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Thomas had also noticed it. Darin clearly had martial arts training, though she hadn’t revealed any signs of it earlier.
Thomas had been investigating quite a bit lately. Though Rafael had advised him against looking into the Jaffe family, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t investigate other matters. The Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team was mostly back in the capital, except for Scott and Wilfred, who had returned to their hometown.
They had grown accustomed to digging into things, and not doing so gnawed at them. With Yuvan back in the capital and the peculiarities happening after Leona had married into the Earl of Gracehold’s family, something felt off. However, much of their investigation was pointless. They were overly sensitive and ended up checking everything randomly. It seemed that if the king didn’t assign them tasks soon, they would be stuck in this limbo.
He was there to meet a marriage candidate today, yet his thoughts were entangled in all the inconsistencies around him, leaving him no mind for romance.
“Alice, Major General Farrell, let’s be frank-what do you think of Lisette?” Gemma asked.
Alice was about to express her satisfaction when Opal chimed in with a bright smile.
“She’s indeed a fine girl, and we are all quite pleased. However, marriage is a serious matter and shouldn’t be rushed. Why don’t we each go back and discuss this with our families? After all, Ms. Sanford hasn’t said whether she likes Thomas, and they’ve only just met today. It’s best to first understand her feelings.”
Gemma replied, “That wouldn’t be difficult. I can ask her right away.”
Opal chuckled. “Let’s not be too hasty. If you send someone in to ask her like this, it might offend us if she says she doesn’t like him. If she says she does, it could make her seem eager, which wouldn’t look good for a young lady. Since both our families have already met a couple of times, it wouldn’t hurt to meet again. After all, her parents aren’t in the capital, and her feelings are what truly matter. What do you think, Madam Gemma?”
With such reasonable arguments, Gemma found it hard to dispute Opal. After all, a match between their families shouldn’t be rushed. Both were noble households. Still, the urgency was palpable.
Alice didn’t fully understand Opal’s reasoning. But on reflection, it made sense. If they asked Lisette now, would it be better if she rejected Thomas outright or merely hesitated? If she liked him, saying so would make her seem desperate to marry, and no woman wanted to come across that way. Conversely, if she liked him but claimed otherwise, that wouldn’t be good either.
Violet admired Opal’s carefulness. Her meticulous nature was truly commendable.
Alice smiled. “Opal is right. If there is truly a bond, it won’t slip away. A couple of days won’t make a difference.”
With the matter settled for now, Gemma smiled and said, “That makes sense. You’ve thought this through quite well. I’ll wait a couple of days before visiting again.”
Though Gemma said that, Alice felt something was off.
Thomas’ side of the family showed no objections. At least, they appeared satisfied. Now they were merely inquiring on Lisette’s behalf. If she agreed, her family would send a matchmaker to formalize the engagement. That was how things were normally done.
So, why was someone from Lisette’s side of the family personally coming to visit? The Kingsley family was known for their propriety, so why this deviation from the norm?
However, Alice kept her thoughts to herself. After all, she had trusted Gemma due to their familial ties. Now, the woman’s eagerness to finalize the match made Alice feel somewhat uneasy.
They still needed to investigate Lisette’s background to determine if she was truly a daughter of the Sanford family.
Violet had remained silent throughout their visit to Grovehill Estate. But once they left, Thomas turned to her. “Violet, do you sense something off?”
Violet replied, “Let’s talk about it back at your place. There’s definitely something suspicious going on.”
All three members of the Farrell family immediately sobered at her words. Violet was not one to speak lightly. Though she loved to tease and have fun, she was particularly serious when it came to important matters. Her tone suggested that today’s visit had something significant to do with the woman from the Sanford family.
Upon returning to the Farrell family’s residence, Violet dismissed all the servants and said, “The girl’s name is Darin, and she’s not from the Sanford family. The Kingsley family has reasons for approaching Thomas regarding this match, We can’t agree to this engagement, but we also can’t outright refuse it right away. Since I accompanied you to Grovehill Estate today, a swift rejection would leave some things unclear, which wouldn’t be good for Sophie and me moving forward.”
Alice’s heart sank a little, and sadness washed over her. “Gemma lied to me? I thought we were family! How could she use Thomas’s marriage to deceive me?”
Violet replied. “Darin may not be a bad girl. She could also be unaware of the truth. But we need to get to the bottom of this. For now, just delay for a month or so. Whatenet you do don’t commit to whateve immediately. Otherwise, you fisk tarnishing your reputation. And I doubt Darin will come out of this unscathed.”
Alice frowned. “Why does this have to be so complicated?”
Opal stood up, linking her arm through Alice’s. “Aunt Alice, let’s step outside. We shouldn’t listen to everything Violet has to say. Some things might be better left unheard. We might be able to stay silent if we hear everything.”
Opal had a keen sense of propriety. She recognized that Violet was selectively sharing information, and there were topics they shouldn’t overhear, so she quickly ushered Alice out.
Alice was not oblivious, and she realized that since Violet sensed something amiss, it likely meant the situation was more complex than just family matters. There were undoubtedly some discussions she meant to have privately with Thomas, and they needed to stay out of those conversations.
If they could avoid hearing anything, they should.
Once Alice and Opal left, Violet shared details about Darin with Thomas, including some schemes involving Yuvan, Harvey, and Eleanor.
Violet chose her words carefully, omitting her and Sophie’s plans for the Emberfest Festival. However, after listening, Thomas pieced together the information with what he had already investigated and came close to the truth. He understood that they would likely start their inquiries with Eleanor, as Yuvan’s influence lay in Valken. In the capital, he relied solely on Eleanor and Harvey.
Eleanor’s status as a grand princess allowed her to maneuver in ways others could not, and she had indeed been working behind the scenes on Yuvan’s behalf. Without her assistance, Yuvan’s power would have been weakened significantly.
Harvey was deeply embedded in the shadows, making it challenging to trace his connections.
It suddenly dawned on Thomas why Rafael had instructed them, the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team, to limit their dealings with Hell Monarch Estate. Initially, he thought it was merely a precaution against the king’s suspicions. But now, he realized that avoiding contact allowed them to engage in many activities without raising flags.
Though Rafael had never stated this outright, and Violet hadn’t mentioned it either, Thomas believed the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team was the prince’s safety net.
He meticulously reviewed the situation in his mind. “So, Henry doesn’t really approve of my marrying Darin, does he?”
“He’s worried about dragging his family into trouble. If Darin makes any mistakes, the Farrell family will surely blame the Marquis of Grovehill’s family. He’s just looking out for his own,” Violet explained.
Thomas nodded. “I got it. I’ll hold off on this marriage for now. I need to ensure the grand princess doesn’t suspect anything, and I can’t let Henry breathe too easily either.”
Violet smiled and said, “I came today to tell you about this, but I didn’t expect to see Darin as well. Henry mentioned that Darin originally belonged to a performance troupe, but when the troupe went under, she had to fend for herself. Eventually, she caught the eye of some bandits, and that’s when Eleanor saved her.
“We can’t trust Henry completely, and we still need to investigate Darin’s background. Fortunately, Kyle is at Hell Monarch Estate right now. I can ask him to paint her portrait and find someone in Stonebridge County to inquire about her. Even though the performance troupe has disbanded, the performers should still be around trying to make a living, and many people must have seen their acts. It shouldn’t be hard to dig up information.”
“Sounds good. You should head back quickly,” Thomas replied, feeling a sense of urgency. “And remember, if there’s anything you need us to do, come find me right away.”
Violet chuckled. “What’s wrong with taking it easy for a while? Why do I have to rush around? I’d much prefer a few days of peace.”
With a wave, she strode out. Thomas stood up to see her off. Then, he smiled bitterly.
Ret
Peace? They were all so restless, it was driving them mad. What was the king planning, anyway? It had been so long, and he hadn’t given them any official appointment did he notice something amiss? Was he keeping them on hold, waiting to see who would come into contact with them?
Thomas felt that suspicion was justified. Rafael had likely seen through it, which was why he urged them not to engage too closely with him. After pondering for a while, Thomas decided to inform his mother and sister-in-law about the marriage proposal, playing for time without outright rejecting or agreeing to it.
Alice didn’t quite grasp the nuances. But since her son said so, she decided to go along with it as she trusted his judgment.
Meanwhile, Violet returned to Hell Monarch Estate. Upon hearing the study door open, she dashed over. Once she finished Jacob’s tasks, she intended to ask Kyle for help with her own work.
As she entered the study, she was greeted by walls adorned with portraits. Rafael and Sophie were also in the room.
Sophie stood still in front of one painting, her eyes fixed on it without blinking. Curious, Violet walked over and followed Sophie’s gaze.
When Violet saw the beauty mark on the woman’s upper lip, she froze. Then she glanced at the other portraits, studying each one closely. The paintings varied in shape and size, showcasing a range of facial features.