Duke Thompson residence
That evening, Duchess Anita went to find her husband in his study. Since their disagreement about who should be the crown prince’s bride, she had not stepped foot in his study.
"What do you want?" Duke Thompson asked as she took her seat. He felt she must have come to inquire about something.
"I am here to discuss adopting Anastasia under my name," Duchess Anita said, getting straight to the point.
The Duke had not expected her to approach him for such a reason. After all, he knew how much his wife disliked Anastasia.
"Why?" He was skeptical of her intentions.
"I am only thinking about the good of the family. I know I have not been kind to her, but being united as a family would bring the greatest benefit," Duchess Anita said.
Duke Thompson found her reasoning logical, but he remained reluctant. He knew better than anyone that the king was particularly interested in Anastasia. Judging from the situation, it seemed that Duchess Anita was willing to ruin the marriage if Elizabeth could not have it. Anastasia’s marriage was a valuable opportunity for him; one he would not allow to be squandered. He already regretted his actions of giving her the first opportunity to hurt Anastasia.
Seeing that the Duke remained silent, the Duchess was forced to speak. "What? Do you doubt my intentions?"
"I do," Duke Thompson admitted without hesitation.
"Well, I wanted this marriage for my daughter, but it is already set in stone. Besides, after the poisoning incident, no matter how much I want to deal with her, I do not intend to perish alongside her," Duchess Anita said.
"Are you confessing to being the mastermind behind the poisoning?" Duke Thompson raised a brow.
Duchess Anita rolled her eyes. "I am not confessing to anything, but the one who poisoned her was my maid. Naturally, everyone suspects I ordered it. I am merely using this adoption to smooth things over. Moreover, my parents are willing to recognize her as their granddaughter," she added, bringing up her parents, hoping it would convince her husband.
"This was your father’s idea?" Duke Thompson asked. He knew his father-in-law well; the man always sought benefits. When Duke Thompson had first been granted his title, he held little real power or resources. While other nobles in the royal city had looked down on him, General Robert had been willing to marry off his only daughter to him. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novelꞁire.net
This way, the fate of the Duke’s manor had been tied to the general’s household.
"Yes, my father believes it is the best solution. Anyway, I can no longer stop her marriage. Isn’t it better to gain benefits from it? Even if I kill Anastasia, Elizabeth still cannot become the crown prince’s bride. Why should I take all the risks while someone else reaps the benefits?" Duchess Anita reasoned.
Duke Thompson considered her words for a moment. "Anastasia is already grown. We must seek her opinion on this," he said.
"Why? We are not doing anything against custom. Her mother was not a mistress. It is only right that she becomes my daughter," Duchess Anita insisted. Given how she had treated Anastasia over the years, she was worried Anastasia would refuse.
"You have a point, but I know what I am doing," Duke Thompson replied. While he could indeed make the decision on Anastasia’s behalf, he wanted to use this adoption to test her personality. He felt that no one in the Duke’s household truly understood her.
She had lived worse than a servant in the family, yet she had never once complained to him. Even when her engagement to the crown prince was confirmed, she had not tried to show off.
Her behavior made him suspect that her mind ran deeper than that of an ordinary young lady. If they hoped to benefit from her marriage to the crown prince, they first needed to understand her true thoughts.
"Okay," Duchess Anita agreed, knowing her husband was always cautious.
"I will send a message to the palace to arrange a meeting with her and discuss it first," Duke Thompson said.
"I want to go with you to show my sincerity," Duchess Anita said.
The Duke considered it for a moment and agreed.
Two days later, when Anastasia received the message from her father, she had already sent word to Rosalind, promising to visit her the next day. As a result, she could only send a reply agreeing to meet her father two days later.
The Queen arranged a carriage for her, allowing Rosa and Miss Magdalene to accompany her, along with two guards for protection. Since Anastasia would soon become the crown princess, it was natural for her to travel with guards.
Anastasia was excited; this was the first time she was making a friend. Queen Mary had also told her a bit about Rosalind, the eldest daughter of a Privy Councilor.
Rosalind’s father held a high position in the Privy Council and was favored by the king. He bore the title of Lord Chancellor.
The journey from the royal palace to the Lord Chancellor’s manor took over three hours. When they arrived, a servant was already waiting at the gate to escort them directly to Rosalind’s courtyard.
Anastasia was a bit surprised that Rosalind did not reside in the main building. Typically, only the daughters of mistresses or distant relatives had independent courtyards.
Though curious, Anastasia maintained a pleasant smile. She did not know much about noble family customs. Even if Rosalind was the daughter of a mistress, so was she. It made little difference to her.
"Welcome," Rosalind greeted her warmly, waiting outside the courtyard doors.
"Thank you, Lady Rosalind," Anastasia said as she stepped down from the carriage, with Rosa and Miss Magdalene assisting her.
"You are being too formal. We are friends now; you can just call me by my name," Rosalind said, stepping forward and taking her hand.
"Okay," Anastasia agreed.
The two entered the courtyard, with Rosa and Magdalene following behind, while the guards remained outside.
Rosalind’s courtyard was beautifully decorated. At a single glance, Anastasia could tell she was favored within her family.
"Come, sit," Rosalind led her to the sunroom, where they could admire the flowers outside. It was midday by this time, and the sun was scorching, unsuitable for outdoor gatherings.
"Your garden is beautiful," Anastasia complimented as she took her seat. A maid approached to serve tea.
The two sat down and chatted about flowers for a while.
"It’s almost lunchtime. I had the kitchen prepare a meal," Rosalind said, suddenly remembering something. "I forgot to ask, do you have any food preferences?"
"I am not a picky eater," Anastasia replied, feeling that Rosalind truly treated her as a friend. No one has ever cared about her food preferences not even now that she lived in the palace.