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“Your godbrother is so difficult! He would say the woman wasn’t good enough, and another looked like she couldn’t handle the hardships of life. After all this time, he hasn’t found a single one he likes. I’m getting anxious,” she said, pulling Violet’s hand anxiously.
“You know about that matter-that woman came over and confronted him directly! She’s already married, yet she still acts so carelessly. Who knows if she’ll come back again? This could ruin both our families’ reputations!” Alice’s concern was partly due to the fear of Viola showing up again. The only way to truly put an end to that was to secure a match for Thomas quickly.
Violet smiled reassuringly. “Well, let’s go take a look. Even the best conditions won’t matter if the two of them don’t hit it off, right?”
“It would be fine if he wasn’t so picky. Go with him to check her out. If she seems suitable, maybe you could persuade him a little,” Alice urged earnestly. Violet was indeed curious to meet Darin, and she agreed, “Alright. If her character and everything else are in order, I’ll definitely try to persuade Thomas.”
–
The Marquis of Grovehill’s family had long been one of the prominent families in Starhaven. But the older the family got, the more they found themselves in a difficult position.
The main issue was that the family had grown rapidly, but there wasn’t enough land or income to support everyone and maintain the wealth and status of the family.
The current marquis was Henry’s father, Martin. Under his leadership, the family had gradually declined. After so many generations of wealth, the strict family rules had loosened, and the younger generation was less willing to endure the hardships of studying or practicing martial arts. Since they still had their noble status, they felt they would always have a comfortable life.
If it weren’t for Henry marrying Eleanor, the Marquis of Grovehill’s family might have already fallen into obscurity. Martin held no official position in the court, and very few members of the family held posts above the fifth rank.
As Violet stepped into Grovehill Estate, she noticed several intricately carved family crests-evidence of the Marquis of Grovehill’s family’s once-great prominence. They seemed fearful of being forgotten, with two crests prominently displayed in the main hall alone. The hall’s decor showed signs of age, but the luxurious wooden furniture, seasoned by time, radiated a subtle, understated elegance.
When it came to matters of marriage proposals, it was best to avoid having too many people present as it could hinder the process. So, Gemma invited them to the side hall and sent for Lisette.
Violet noticed that Gemma had taken good care of her appearance. Despite her age, she still looked well. Henry also resembled her, especially in their brows and the way they spoke. “Please have some coffee,” Gemma said with a warm smile.
She looked kind, but Violet knew Gemma was aware of the whole plan. Lisette wasn’t really from the Gemma’s family, and her name wasn’t Lisette. Lisette Sanford was an identity Eleanor had fabricated. Creating a false identity for a Sanford family member surely required the cooperation of Gemma’s own family, right?
As they sipped tea and exchanged pleasantries-polite flattery on both sides-Violet noticed Gemma eyeing Thomas several times. The rumors about him and Viola had circulated widely before finally settling down in recent days.
Gemma sipped her tea, and thought to herself that Thomas was indeed a striking young man. It was no wonder Viola was so persistent.
“Alice, you’re truly blessed. Thomas is brave and capable, and he has accomplished much for the kingdom. Once he marries and starts a family, you will enjoy a life of comfort,” she remarked.
Alice smiled and said, “Yes, we hope he will marry soon. I’d like to hold my grandchild soon!”
Alice’s eagerness was evident, which prompted Gemma to summon a maid and instruct softly, “Please remind Lisette not to keep our guests waiting too long.”
“Yes, Madam Gemma!” the maid replied, taking quick, light steps to the door before turning to leave.
In her chambers, Darin was already dressed, but she hesitated to leave.
As she gazed into the mirror, a wave of conflict washed over her. Eleanor had saved her life and brought her back to the palace, providing her with luxurious clothing and plenty of food. Though she wasn’t accustomed to such opulence, she knew it was Eleanor’s kindness. The debt she owed Eleanor was something she felt she could never repay.
Eleanor intended to marry her off, and Darin would have accepted any suitor-even one with a limp or blindness-so long as his intentions were honorable. Yet, the night before arriving at Grovehill Estate, Eleanor had a heart-to-heart with her. The first question Eleanor had asked was, “You said you wanted to repay your debt. Do you still mean that?”
Though Darin was just a young woman, she believed in keeping her word. If she said she would repay her debt she intended to do so. But after affirming her commitment, she was taken aback by the shocking revelation-she was to marry Thomas, and draw him closer to Yuvan’s side.
arry
If her efforts failed to sway Thomas, she was to find an opportunity to kill him.
The thought left her utterly flustered.
During her time at Harmony Palace, Darin had noticed some strange occurrences, but there were places she couldn’t go. Though her suspicions nagged at her, she dared not investigate further.
One night, she had been jolted awake by a woman’s scream echoing through the halls. She rushed to the door to see what had happened, only to be stopped by a guard who insisted she return to her room. He claimed a thief had been caught, and was being punished.
However, the scream she had heard was unmistakably female.
It was true that women could commit theft, but to sneak into a grand princess’ residence? Did such a bold female thief exist? It was almost impossible to even imagine.
“Ms. Lisette, the people from the Farrell family have arrived,” a maid said, entering her room and urging her to hurry. “Madam Gemma requests that you come out quickly.”
Darin composed her complex emotions, and said, “Let’s go.”
Now, she could only hope that the Farrell family would find her unsuitable. With Thomas’ current status, he could marry anyone he wanted.
She was just someone with a fabricated identity.
As they entered the main hall, Darin covered her face with a fan and walked with delicate steps. Just learning to walk this way had taken her a lot of practice.
Gemma smiled brightly and said, “Lisette, greet Alice and Opal.”
Darin curtsied respectfully to Alice and Opal. “Nice to meet you, Madam Alice, Madam Opal.”
“And this is Major General Farrell,” Gemma continued. “And this is Violet Spencer, Alice’s goddaughter.”
When Violet had entered earlier, Alice had already introduced her.
Darin lowered her fan and revealed her face, but she couldn’t summon a shy demeanor. Instead, she greeted them like normal. “Nice to meet you, Major General Farrell, Ms. Spencer.” Violet looked at her and returned the greeting. “Nice to meet you too, Ms. Sanford.”
Thomas nodded politely. “Hello, Ms. Sanford.”
Violet noticed Darin’s well-defined features. She had wide eyes and moderately full lips that formed a beautiful curve. There was a small red mole on her upper lip, adding a playful touch to her otherwise dignified appearance. Darin was very attractive, but she didn’t have the refined air of a noblewoman. Instead, she seemed more free-spirited, like someone used to life on the road.
There was nothing crude about her demeanor, and her manners were impeccable. Yet the essence of a woman who had lived by her wits in the world was hard to hide, especially to someone like Violet, who had seen her fair share. In fact, Darin shared a certain spirit-carefully masked by decorum-that occasionally surfaced, much like Sophie. This resemblance made Violet take a closer look at her.
An inexplicable sense of familiarity washed over Violet, although she couldn’t pinpoint its source. Violet was certain she had never met Darin before, but the way Darin performed her greetings and settled into her seat felt oddly familiar. There was a sense of familiarity in the way Gemma and Henry moved. But since Gemma was Henry’s mother, it wasn’t surprising that they had similar expressions and gestures.
So, where did this feeling of familiarity with Darin come from?
Alice looked pleased. Darin’s outfit was tastefully done, neither overly extravagant nor too plain. With clear, delicate features, she exuded a sense of grace and maturity that came with age.
Gemma noticed Alice’s satisfied expression, and sighed softly. “This poor child has had a hard life. She was engaged so young, yet she faced much criticism after her fiance’s untimely death. In a small place like Stonebridge County, the people are narrow-minded, and they blame her for everything.
“When Lisette came to the capital to find a match, I didn’t plan to aim so high. But when I heard Major
General Farrell wasn’t looking for a young woman and preferred someone older, I thought Lisette would be a good match. Now, it all depends on whether you and Major General Farrell mind that Lisette doesn’t come from a prestigious family. As for her character, I can guarantee there’s no problem about it.”
Alice was quite pleased with Lisette, but she didn’t dare ask Thomas about his thoughts at that moment. Given his nature, he might flatly refuse. If that happened, the poor woman would have little hope of marriage after this! Gemma sensed Alice’s thoughts. She turned to Darin, and said, “Lisette, you may return to your room now.”
Darin stood and curtsied to Alice and everyone else before leaving. As she stepped outside, Violet continued to watch her.
Darin held herself upright, her steps far steadier than when she had first entered the main hall. It was clear that some habits were deeply ingrained and hard to shake.