Fine lines appeared between Ralph’s eyebrows. He certainly knew Amy was pretending and what Grace said was far from truth. Yet he could not bear to punish Amy anymore upon seeing her look. Since the people had said Amy was being possessed by evil spirits, he would believe it this one time. He intended to let Amy stay at Munashii Temple for some time and reckoned she would reflect on her wrongdoings as time passed by.
Besides, Ralph truly favored Kace. Kace only became paralyzed due to a serious illness. His doctor said that he would be able to stand and walk one day when he found a highly-skilled doctor and was treated nicely.
And also due to his relationship with Aadya as fellow apprentices, Ralph did not want to cancel the marriage at all. Now that Kace was resting at Munashii Temple too, he planned to let Amy stay to cultivate an intimate relationship between them. It was normal for children to antagonize each other when they did not know each other.
It was possible that they would no longer be at daggers drawn once they did.
“Alright, since both of you said she was being possessed, I’ll listen to Gautama Damma and let her stay at Munashii Temple. She’ll only return to the palace when the evil spirit on her is completely gotten rid of!”
An unnoticeable smile appeared on Grace’s face. How she wished Amy would not return forever, or maybe just let her return on the day she became the eighth prince’s consort. Or else, she would be in trouble one day with this bane around.
Amy was terrified that she even forgot to cry. Gautama Damma was obviously not a good guy. If she listened to him and stayed here, when would she be able to return when that damn priest kept on accusing the demon on her was not eliminated for money? Could that mean she would forever be trapped here?
Amy had met someone who spent their whole life in a temple. There was once an old maiden who was kept in a temple to conduct spiritual practice because she behaved badly and hooked up with one of the servants in the palace when she was young. She saw her doing hard chores with a cadaverous face the year before last when she followed Natalia for incense burning. That old maiden had a pair of spiritless eyes and her hands were coarse.
It was hardly believed that the old maiden used to be a mistress from a noble family, and she looked even more abject than a servant from the palace.
Amy was terror-stricken. She knelt on her bed and pulled one corner of Ralph’s clothes with a pitiful look and wept. “Father, Amy knew she’s wrong, please don’t abandon Amy here! Amy’s scared!”
Ralph thwacked her hand off. “What are you afraid of? Granny Gordy would be staying here too, together with your fourth and fifth sister too who would rest here due to poor health that makes them not suitable to be transferred. Plus, there’s also your Brother Kace. Why are you afraid when there are so many people keeping you company here?”
Knowing Kace would be staying here too, Amy lifted her eyebrows. “What? That paralyzed…”
“Shut up!” Ralph went outraged and his hand was raised high up, wanting to give Amy a slap on the face. Amy who was panic-stricken quickly hugged his waist and cried. “Amy’s so sorry! Father! I meant Brother Kace! Amy has a big mouth and does not mean to offend Brother Kace!”
Ralph used to love this daughter dearly the most therefore he still did not manage to land his hand on her face. He spoke coldly. “Don’t you think you could be reckless here without me around to discipline you. Granny Gordy’s words would be my words. Once you do something wrong, Granny Gordy would punish you on my behalf!”
Amy was truly terrified. She closed her eyes with her tears flowing down and runny nose. She nodded frequently with a pitiful look.
Grace on the other hand was feeling complacent. It seemed like she was the only one getting back this time. As long as she seized the opportunity to display herself in front of Ralph, it was possible that her marriage with the eighth prince would succeed.
Ralph gave a cold stare towards her who was being obsequious before him with a mixed feeling. This daughter was too calculating and he wondered how her future would be.
Ralph spoke to her blandly with deep eyes. “Go and pack your things up. We’ll head back to the palace this afternoon.” He truly did not have much time to spend here as there was still plenty of work to handle in the palace.
Grace nodded joyfully, yet she restrained herself from looking overjoyed in front of Ralph. She pretended to give Amy some consolations and hurriedly went to pack her things.
Meanwhile, after a few steps out of Natalia’s yard, Granny Gordy was heading towards the yard where Mary and Luna stayed.
Their yard was too small in size even in comparison to both Amy and Grace’s place. There were only three rooms in total, with both Mary and Luna, and the four maidens occupied one each. The only room left was used to welcome guests, and their luggage was only put casually at the corner of the room.
Granny Gordy shook her head secretly. She could not imagine how a smart and competent person like her had let her daughter went through sufferings. She wondered whether she would regret in the afterlife if she knew about this.
Luna was already asleep. Jewel wanted to wake her up when she saw Granny Gordy coming over yet Granny Gordy waved and whispered to her. “Let your mistress sleep. I just want to check here out.” She then called upon Azuki. “Take time to pack up your mistress’s luggage. Move your mistress’s belongings to the second mistress’s room once the second mistress’s gone.”
At least the two sisters would not have to be crammed inside a small room.
Azuki agreed and hurriedly packed things up while making as less noise as possible with both Jewel and Jade’s help.
Granny Gordy watched them for a while and returned to the side hall. The two servants who were guarding the entrance shook their heads at her, signifying that Mary was not yet awake.
Granny Gordy tiptoed into the side hall and saw Mary sleeping soundly. As she gazed at her face which was very much alike Lenroe, she let out a soft sigh and folded the corner of her blanket. As she stood up to her feet, she heard Mary mumbled. “Is it granny?”
Granny Gordy then quickly sat back. “Are you awake? My lady.”
Mary could sense her care towards her. It was the authentic care given by elders. Maybe it was due to Granny Gordy having served her biological mother before, Mary did not think otherwise. Since she had managed to vanquish her, she only needed to enjoy the convenience Granny Gordy brought her.
“Do you want to drink some water? Or eat something first?”
Mary shook her head gently and asked. “Where’s father?”
“His Majesty has dealt with the side consort, the second and the third mistress. I guess it’s almost time for him to rush back to the palace.” Granny Gordy paused and defended for Ralph. “His Majesty has been too busy…”
Mary stopped her by interrupting. “I know, granny. And I’m already content that father’s able to come and see me.”
Granny Gordy’s eyes watered. How good was this mistress. She was thoughtful and tolerant, unlike those two who was selfish and cruel towards siblings.
“Granny, could you tell me about mother?” Daisy was too young when she entered the palace and Mary’s mother had already passed away during that time. As what Daisy told her was just what she heard from others, she decided to hear it herself from Granny Gordy who used to serve her mother.
Granny Gordy became all emotional. “Her Ladyship was the most amiable person I’ve ever seen. She had a good temper and was openhearted in her doings. None of her family and the royals have not complimented her Ladyship, even his Majesty respected her.” Of course, if that person did not appear afterwards, or her Ladyship was not too reckless in the first place, maybe her Ladyship would still live a courteous and peaceful life with his Majesty.
Mary saw the hesitation on Granny Gordy’s face and knew what she said next would not be a good thing. She was impatient to hear the rest and understood Granny Gordy would not tell her every single bit of detail regarding the past.
The relationship between Ralph and Lenroe would definitely not be as delightful as it sounded. If not, her life in the palace as the formal daughter would not be that miserable.
No matter who was right or wrong that time, it was pointless to investigate the issue further. What Mary really needed now was how to survive better in the palace and in this era. She needed Ralph’s sympathy and love, she needed Granny Gordy’s help and she needed the Debeur family’s protection. The deceased had seemed to be less important compared to these.
Mary knew Granny Gordy’s concern too. She only refused to tell her the truth for her own good. She must be unwilling to let Mary hold grudge against Ralph as Ralph was her only support now.
“My mother must be a good person. Granny would know that by looking at me. I’m a good girl, therefore mother would no different than me.” Mary tilted her head and smiled mischievously.
Granny Gordy felt amused and she smiled. “Mistress is being mischievous again. How would anyone talk about their mother like that?” Her eyes were full of affection.
Mary was an orphan since young in her previous life as an agent; therefore she had never experienced parental love. Yet when she had become a human again in this life, she experienced that kind of love from Ralph’s unintentional look, Luna’s every movement and Granny Gordy’s eyes, and her heart slowly melted.
“Granny, I heard that a person called Lord Mathilda from the Rustica kingdom is a brilliant character. Is it true?” Due to Granny Gordy’s affection, even Mary herself did not notice she was acting vulnerable when she spoke to her.
Granny Gordy seemed to enjoy seeing her being affectionate and her face was full of love. “Lord Mathilda is your cousin. You’ve even met her once when you’re still a kid.”
“When was it?” Mary suddenly remembered Norman asking her whether she had met Lord Mathilda before.
Granny Gordy’s face fell instantly. “It was when you’re six years old and her Ladyship has just passed away. The old king and queen of the Rustica kingdom brought your uncles here and Lord Mathilda that time was still only three. You’ve even played with her before.”
Her grandparents had brought her uncles over? Then why didn’t they fetch her back to the Rustica kingdom? Wasn’t her mother, Lenroe the most loved princess at the kingdom?
Granny Gordy seemed to be reluctant to talk about that and she diverted the topic of conversation. “There would be a festival for the Cynthian Empire this July, and the Rustica kingdom would definitely send people over. Maybe it would be your uncles. Lord Mathilda would definitely come over too, until then, you’ll be able to meet her.”
Mary remembered Norman mentioning the festival before and she itched to see the legendary Lord Mathilda in person.
She then heard Granny Gordy continued. “You have three uncles and one aunt. Lord Mathilda is your eldest uncle’s, which was the Rustica kingdom’s crown prince’s only daughter. The royals all love her Highness very much and it’s said that her Highness is lovely as well too.”
Granny Gordy was thrilled as Mary finally inquired about her mother’s family from her and she could not wait to tell her everything about the Rustica kingdom. Natalia’s words today did remind her that if Mary wants to have a good future, she needs strong support from her grandparents.
Mary nodded slightly. Granny Gordy could not provide any extra information regarding Lord Mathilda as she only knew her through rumors. Yet she really wanted to know everything about her at the moment.
Mary secretly bit her teeth. It was all because of Norman!
With such an excuse, Mary suddenly felt that all her aberrant actions had a reasonable explanation. She only wanted to make clear of Norman’s background as she reckoned him as the Debeur family’s enemy who wanted to harm Ralph. Now that Norman defended for Lord Mathilda all the time, she certainly wanted to understand everything about her.
Yes, it was because of this!