After Solomon and the other Sinclair family members moved all the dowry items back to Northwatch Estate, Carissa came out to thank them and invited everyone in for tea.
Solomon shook his head. “We’ve got other important matters to attend to, so we can’t stay for tea. By the way, Barrett asked me to give you a message. He hopes you won’t regret your decision.”
“I have nothing to say to him in response to his message. Since you have important matters, I won’t keep you,” Carissa replied calmly.
Pleased with her response, Solomon and the others left.
Even if the Sinclair family lost everything, they couldn’t lose their dignity.
It wasn’t that Solomon didn’t want to stay for tea, but Northwatch Estate was still in chaos. He was certain the new servants had yet to learn all the necessary rules and mannerisms.
Solomon–would have been okay with it, but he had brought along other family members. Too many people seeing the situation at Northwatch Estate might lead to gossip, and Carissa couldn’t afford to have any rumors spreading about her right now.
Returning to Exquisite Pavilion, Carissa wrote a letter asking for help to investigate the battle between Westhaven and Starhaven at Victory Pass, and had someone urgently send it to her guild.
She had her suspicions but didn’t dare confirm anything without evidence.
Her maternal grandfather, Dominic, as well as her third and seventh uncles were stationed at Victory Pass. At the end of last year, ten thousand troops had been transferred from Victory Pass to support the Southern Frontier. That left Donovan to request reinforcements from the court when Westhaven attacked, and Barrett and Aurora had been sent.
Carissa didn’t know what actually happened during the battle and couldn’t ask her grandfather or uncles directly. If her suspicions were correct, her grandfather, as the general, would be in serious trouble.
Over the next month, Carissa refused all visitors, though few came to see her anyway. The Sinclair family would only bother her if it was urgent. All the arrangements to staff the estate were completed, with all the newly hired servants having been taught manners and assigned to their respective duties.
To fill the accountant position, Solomon had recommended a man named Jason Lewis, who was said to be a reliable person. Other positions, from guards and coachmen to carpenters, gardeners, cooks, and errand boys, had also been filled.
Frederick Carter returned to serve as head steward of the outer estate.
He had previously worked at Northwatch Estate, but after injuring his leg in a horse–riding accident, he was allowed to go home and recover with his family. When Holly sought a new head steward for the outer estate, he turned up to interview for the position.
On Frederick’s first day back at the estate, the nearly sixty-year–old man cried in his room for a long time.
The Marquis of Northwatch had become a duke; the marquis‘ mansion had become a duke’s mansion. Carissa was now the sole survivor of the once–prosperous family, and she had been scorned by the Warren family and abandoned.
Frederick felt a deep sadness when he learned of this.
+15 BONUS
Besides Lulu, four other maids chosen by Holly and Lily served as Carissa’s personal attendants. Carissa named them Pearl, Snow, Winter, and Joy. These five maids took excellent care of their mistress, serving her chicken soup and nourishing broths every day. After a month of this treatment, her beauty became even more striking.
Before the end of the year, Barrett married Aurora, and she joined the Warren family as Barrett’s rightful
wife.
The wedding was grand and impressive. Despite the earlier divorce scandal, the marriage had been decreed by the king, so many officials and even royal relatives attended the ceremony.
Seeing so many guests and the mountain of gifts made Rebecca feel some sense of restored dignity. After the newlyweds completed the ceremony, Rebecca couldn’t stop smiling. The Ministry of Defense credited Aurora as having made the greatest contribution in the recent battle, as she had led the negotiations for the peace treaty between Starhaven and Westhaven.
Rebecca was immensely proud that her son and daughter–in–law had brought peace to the border after years of conflict. But the party after the ceremony left the older woman dumbfounded and furious.
The Warren family had meticulously planned the guest list and seating arrangements. However, Aurora invited over a hundred soldiers to the banquet.
These soldiers arrived empty–handed in a noisy group. As the bride, Aurora was supposed to temporarily stay in her new room. But after hearing that her comrades had arrived, she personally went out to greet
them.
Perhaps her actions could be excused as the behavior of a free–spirited military woman, someone who would eventually fight and serve in official capacities like a man.
However, it was still unexpected!
