Chapter 34

Solomon arrived at Northwatch Estate with some younger Sinclair family members to help Carissa unload and arrange her belongings. After they finished, Solomon took a walk around the estate with Carissa. Once bustling with life, the mansion now felt desolate.

“You’re the only lady of the duke’s estate now, and the servants you have are those who followed you from your natal home,” Solomon said. “You should find a steward to manage the household affairs and hire more servants for the rough work in the kitchen, garden, and stables, as well as to handle the carriages. If it’s inconvenient for you, I can help find some people.”

“Uncle Solomon, you’re busy with business. I wouldn’t want to trouble you. Holly and Lily will take care of it,” Carissa replied gratefully.

Solomon looked at his niece and sighed. “Family should never talk about not wanting to trouble each other. In the past, your father used to invite us to gather after returning from battles. Listening to his tales of danger on the battlefield both awed and scared us. But more than that, it filled us with pride. Now, there are no more warriors in the Sinclair family.”

Many descendants of the Sinclair family’s collateral branches chose to study or run businesses. It was a pity that such a distinguished family couldn’t produce more warriors.

Carissa remained silent, her eyes filled with sorrow.

“From now on, cut off all ties with the Warren family. Don’t resent or see them again. Just live your own life well,” Solomon advised.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Solomon. I understand,” Carissa said respectfully.

Observing his quiet, virtuous, and beautiful niece, Solomon added, “One day, Barrett will regret what he did.”

Carissa’s gaze turned cold and determined. “Perhaps, but I no longer care.”

The Sinclair family members could easily face challenges and let them go without lingering attachments.

Solomon nodded, satisfied with her unwavering determination. “Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to bring back the furniture included in your dowry. You don’t need to handle it.”

“Thank you, Uncle Solomon.”

Solomon waved goodbye as he left the estate.

After their discussion, Holly and Lily decided to contact an agent to help hire new servants, as that was a priority. Although they only had one lady to serve, the Duke of Northwatch’s family was still of high status. Coupled with the fact that Carissa had just gotten a divorce, there was a certain standard they needed to maintain so that people would not look down on her.

Bonus:

Apart from servants, they also needed to find a head steward. The servants who had accompanied Carissa to Valor Estate as part of her dowry were not qualified enough to fill that position.

Holly asked Carissa to make the final decision. Having managed Valor Estate for a year, Carissa understood the importance of the head steward and knew she couldn’t be hasty. Since she couldn’t find a suitable candidate at the moment, she said, “Let’s wait for my uncle to come tomorrow and ask him to help find someone. In the meantime, you can go ahead and hire some new servants and teach them the rules.”

“Understood, my lady!” Holly nodded and left.

Back in the day, from the cleaning servants to the head maid and all the housekeepers at Northwatch Estate, everyone was well-behaved and followed the rules. The noble families in the capital all praised them. Unfortunately, they were all lost in that tragic massacre. The newly hired servants needed careful training to maintain the Duke of Northwatch’s reputation. It was important not to let improper behavior tarnish the duke’s name.

Later that evening, the agent arrived with a group of young male and female servants, ranging from twelve to twenty years old. Carissa chose not to make the selection herself, leaving the task to Holly and Lily.

Currently, Lulu was Carissa’s only personal attendant. During their year at Valor Estate, three of the four servants who accompanied Carissa there as part of her dowry had been assigned tasks to manage the household. Now that they were back at Northwatch Estate, they were also in charge of some important affairs there. So, the first task was to select more attendants for Carissa.

Noticing a few outstanding and composed people among the candidates, Holly asked for their names. Those she pointed out stepped forward and replied, “We don’t have names yet. If you’re willing to take us in, please have the lady of the house give us names.”

Pleased to hear this, Holly then asked, “Can you read?”

“We can recognize a few words,” they replied in unison, indicating that the agent had prepared them before their arrival.

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