Chapter 19
The marquise was here to see her? Now?
It wasn’t going to be that simple, was it?
Still, Lilian got up and received the marquise with a bow. “My lady.”
The marquise actually felt hurt that Lillan still wouldn’t call her mother, but didn’t show it in front of Lilian.
Instead, she took Lilian’s hand, leading her to sind said, “I was worried you’d be distraught,
so I came.”
Lilian lowered her eyes, silently withdrawing her hand.
The marquise naturally noticed and frowned, and sighed softly. “Your grandmother loved you the most. Even when she was told you’re not of this family, she still considers you her dearest granddaughter.”
Lilian acknowledged that much too–she could tell who was genuinely good to her, after all.
And Madam Lestrade, despite her failing health, had used that as leverage to ask the empress to free Lilian from servitude.
That debt alone was something Lilian couldn’t repay in this lifetime.
Her lashes twitched even as she kept her head down, as she did her best not to let the marquise see her cry.
However, the marquise had been her mother for fifteen years, and certainly could tell how devastated Lilian was.
Sighing again, she said, “I was afraid to elaborate with your father around, but I can be honest with you your grandmother won’t last months
Lilian looked up right then, the tears she was fighting back gushing.
She had just been back for days and hadn’t properly spent time with Madam Lestrade, how could she just….
The marquise flashed a pained smile, took out her handkerchief to wipe Lilian’s tears, and sighed, “I know you love your grandmother, but there’s nothing we can do now aside from offer you relief, right?”
Noticing the loaded question right then, Lilian sniffed as she said, “You can be straight with me, my lady.”
A simple line, but it showed how much distance there was between them..
The marquise paused, and slowly withdrew her hand, sighing lengthily, “Saying something like this right now will make you believe that I’m heartless, but it’s what your grandmother
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Chapter 19
wanted to tell you.”
Then, looking Lilian in the eye, she said somberly, “You’re no longer a child, Lily. It’s time for you to get married.”
Lilian already had a vague hunch that this was what the marquise wanted to talk about from the start, but she still found it fronte when the marquise said it.
Madam Lestrade was still taken ill and unconscious, and here her former mother was, telling her to get married.
Lilian knew that her grandmother had always been concerned about her marriage since she was a child. However, she also knew that the fact that the marquise would visit and talk to her about that now, was neither for her sake nor Madam Lestrade.
It was for Evelyn, just because Henry Stark had said the other day that Lilian should marry first.
Even before her tears dried, Lilian sniffed and asked, “The way you put it, does that mean you have a person in mind?”
That went without saying.
In fact, the marquise already went to work as soon as she heard what Henry had to say the other day.
Still, she was not at a convenience to say it right now. Instead she told Lilian, “Don’t worry- will be fair to you in this matter. You and your grandmother will both be satisfied.”
After all, if the marquise actually wanted to use the excuse of putting Madam Lestrade’s mind at ease, the choice of husband must be to her satisfaction too.
Inhaling deeply, Lilian said, “In that case, I am grateful for your assistance, my lady.”
The worry on the marquise’s face faded, and she was even beaming. “I knew you’d understand. Don’t worry, I will be fair to you in this matter.”
Even if Lilian’s words were flat and devoid of emotion, at least she was agreeing to it.
But to Lilian, the fact that the marquise was repeating herself meant she was emphasizing it.
And anyone who had to emphasize anything always exposed themselves for having no confidence in their own words.
Fortunately, Lilian never believed in the marquise’s assurance in the first place, as her only thought was to put her grandmother’s mind at ease.
In the afternoon, Lilian was told that Madam Lestrade had woken up, and immediately rushed
over to see her.
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However, she was told that Madam Lestrade had fallen asleep by the time she arrived. Mrs. Sully brought her a cup of warm tea as she said quietly, “She took some medication to stabilize her condition. The doctor said sleeping more would Improve her health too.”
While Mrs. Sully’s assurance relieved Lillan a little, her heart still felt better as she remembered what the marquise had sald.
Even as she watched Madam Lestrade’s sleeping face, she couldn’t help but remember what the marquis and Rupert had said during the New Year’s Eve dinner last night.
The only reason she returned was Madam Lestrade, but she also knew that no matter what happened to Madam Lestrade, she would be leaving the marquis‘ residence eventually.
Even if the marquis‘ household wasn’t chasing her out at the moment, she was also an obstacle to Evelyn marrying Henry after what Henry had said, so it was understandable that the marquise was now in a hurry to marry her off
And last night, she had thought long and hard about what she would do if she left the marquis ‘household, but she couldn’t come up with anything that would put Madam Lestrade’s mind at ease–not when she has no other connections, and no prospects at all.
Ironically, it was the marquise who gave her the idea, but perhaps marrying was her only way
out.
She certainly wouldn’t hope for anything like ‘til death do us part, let alone hope for anyone to
love her.
After all, love itself was simply fickle–how could she hold on to it when she couldn’t hold on to kinship?
Still, if she could marry someone Madam Lestrade was satisfied with, that would offer Madam Lestrade relief so that she wouldn’t have to be worried sick over her while she was still alive.
It was her fault for being so powerless she couldn’t do much else for her grandmother, aside from marrying.
By the time Madam Lestrade shuffled off her mortal coil, Lilian would continue to respect her marriage if possible, avoiding divorce if they could.
At the very least, she would have nothing tying her back to the marquis‘ household.
Taking a deep breath, Lilian felt as if her fingertips were cool despite holding a cup of warm
tea.
She merely stared at Madam Lestrade’s face, afraid to touch her as she said quietly, “Please get well soon, Grandmother.”
So that she could happily watch her marry.
Chapter 10
Nonetheless, Lilian had to admit that the marquise worked very quickly.
Once she got Lillan’s consent on New Year’s day, she was already taking, Lilian into the pare to see her future husband.
And once again, Lilian really didn’t enjoy the thought of going to the palace again, but seving that it was an invitation from Consort Darling, it would be disrespectful if she didn’t go
She didn’t expect that the marquise had gone the extra mile this time either, as it turned out that the future husband that the marquise found for her was Prince Michael–Consort Darling’s son.
