Chapter 88 Yosef Knows Her Secret?
The weather cleared up, and Cressida took Emma to Clio's courtyard.
The nanny probably didn't expect Cressida to come and seemed inexplicably scared, even stuttering a bit.
"Ms., Ms. Hamilton."
Cressida acknowledged with a sound: "I'm here to talk to Mother about something."
The nanny quickly ran ahead of her, calling into the house: "Ms. Hamilton is here."
A maid lifted the curtain for Cressida. After she walked in, she saw Rose and Clio sitting at the table.
Before Cressida arrived, Rose and Clio might have been discussing some secret, so when they saw Cressida, Clio's expression looked very unnatural.
"What are you doing here?" Clio's tone was unfriendly.
Cressida took a couple of steps forward, and Rose instinctively stood up and stepped back.
Both Rose and Clio were very guarded against Cressida.
Cressida noticed this but showed nothing on her face.
"Mother, the Regatta Festival is coming up soon. Princess Sophie sent an invitation earlier, inviting us to celebrate the Regatta Festival together. Of course, I'm here to ask if you'd like to go."
Clio suddenly froze.
"You're willing to let me go?"
Cressida smiled, though her expression remained cool, her eyes bright.
"Mother, what are you saying? I restricted you before because I was worried you hadn't recovered and would overwork yourself. Now I see your complexion is much better, so you should get out and about."
Clio looked at her, seeming somewhat uncertain.
Cressida said to Rose: "When the time comes, let Rose accompany you too."
After saying this, Cressida left, as if she had only come to inform them.
After Cressida left, the oppressive feeling Rose had sensed finally disappeared.
Clio anxiously gripped her hand: "Rose, what do you think? Why is she suddenly being so kind? She's not trying to harm us, is she!"
Cressida was particularly ruthless, an ungrateful person with very vicious methods.
Rose gently patted the back of Clio's hand: "Mother, if she's being this sensible, it must be because Master Conrad's last visit scared her. After all, Cressida isn't married yet, and her marriage is still in her parents' hands."
"Besides, she's always been obedient to you and Father before, probably hoping to use this opportunity to repair the mother-daughter relationship."
Clio spat hatefully: "I don't want Cressida, that demon who only knows how to harm people!"
Rose's eyes were calm as water: "She's inviting Mother to go, which is perfect. It saves us from racking our brains trying to figure out how to convince Father to take us along."
"Mother hates her, so just wait until the day of the Regatta Festival," Rose lowered her voice, "Prince Yosef is ruthless. If Cressida doesn't go along with him, she won't end well. Someone will get revenge for Mother."
Thinking about this, Clio felt pleased and satisfied.
Things were looking up too. Rose had returned to Clio's side, and Yosef had arranged for a doctor to treat Michael with acupuncture.
The doctor said that as long as they took care of him slowly and the blood clot in Michael's head dispersed, he could recover completely.
Clio: "That's right, I need to take care of myself and kick her out of the house."
On the day of the Regatta Festival.
All of Novaria was lively.
The Hamilton family started preparing early in the morning, the whole family going out in force.
Except for Mabel, who was injured and couldn't travel, and Donny, who had to stay behind to take care of her, everyone else was going to celebrate the Regatta Festival.
Cressida had Noah arrange everything in advance—six carriages for the family and two more for the servants.
Echo didn't dare go, afraid of the crowds bumping into her pregnant belly, so Cressida left Ingrid to keep Echo company.
The grand procession of carriages departed from the Hamilton Mansion.
After an hour, they arrived at the Hudson River.
When Cressida stepped down from the carriage using the footstool, a warm breeze carrying the scent of mugwort blew toward her, stirring a few loose strands of hair by her temples.
The Hudson River bank was already bustling with people.
The riverbank had been carefully decorated—white linen canopies set up spacious viewing platforms, pearl-adorned tassels swaying gently in the breeze, and gilded candlesticks lined up along the wooden walkway, not yet lit but already exuding luxury.
In the distance, several magnificent ships floated quietly on the water, their hulls painted with gold and colors, pearl curtains half-rolled, revealing vague shadows of people moving inside.
The most eye-catching was the three-story pleasure boat in the middle, with a swan spreading its wings carved at the bow.
That was Sophie's ship. The Hamilton family had been invited and would soon board this extremely magnificent boat.
Jessica followed beside Cressida, her eyes constantly looking around.
"Cressida, it's so lively today!"
Both sides of the riverbank had already gathered quite a few noble families' carriages and horses, with servants shuttling between them, busy arranging chairs and setting out refreshments.
Jessica had good eyesight and spotted Peter among a group of chatting noble boys.
Peter made eye contact with her from afar and immediately waved.
Jessica wanted to go over and quietly glanced at Cressida's expression.
Before leaving home, Mabel had said Jessica must listen to Cressida.
"Go ahead, say hello, but you need to come back before we board the ship," Cressida said.
Jessica immediately felt like a bird set free: "Thank you, Cressida, I'll be right back."
Jessica lifted her light blue skirt and went over with her maid.
Clio hadn't appeared at such occasions in a long time and now couldn't wait to take Rose and Rita to chat with the noblewomen she usually knew.
Cressida didn't want to go anywhere and just waited for Sophie's ship to open.
Cressida stood under the shade of a tree, her round fan blocking the glaring light as she looked toward the distant river.
At the far shore, which was also the starting point of the race, five ships were already lined up neatly on the water, each bow carved with a fierce dragon head, the hulls painted in bright colors.
Rowers occasionally walked past nearby, heading to the boats.
"Ms. Hamilton." A pleasant voice came from behind.
Cressida turned around and, seeing who it was, immediately curtsied: "Greetings, Prince Yosef."
Yosef wore fine clothes, his half-smiling expression making people feel not elegance but danger.
"You actually recognize me?" Yosef's expression seemed somewhat surprised.
Cressida's tone was flat: "I attended a palace banquet before and caught a glimpse of Prince Yosef from afar."
Yosef smiled: "I see."
His gaze held scrutiny.
Today Cressida wore a light green dress with a white cape, with only a white magnolia hair ornament on her head.
Very plain.
Thinking about her secret and how it contrasted so greatly with her appearance, and that perhaps only he knew about it, Yosef's fingertips under his sleeves trembled with excitement.
He hadn't met someone this interesting in a long time.
"Ms. Hamilton, today there's a rower I'd like to introduce you to. I heard his mother was the midwife who delivered you. His mother's name is Pippa."
Cressida's heart sank.
The wind blowing toward her became somewhat unkind, making her brow furrow.