Chapter 262
Willow’s heart stirred. She thought it was brilliant. She didn’t even have to show her face, and Alfers would be left holding the bag. And she would be praised for her filial devotion.
But if Athena stubbornly refused to meet and something happened to Kelsey, she’d be torn to shreds by public opinion. Willow’s brow furrowed slightly as she pretended to hesitate. “Isn’t this a bit too much?” she said.
The unspoken truth was, she actually wanted to do it; she just had to put on a show.
“Lady Willow, you go to such lengths for Kelsey’s illness – that’s true filial devotion. Who would dare say otherwise?” Nona declared, bursting with pride.
Given her lowly status, playing the victim card was the only way to get Michael’s attention. What was a little physical suffering compared to that? Willow gave a slight nod, pressing a hand to her forehead as her body swayed dramatically, putting on a perfect show of near-fainting.
Nona rushed forward to steady her, exclaiming, “Lady Willow, what’s wrong? Please don’t scare me like this.”
“I’m fine,” Willow replied feebly, her delicate frame tottering dangerously, as if she might collapse at any moment.
Nona shrieked at the top of her lungs, “How could you be okay? Lady Willow, your leg injury still hasn’t healed. After caring for Lady Osborne day and night, how could your body possibly endure it? Even if the Viscountess strikes me down today, I must beg for an audience!”
With that, Nona darted up the steps and dropped to her knees outside the main gate. Kneeling, Nona cried out in a piercing voice, “Please, Viscountess, have mercy! Save Lady Willow, I beg you! Please, Viscountess, have mercy! Save Lady…”
Have to admit, Nona’s victim-card strategy worked brilliantly. The sight of the injured Willow, coming to beg for medicine with her loyal maid in tow – their pitiful act drew a flood of sympathetic glances.
A bystander, unaware of the truth, remarked, “How filial Lady Willow is, coming all this way herself to seek medicine for her mother-in-law, Kelsey. For such devotion, the Viscountess really ought to come out and meet her.”
Another chimed in, “Exactly. Just look at how frail Lady Willow appears – it’s truly heartbreaking.”
“To personally plead for her mother-in-law shows what a good character Lady Willow has. Why else would she have such a devoted servant?” someone else added.
A faint smirk played on Willow's lips.
"Who knew that fool Nona could actually be so useful?" she thought.
Now she earned a reputation for filial piety, while Athena was put on the spot.
"It was killing two birds with one stone."
Behind the door, Lance and Marquita were practically gnashing their teeth in fury.
“I’ll tear that bitch’s mouth off!” Lance bared his arms and lunged for the door, only to be stopped by Marquita.
Shaking her head disapprovingly at Lance, Marquita said, “They’re using public opinion to pressure us. If you act now, you’ll just be playing right into their hands.”
Lance frowned so hard his brows knitted together maniacally.
Marquita thought for a moment, motioned for Lance to come closer, and muttered something in his ear.
After hearing that, Lance’s eyes lit up and he nodded.
“Go,” Marquita said, giving him a slight push.
Lance straightened his clothes, then flung open the door and rushed out, throwing himself to his knees in front of Nona, mimicking her dramatic wail. “Athena is wronged! She’s been working day and night to treat the townsfolk during the epidemic, but now there are ridiculous rumors. Athena is wronged. She’s been working day and night…”
Slapping his thighs for emphasis, Lance wailed even louder, “The outbreak was already under control, but now it’s worsening again. Some people with no conscience have done wicked things, and now they have the nerve to turn around and slander my lady, accusing her of refusing to meet them!”
“Lady Athena isn’t even home – how could she possibly meet anyone? Waaah…” he finished tearfully.
Lance’s booming voice instantly drowned out Nona’s. By the time his dramatic, tearful outburst subsided, both Nona and Willow stood there stunned and at a loss for words.
“Athena isn’t home?” Nona seized the chance and shrieked, “How could that be! We clearly saw the Viscountess at home.”
“Saw her?” Lance narrowed his eyes dangerously. “When did you see her? Or did you sneak in yourself?”
“I didn’t. I just know!” Nona retorted, her face flushing with anger as she secretly gritted her teeth, thinking, ‘Damn that gatekeeper!’
Athena was the Viscountess – how could a lowly servant like her possibly trespass into her residence? That was punishable by death.
Lance scoffed. “If you didn’t see her, then why are you so damn sure my lady’s at home! All this wailing and carrying on – aren’t you just trying to smear the Viscountess’s name?”
Nona stammered, flustered, “I didn’t! I was just so concerned for Lady Willow, that’s why I resorted to this desperate measure…”
Nona stammered, her face flushing with panic.
Willow took one look at Nona’s flustered face and knew she’d botched it.
'What an utter idiot,' Willow thought with disdain. 'Getting rattled by a mere gatekeeper!'
Seeing the crowd murmuring and pointing fingers at them, Willow had no choice but to step forward and declared with forced dignity, “I merely came to seek medicine, not to cause the Viscountess any difficulty. My maid acted rashly out of concern – there was never any intention to smear the Viscountess’s name.”
Willow straightened her back, exuding the authority of the Marchioness of Somers. “Take me to the Viscountess at once,” she commanded.
Lance was speechless and thought how utterly shameless Willow was.
But outwardly, he put on a terrified expression. “Lady Willow, my lady truly isn’t here. Why must you press so hard?”
With that, he burst into dramatic sobs.
Willow’s chest heaved with fury.
'Why the hell is that damn gatekeeper bawling like that? As if I’m the one bullying him now,' she thought.
With the crowd growing larger by the minute, Willow considered retreat. Staying any longer would invite further trouble.
"Wah, playing the victim! Who do you think you are fooling?"
"Claiming you are not trying to smear the Viscountess's name? Some people are utterly despicable," a voice added.
As the crowd hurled jeers, one after another…
“I am the Marchioness of the Osborne family. How dare these lowlifes…”
Nona shrieked furiously, “You low-born wretches! How dare you insult my Lady! Guards, arrest them all and throw them into the dungeon!”
But with such a large crowd and the hecklers hiding among them, who on earth could they arrest?
The attendants looked around in bewilderment, having no idea where to start.
Just then, someone from the crowd shouted, “Wasn’t it Lady Willow who made those masks? She calls herself begging for medicine? Can’t her miracle powers save lives?”
“It’s all because of those damned masks! My husband was almost cured, but now his illness has relapsed. That plague spread…”
All at once, a barrage of rotten vegetable leaves and refuse came flying toward Willow’s head.
Willow shrieked in panic, clutching her head as she scrambled to hide behind Nona.
Nona shielded Willow, shrieking hysterically, “Outrageous! Have you lost your mind? How dare you strike the Marchioness–”
Before she could finish, a shoe came hurtling toward her.
She instinctively ducked, sending the shoe smacking into Willow’s face.
The putrid stench hit – Willow doubled over, retching violently.