Chapter 1125

Barrett sat motionless for a long time. Randall had thought he might cry, but no tears appeared. He simply sat, lost in thought. Unsure of Barrett's state, Randall offered him wine. Barrett drank it all at once and passed out. Randall let him sleep in the guest courtyard.

The next morning, the steward reported Barrett had left before dawn. He visited a few more times after that; their interactions were limited to drinking together. Randall learned that Barrett's wife, Viola, had returned to her family, intending a divorce.

One drunken evening, Barrett revealed he knew one of his wife's secrets. It was a thorn in his side, but he didn't feel compelled to remove it. He could live with it, though she wanted nothing more to do with him.

When Randall inquired about the secret, Barrett only offered a bitter smile and shook his head. "If I tell you, it'll ruin her. If she wants a divorce, she'll need to remarry. She's an earl's daughter; she'll find another husband easily." Randall didn't press further. The secrets of women in high society could be damaging, often involving love affairs. Ultimately, they were simply drinking companions, with Randall covering all expenses since Barrett was impoverished. It didn't matter; the companionship was enough.

Meanwhile, Zoey had been neglecting the workshop, burdened by troubles. A letter from the Southern Frontier reported the death of two of Oliver's concubines. Only one remained, having diligently cared for him during his hardship and managing Redstone Manor in his absence. Oliver was considering elevating her to the status of wife. The letter omitted her name, likely due to Oliver's knowledge of Celeste's true identity and his plan to give her a new one befitting an earl's wife.

The second issue was Viola's insistence on a divorce, though her resolve wavered. When Evelyn scolded her, she cried, unable to bear the thought of Barrett's potential reenlistment as a lowly soldier. Her tears were a plea for intervention to secure him a better position.

Evelyn refused involvement, but after Viola's persistent crying, she summoned Barrett. He refused to use his family connections, wishing to join the army even as a cook. Evelyn condemned his spinelessness, for throwing away his position and mistreating his wife. She forbade him from enlisting until their issues were resolved.

The situation remained stagnant, leaving Zoey to bear the brunt. Evelyn's illness intensified, demanding Zoey and Luna's constant care. Her lamentations about Viola and Barrett's incompetence implicitly tasked Zoey and Luna with looking after Viola.

Zoey kept her worries to herself, grappling with her children's futures. Her daughter's marriage required careful consideration, but more pressing was her son's inheritance of the earldom. The title of Earl of Silverstone was prestigious, yet Zoey knew the family's corruption and hidden secrets, excluding only her innocent brother-in-law and his wife.

Exhausted, Zoey, as a mother, continued planning for her children's futures. Ultimately, she sought Carissa's help.