Chapter 681

Eleanor smiled at Florence. “Why are you so worried? I haven’t captured him yet; I’ve only gathered some information. He plans to leave for Serenvale on September 30th with a coachman and servant. I’ll have them all brought back to Harmony Palace and locked in the dungeon. Who will notice they’re missing? Once the Emberfest Festival is over, I’ll have plenty of time to deal with him.”

Florence’s heart tightened. “Your Highness, General Sinclair was ungrateful and cruel to you. Why would you want to bear a child from the Sinclair family? Though Lord Henry is cowardly, he’s still your rightful husband.”

A bitter taste rose in Eleanor’s mouth, a deep-seated bitterness. She pressed her fist to her temple, closed her eyes, and hissed through clenched teeth, “He was unfeeling and wanted nothing to do with me. I won’t give him that satisfaction. I’ll bear a child from the Sinclair family, so he’ll never know peace.”

Florence sighed. “You’re setting yourself up for a clash with a dead man. If you truly wanted a son, you would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Your cycle is irregular now, and you may not even conceive.”

“Please don’t punish yourself like this, Your Highness. Let the dead rest. He should be dead to you, so you no longer concern yourself with him.”

Eleanor’s eyes snapped open, fire blazing within them—a mixture of anger and the heat she’d felt when she first saw Hector in her youth.

“Do you think I want to dwell on him? He haunts my dreams every night. He’s the reason I can’t find peace. Even in death, he doesn’t leave me alone.”

Tears spilled from her eyes, and her shoulders trembled as she fought back the torrent of emotions.

“Sometimes, I don’t even know if I hate him or love him. When he died, I was more heartbroken than anyone. No one loved him like I did. Melanie Sullivan’s love paled in comparison. If I had married him, I would have died the day he died. But did Melanie?”

Florence, knowing Eleanor well, felt her heart ache for the grand princess. The older woman stepped forward to embrace her.

“Forget the past. Whether it’s love or hate, you must let it go.”

Eleanor gently pushed Florence away, wiping her tears with a defiant glint in her eyes. “In this lifetime, let me be reckless just once. Let me indulge myself without regard for the consequences. Don’t try to talk me out of it—I’ve made up my mind.”

Florence sighed. “Let me summon the household physician to check on you. If you truly wish to have a child, you need to be in good health.”

“Go ahead,” Eleanor said, waving her hand and closing her eyes again. She always slept poorly and suffered from severe daytime drowsiness.

Chapter 681 (Continued)

The household physician, Lilian, had been monitoring Eleanor’s health and knew her condition better than anyone. Hearing that the grand princess wanted to conceive a child with Henry shocked her, but she spoke honestly.

“It’s not impossible, but you must follow the prescribed regimen daily without fail.”

“Will my age pose any danger to my pregnancy?” Eleanor asked.

“Childbirth is dangerous, Your Highness. You experienced this when you gave birth to the princess. The risk increases with age. So, I advise you to think carefully,” Lilian replied.

“Just prepare the prescription,” Eleanor said calmly.

Her interest seemed to have waned. When she’d mentioned wanting a son to Florence, the desire had burned brightly. But now, having spoken it aloud, it felt less significant. Perhaps it had been a fleeting impulse.

Eleanor had glimpsed Daniel by chance. He rode confidently down the street in a blue coat, reins in hand, his chin slightly raised, exuding poise and vigor. Eleanor, seated in her carriage, had lifted the curtain just in time to see him. A rush of heat surged through her body. It felt like seeing a ghost come to life.

Since encountering Daniel, Eleanor had been plagued by dreams of the past, in which Hector remained cold and distant, deliberately avoiding her gaze. So, she’d sent someone to investigate Daniel.

Regardless of whether she chose to bear a child, she would claim Daniel as her own. She would trample the dignity of the Sinclair family and ensure that Hector’s soul found no peace.