Chapter 135
In coffeehouses across the capital, storytellers embellished Carissa’s military achievements, portraying her conquest of the cities as a grand tale of heroism. As a result, the common people deeply admired Carissa, completely forgetting the harsh words they had once spoken about her after her divorce.
Heather finally understood why she had been confined to her quarters. When her daughter married, Carissa had sent congratulatory gifts, which Heather had refused. At the time, she complained that, as a divorced woman, Carissa had no right to send gifts—it was bad luck.
Upon hearing this, Harvey was furious and slapped her. “She’s your niece! If your sister in heaven knew what you did, wouldn’t she be upset with you for being so heartless? It’s one thing for strangers to disdain Carissa, but you’re her aunt! You’re truly…”
Harvey, a leisurely prince with no real power or responsibilities, remained in the capital. He had never concerned himself with Carissa and Barrett’s divorce, nor did he dare interfere, as any royal edict regarding marriage or divorce was beyond his jurisdiction.
He was unaware of Carissa’s attempt to honor his daughter with wedding gifts. Had he known, he would have accepted them to avoid offending Carissa, though he might not have given them to his daughter.
“It wasn’t that I disliked her; I was afraid you and your family would hold it against her. I acted out of poor judgment,” Heather cried, feeling anxious and regretful after being slapped.
“You didn’t even know she went to war, which shows you never bothered to check on her. You claim poor judgment, but it’s clearly a lack of compassion,” Harvey countered.
Heather defended herself: “But we were confined to our quarters!”
“You could have sent someone to check on her. Not everyone in the household was confined.” Harvey’s face turned crimson. “Your sister treated you so well. You and your sister had a close bond that everyone admired. After such a heartless act, will Carissa still acknowledge you as her aunt when she returns?”
Harvey’s concern wasn’t genuinely about familial bonds, but about maintaining good relations with those in power. Carissa, having made significant contributions, now held a powerful military post.
Harvey had no interest in making enemies with powerful officials—especially since Carissa’s divorce had been granted by the king himself. Plus, Hector had been posthumously elevated to the title of Duke, a title that could be inherited. The Duke of Northwatch’s family would surely thrive under its new head.
Heather was shocked to learn of Carissa’s battlefield achievements. Previously, she had thought the king’s elevation of Hector to Duke was merely a formality to balance Barrett and Aurora’s marriage—more about appearances than substance.
Heather now deeply regretted her actions and wanted to make amends.
“Fortunately, Leona doesn’t know about this. When Carissa returns triumphant, I’ll ensure Leona visits her. They were very close when young. Otherwise, Carissa wouldn’t have sent Leona wedding gifts,” said Heather.
“Even if you try to make amends, it will never be the same. Moreover, because of this incident, we’ve been confined to our quarters and couldn’t attend the New Year celebrations in the palace. Clearly, the king holds a grudge. Just wait and see,” Harvey snapped before storming off.
Shaken, Heather wept. In all their years of marriage, Harvey had never struck her. Her actions had indeed been a moment of poor judgment. She didn’t despise Carissa—they were relatives, and cherished familial bonds existed between them. Heather had simply wanted to avoid further complications.
“Lara, do you think I was wrong?” Heather asked, wiping her tears as she spoke to the old maid applying ointment to her face.
Lara sighed. “My lady, you and your late sister were once very close. When General Warren sought permission to marry General Yates, you, as Lady Sinclair’s aunt, should have gone to the Warren family to support her. I advised you, but you didn’t listen.”
Heather sobbed. “But it was a royal edict. How could I possibly oppose the king? That would be outright defiance.”
Lara gently rubbed Heather’s face. “You may not have been able to stop the marriage, but if you had shown some support, the Warren family wouldn’t have gone so far, as they would have had to show consideration for your status as a princess consort.”
Heather sniffled and ordered a servant to bring warm water to wash her face.
“I’ll go to Northwatch Estate. Even if it’s just a formality, at least when Carissa returns, her servants will tell her I made an effort to visit,” said Heather.
Lara knew it was too late, and it seemed more like an attempt to curry favor. But as the princess consort had always acted this way, there was no stopping her. If she wanted to go, it was best to let her.