing the fool, moving to a spot farther away.
At that moment, Wilder's sword shot out like a silver snake from its den, aiming straight for Cressida's throat.
Cressida didn't even lift an eyelid.
With a light flick of her wrist, the seemingly fragile willow branch suddenly went rigid.
The branch made a sharp crack in the air, striking precisely on Wilder's sword-holding wrist.
Wilder cried out in pain.
His wrist burned like it had been seared with a hot iron!
He couldn't hold onto his sword anymore - it fell to the ground.
Just as Wilder picked up his sword and looked up, Cressida had already closed in.
The willow branch in her hand came at him like a swimming dragon.
Two crisp sounds struck both sides of his cheeks, leaving symmetrical bloody marks!
It looked exactly like she had slapped him hard twice across the face.
Wilder trembled with pain. In a moment of rage, he raised his sword to stab wildly at Cressida.
Unexpectedly, Cressida twisted her willow branch, and just like that, the sword was stripped from his hand.
In just two brief moments, Cressida held the sword, pressing it against Wilder's throat.
"You..." Wilder gasped for breath, sweat dripping from his forehead.
He couldn't believe he had lost so quickly, and he hadn't even knocked a single leaf off Cressida's willow branch.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her face. The coldness in her eyes made Wilder shiver all over.
"With skills like yours, you'd better go back to your books."
With that, she tossed the sword, and it landed precisely in the scabbard at Wilder's waist.
This move scared Wilder so much that he sat down hard on the ground.
Why hadn't anyone told him Cressida could fight like this?
What made it especially humiliating was that the servants around Cressida were all laughing.
"I'll tell my father you're not qualified to teach Michael," Cressida said.
Wilder was helped up by servants and stammered: "Ms. Hamilton, impressive skills. I'm no match for you!"
With that, he hurried away, his retreating figure looking like he was fleeing in defeat.
Cressida turned around, her cold gaze falling on Michael by the tree.
Michael only paused for a moment, then showed his foolish grin again, drooling.
"Cressida is amazing."
Cressida withdrew her gaze, ignoring him, and said: "Someone take Michael back to his room."
That evening, Cressida was practicing calligraphy at her desk when she heard a commotion outside the courtyard gate.
She called Ingrid to ask: "What's going on?"
Ingrid said: "Mira, a servant Wilder brought, is here. She insists on seeing Ms. Hamilton, and Emma got into an argument with her."
Cressida lowered her eyes again, unconcerned: "Send her away. If she won't leave, beat her."
"Yes."
Mira had an extremely loud voice.
When she couldn't get in, she started shouting.
"Ms. Hamilton, you're capable, I know! You dared to go to the military fortress with General Hamilton at such a young age, but you can't bully people like this! Look what you did to Mr. Louis! You don't hit people in the face!"
"He was the one who insisted on competing with Ms. Hamilton," Emma said.
Mira scoffed: "Mr. Louis was going easy on her. He didn't expect her to humiliate him like this. What about Mr. Louis's reputation? Ms. Hamilton, let me give you some advice - being too tough doesn't help a woman! You won't be able to get married!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Verity yanked open the courtyard gate and smacked a broom over Mira's head.
Mira screamed in pain. Verity shouted sternly: "This is The Hamilton Mansion, and you dare make a scene in front of Ms. Hamilton? Say one more word and I'll cut out your tongue!"
With that, Verity actually drew a dagger.
Mira was so scared she turned and left.
Because of all this, Wilder didn't dare come to the inner courtyard anymore.
One day, Patrick called Cressida to talk.
Father and daughter walked slowly along the corridor toward the garden.
Patrick was naturally there to speak on Wilder's behalf.
"I scolded your mother. Her distant relative Wilder really has no manners at all! He even dared to make trouble at your place."
Cressida listened coldly, saying nothing.
Patrick then worked even harder to speak up for the Louis family.
"But your mother was also thinking of Michael. Now that he's simple-minded, she wanted to find him a companion."
"Precisely because Michael is simple-minded now, he shouldn't practice swordplay. What if he accidentally gets hurt?" Cressida said.
Patrick was stumped by her words, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Cressida added: "Father, I'm only warning you this once. With him wandering around our estate every day, something's bound to happen sooner or later."
Patrick was puzzled: "What could happen?"
He thought to himself, Wilder is after you - only you two would have anything happen!
Suddenly, Cressida stopped walking.
Patrick followed her gaze.
Echo and Wilder had run into each other on the curved bridge.
The bridge was only so wide, and both wanted to step aside, but they were remarkably in sync.
Echo went left, Wilder went left too. Echo went right, he went right - their reactions almost simultaneous.
Finally, Echo raised her pretty, youthful face, and they smiled at each other.
Wilder took the initiative to step aside: "After you."
Echo had come out to get some sun. After careful care these past days, she looked increasingly fresh and lovely.
Her smiling appearance, with pink cheeks, was enough to make anyone's heart flutter.
Patrick was stunned watching this.
Cressida said beside him: "See, this is what I'm worried about. Wilder is young and fairly handsome. For Echo, I really don't know if this is good or bad."
"Besides, I'm not being suspicious of Mother, but Father, do you remember what happened to Sable? Echo is pregnant, and this Wilder suddenly shows up - could he be here for her?"
Hearing this, Patrick immediately walked over and called out in a gruff voice.
"Echo! Come here!"
Echo quickly hurried over with small steps.
When Wilder saw Cressida under the corridor, he was like a mouse seeing a cat. He only dared to bow from afar, then immediately ran off.
Several days passed.
Verity came in from outside and said quietly: "Ms. Hamilton, Mr. Michael Hamilton went out today and finally couldn't resist gambling!"
Cressida was applying rejuvenating cream on her hands and smiled coldly.
"Let him win for a while first, then set a trap for him and make him borrow from loan sharks."
"I understand."
Cressida wasn't going to deal with Michael just yet. Right now, she needed to handle the immediate threat in front of her.
The next day, Patrick and Cressida went together to visit Mabel.
Mabel still hadn't woken up. It happened that today, Ethan had a day off from work. Several colleagues from the King's Guard who were close to him had specially come together to visit Mabel.
They brought precious medicinal herbs and gifts. When they saw Patrick, these young men all showed solemn respect.
In their hearts, Cameron held absolute authority and capability. The highest aspiration and role model for military officers was Cameron.
Therefore, they treated Patrick with special respect and courtesy.
These guards all came from privileged backgrounds and had entered the King's Guard only after passing the royal guard selection exam. Patrick seemed quite pleased with their admiration.
Just then, Gage, the steward from Donny's courtyard, came in and said: "Mr. Hamilton, for some reason, there's a woman outside the gate saying she's looking for Wilder. He left something on a pleasure boat."