Chapter 31 Maids' Infighting? Fifty Sticks to Death on the Spot
Cressida was in no hurry to deal with it. She let it sit for a while.
When Lika came to fetch her, only then did she calmly put down her pen.
"Bring those two in," Cressida said.
Moments later, Lika brought in Orla and Vida, their faces covered with scratch marks.
Both Orla and Vida had bloody scratches all over their faces and necks, and their clothes were torn to shreds.
Orla looked worse—even her hair was a mess.
"What's going on? How dare you cause trouble in Ms. Hamilton's yard! Do you two have no sense of propriety!" Emma scolded.
Orla said tearfully, "I don't know how I offended Vida. She threw a burning candle at me. I was angry and argued with her a bit, then she attacked me first!"
She pointed to her face: "Ms. Hamilton, look what she did to me."
Vida said through gritted teeth, "Who told you to badmouth me to Ms. Hamilton? You must have said something, otherwise why would Ms. Hamilton take away my token?"
"Orla, don't forget—if I hadn't recommended you back then, you wouldn't have had the chance to serve Ms. Hamilton. You ungrateful person!"
"Enough, stop arguing," Cressida spoke up, her cool and sharp face showing little emotion. "Vida is in the wrong here. Someone, tie her up and give her fifty strikes."
Both Orla and Vida looked up in shock, staring at Cressida in disbelief.
When Emma came to drag her away, Vida finally snapped back to reality and struggled desperately.
"Ms. Hamilton, I was wrong, Ms. Hamilton..."
"What are you all standing around for? Want to get beaten too?" Emma barked at the servants in the yard.
Cressida's deep eyes swept over Lika standing at the door. Lika shuddered and suddenly came to her senses.
"Quick, help!" Lika lowered her head and helped tie up Vida.
They dragged Vida into the yard to beat her. Emma stuffed a cloth in her mouth.
With the first strike, Vida knew something was wrong. She kept making muffled sounds, screaming with all her might.
Fifty strikes at worst would only break bones, but the force these two servants were using—they were aiming to crush her internal organs!
If this continued, she would die!
Her pleading eyes swept toward Lika, but Lika just stood there awkwardly to the side.
Echo and Zola had also come out of their rooms, watching from a distance without coming to help.
Tears spilled from Vida's eyes.
Didn't Clio say they were just putting on a show for Cressida? But they were actually going through with it, trying to beat her to death!
Michael, come save her...
Inside the room, Cressida held Orla's trembling hand: "Get up. This isn't your fault. You're someone I value. If she dares treat you this way, she's disrespecting me."
Orla suppressed her fear and lowered her head: "I'm not worthy of such favor."
"Orla, actually I could tell from the start that you're different from those three," Cressida interrupted her. "Echo is too opinionated and selfish. Zola just follows her lead. Vida's mind is too active, and she's too young to handle responsibility."
Cressida continued: "Only you—you speak little and have a calm heart. I really appreciate that in a maid. From now on, besides the storeroom, I'm putting you in charge of my private quarters too."
Orla dropped to her knees with a thud: "Thank you for your trust, Ms. Hamilton. I'll do my absolute best."
Outside, the sound of the stick hitting Vida's body at first made Orla's heart tremble.
But gradually, Orla got used to it.
Since Clio had told them to win over Cressida at any cost and gain her trust, sacrificing one Vida was acceptable.
In Clio's room, Tatum rushed in.
"Mrs. Clio Hamilton, I sent someone to check Ms. Cressida Hamilton's yard. Vida's lower body is covered in blood. A few more strikes and she'll be dead."
Michael, sitting beside Clio, couldn't hold back. He suddenly stood up to leave.
"What are you doing!" Clio grabbed him and said sternly, "Sit down!"
Michael: "Mother! Vida is my person. After this was over, I was planning to make her my mistress. What if she really gets beaten to death?"
Clio closed her eyes, feeling exhausted.
Michael just had no foresight.
Instead, Rose stood up, pulled Michael's sleeve, and gently pressed him back into his chair.
"Michael, Vida is just a maid. If we can gain Cressida's trust, it'll be much easier for mother to control her in the future. Besides, there are plenty of pretty maids."
The four maids had deliberately staged internal conflict, finally making Cressida let down her guard and choose to protect Orla.
Michael said through clenched teeth: "If Vida really dies, I won't let Cressida get away with this!"
Clio glanced at him and warned: "Don't you dare cause trouble. I will deal with her. When that time comes, you can vent all you want, but until then, don't act rashly!"
"Fine." Michael lowered his head, very dejected.
He really liked Vida—she was pretty, amusing, and lively.
In Cressida's yard, after fifty strikes, Vida lay motionless.
Emma went up to check her breathing, then turned back expressionless to tell Lika.
"Vida couldn't take it. Fifty strikes killed her. Find someone to drag her away."
Lika didn't dare resist. If Cressida said to beat her to death, then she was beaten to death. Clio didn't intervene either.
It seemed Vida had become a sacrificial pawn.
Vida's body was taken away. When Orla passed through the courtyard, she saw servants sweeping up the blood on the ground. She held back and didn't retch, clutching the gold and silver jewelry Cressida had given her as she returned to her room.
Deep into the night, Emma brought hot water for Cressida to bathe.
"Ms. Cressida Hamilton, I've prepared everything as you instructed. Mrs. Mabel Hamilton also sent someone with what you requested."
"Good," Cressida gently touched the scar below her collarbone. "Next, hand over the private quarters entirely to Orla. Give her chances to be alone."
"I understand. But I'm curious—how did Ms. Hamilton know that Orla and Vida's fight was staged for you to see?"
Cressida smiled.
She looked up at the water droplets.
"Because I know that whatever mother does, her goal is to target me. Naturally I can tell."
Orla and Vida could have fought in private or openly, but they deliberately made sure Cressida found out.
Their little tricks weren't enough to fool Cressida.
In the following days, after gaining Cressida's "trust," Orla frequently moved in and out of the private quarters.
Emma didn't restrict Orla, and no longer watched her as closely as before.
On January 12th, Clio sent Tatum to tell Cressida that the whole family would go to church to pray the day after tomorrow.
Cressida knew the time was almost right.
Emma: "Mrs. Mabel Hamilton sent someone to quietly ask if you need her help with anything during the church prayer?"
Cressida sat at the table with lowered eyes, her sleeves wide. She wiped her sword, the cold blade reflecting her eyes.
"She doesn't need to do anything. Just tell her to bring Ethan along."
"Yes."
In the evening, Cressida was practicing calligraphy.
Suddenly her brushstroke paused slightly.
The alertness honed on the battlefield made her keenly aware that someone was watching her.
That person was in the yard.