Chapter 277: Still a Citizen?
"I’m meeting Lord Lockhart tomorrow and I’ll be back for Spring Ball," Talia told her great grandmother who had her usual stone-face, not candidly showing her emotions. Her grandfather sitting beside the Dowager had a very cross face. Who is the recipient of his anger- Talia didn’t know. It could be her, or it could be Lord Lockhart even. Talia noticed her great grandmother looking at Mr. Ed and looked at him. Surely Mr. Ed knows the pulse of the Dowager very well considering he worked for her more than a decade.
"Some Courtiers are already not pleased with the way you handled the issue with the Duke of Luxxenshire-"
"I went behind the courtiers and exposed the corruption to the public directly, incriminating the Duke with no way out and they are hurt I didn’t go through them first? They’d have buried it like they did before," Talia scoffed.
"I don’t care! What is the worst the courtiers can do? Ruin my reputation in Rosandale too?" Talia’s voice softened. "I understand why you are not pleased with my decision now. Me meeting Lord Lockhart now will bring back the focus to the murder I committed and the already displeased courtiers will use this chance to paint me in a bad light. I understand it, and still want to meet Lord Lockhart before the ball." Talia spoke politely, but everyone around her knew she won’t be changing her decision anymore.
The Dowager observing Talia, felt her heart warming seeing the uniquely coloured eyes of that girl in front of her. The decisiveness in those eyes... It made her remember her late husband. He didn’t have good opinions about the courtiers either and sided with the public most times.
She felt odd. After nine decades in this planet, seeing a lot of things, she still gets surprises like this.
By keeping this great granddaughter near her, she thought she’d see a part of her daughter, but she was surprised she was seeing more of her husband. Looking at those eyes, she... Missed him.
Who knew? Who knew this old heart actually held deep love for her husband? Who knew it took my great granddaughter’s presence around me, to make me realise that what I had for my husband is not just deep adoration and respect, but love? Who knew everyone else was right when they said we loved each other deeply and I was wrong to refuse it in my heart?
So she wants to get it over with?
"You don’t have to march to his orders, Mary Ann. You’ve paid enough already. Even if your case went to court, the maximum penalty you’d have gotten is seven years in prison, even if we couldn’t prove he asked you to do it..." Jerome Brunton knew Talia’s main purpose for hurrying is because Lord Lockhart demanded her visit to be quick.