Clark’s arms finally, slowly wrapped around Sadie. In that moment, he felt the urge to cry. His eyes were red, and for reasons he couldn’t explain, he suddenly felt like the luckiest person in the world.
Oliver stood by the door with Isolde in his arms, watching them. He had already planned to take her to their room, but hearing the commotion, he couldn’t help but watch. He softly said, “Seeing them like this makes me think of us.”
Isolde smiled and replied, “How are our situations even the same?”
Sadie chuckled and said, “From Clark’s reaction, I can tell what he’s thinking. It’s the same feeling I had at that moment.”
“And what feeling is that?” Isolde asked, looking up at him.
“That feeling of doubt and longing, unsure of what’s real, but when you touch it or hold it in your arms, it feels so real, so impossible to believe, yet so deeply fulfilling,” Oliver sighed softly.
Isolde leaned into him, about to say something tender, but then she saw Sadie gesturing for them to leave, signaling them to hurry up.
Isolde laughed, pulling Oliver with her into their room. Oliver gently helped her lie down and said, “I’ll go check on the progress of the tomb construction.”
“Rest for a bit first. You’re exhausted,” Isolde said. Since their trip to Venton Mount, Oliver hadn’t had a chance to rest. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and her heart ached for him.
“I’m not tired. Let Clark and Sadie talk a bit more. I’ll oversee the work,” Oliver said, kissing her on the forehead with a teasing smile. “Besides, if I sleep, I know you won’t sleep well.”
“Are you really thinking about that right now?” Isolde rolled her eyes.
“Some things are just not about the mood,” he replied with a laugh, tucking her blanket in tighter. “Now sleep, I’ll be back soon.”
“Alright, I’ll sleep for a bit, but put your cloak on when you go,” Isolde said.
“Got it.” Oliver kissed her again, then left to retrieve his cloak.
The tomb was being built to the specifications of a high-ranking noble, but since it wasn’t in the ancestral grave, there was no need for distinctions between elders and juniors. Originally, the specifications couldn’t exceed those of the ancestors, but now, since they weren’t at the ancestral site, Geoffrey could be given the honor he deserved.
The burial would take place in seven days. The tomb was large and well-designed, and the people to guard it had already been chosen.
On the day of the burial, Natasha was bound to be heartbroken, but fortunately, she had her family around her, so she didn’t fall into despair.
After the burial, Isolde and the others left the mountain.
Allan had gone to the palace and wouldn’t be back until evening. Pablo was also occupied with military matters. They checked on Heidi before heading back to their rooms.
Upon returning to Ningser Pavilion, Esme, Noelle, Britney, and the others were overjoyed to see them and treated them to a big meal.
After eating, Noelle asked, “Where are Hattic and Hazel?”
“They went to find Anthony. They’ll be back late,” Isolde said, lying back on the couch, feeling full.
Oliver placed a cushion behind her waist and asked Esme, “Has anything happened at the estate while we were gone?”
Esme sighed and said, “Nothing peaceful. Agnes came back from her husband’s house and still hasn’t gone back. Arthur came by several times, but Margaret wouldn’t let him in. Agnes has been fighting with Heidi every day, but Margaret doesn’t intervene. Allan is away and Pablo doesn’t bother with household matters. Heidi’s been having a tough time.”
Isolde spoke calmly, “Agnes probably didn’t have a good time at her husband’s house, so she’s unwilling to go back. Margaret is probably doing this on purpose to annoy her. It’s Heidi who’s caught in the middle.”
Heidi had a soft temperament and didn’t like to complain, and as someone who came in halfway through, Agnes probably didn’t think highly of her.
“And what about Cristina and Eleanor?” Isolde asked, propping herself up. The way Esme looked at her, a hint of joy flickered in her eyes. Isolde shot her a playful look, and Esme turned her head in disappointment.
Noelle said, “Cristina snuck out once, and when Margaret found out, she made her kneel for half the night. At first, she cried every day, but after Agnes scolded her she calmed down.”
Isolde chuckled. “That’s what you get for disrespecting authority. She’s just someone who’s afraid of the strong and bullies the weak.”
“However,” Noelle paused and lowered her voice, “the real drama started when the two of them fought… Cristina pointed at Agnes and said, ‘Your husband is a bastard, so what’s the big deal about you acting all high and mighty?’ After that, Agnes stormed off, and when she came back, she started convincing Margaret to get a divorce.”
Isolde’s interest was piqued. “Really? So Arthur wasn’t born into the family? I suspected something was off. Madilyn seemed so invested in her daughter’s future but didn’t care about her son’s. She allowed her daughter to cause trouble, yet Arthur had to stand up for her—he’s ruining his own future.”
Esme spoke casually, “It’s just something said during a fight, it doesn’t mean it’s true. They probably said it out of frustration.”
“Maybe,” Noelle whispered, “but I overheard Cristina’s maid saying it’s true.”
“If it’s true, how did you hear it?” Esme waved her hand dismissively. “Enough gossip, we don’t need to get involved in that.”
Oliver, who had been quiet until then, spoke up. “I’m going to check on things at Southern Watch. Isolde, you rest here.”
“Go ahead,” Isolde knew he couldn’t ignore his duties, but it would be good for him to help Doug out.
After Oliver left, Isolde lay back down to sleep. Esme quietly entered and asked in a soft voice, “I noticed you seemed uncomfortable earlier. Are you expecting?”
Isolde immediately knew what she was asking. “I just overate. We’ve only been married a short time. Would I be pregnant already?”
Esme smiled. “If it’s meant to happen, it will.”
“It’s too soon,” Isolde replied, looking at Esme. “I’m not in a rush, why are you so eager?”
“I’m not eager,” Esme said.
“You sure?” Isolde teased. “You look awfully eager for someone who says they’re not.”
Esme sat down, smiling. “Alright, alright, maybe I am eager. But pregnancy is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?”
Looking at Isolde with a mix of affection, Esme asked, “Is everything settled now?”
“All settled,” Isolde sighed softly. She looked at Esme with a heavy heart. “I feel empty inside. I no longer have a maternal home.”
“Silly girl, the Sharp family is your family. And you still have Clark. A brother is as good as a home,” Esme said, lovingly patting her blanket.
Isolde sighed, “Lately, I’ve been wondering—if I weren’t so stubborn, maybe things would have turned out differently.”
“Why think about that? Your father is at peace now. If you grieve for him, that’s what would truly upset him.” Esme comforted her.
Isolde thought of Penny and asked, “Do you know Penny from the Gardner family? Have you ever heard of her?”
Esme paused and then said, “Penny? I know of her, but don’t know her personally.”
“Where did you hear about her?”
“Rosemary would occasionally mention her when she went to see Victoria. She was engaged to Hendrix’s son, but when her father fell from grace, the engagement was broken. After the Gardner family’s fall, she disappeared. Oh, Rowena knows her well. If you want to know more about her, you could ask Rowena.”
Isolde waved her hand. “No need, I know where she is. I just want to know about her story.”
“Alright, I’ll ask Rowena for you,” Esme said.