(♡)
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Present day...
"I understand, Miss. Let's leave as soon as possible."
Seeing Lalisa's countenance darken, Mary hurriedly consoled her.
"I'll prepare and pack the clothes and all that we need. You don't need to worry about everything else."
"Thank you, Mary."
"You're welcome, Miss. I can start packing right now, if you'd like, if we want to leave within two days."
"First, we need a ship. Find one for us, please, Mary. Thank you. You don't need to reserve a whole ship for us. It'd be for the best if there are other people present. That would be enough."
"Yes, Miss. Don't worry, you can trust me."
Mary smiled, placing her hand on her chest.
"Would you please tell Jeffrey to come inside on the way out?"
"As you wish, Miss."
Mary left the room, seeking the old butler, Jeffrey. A while later, the butler knocked on the door, a sign of his timely appearance. He entered and Lalisa pointed to the chair next to him.
"Have you waited for a long time, Lady Lalisa? I apologize."
"No, it's alright. I spoke to Mary for a long time, too. First, have a seat. We have a lot to talk about."
The butler sat on the chair , seat facing her, his wrinkled face full of expression.
"I'm grateful for you helping me, Jeffrey. Your deeds won't go unnoticed."
Had Jeffrey succumbed to the Count's order and locked her up, her path might have turned out differently. Count Alessin would prevent all means of contact from Lalisa's Crichton relatives and from the Queen with excuses of her falling ill and her being mentally unstable due to her mother's death.
And they would accept that too.
It was a proper excuse by all means.
They'd tend to believe universal right.
And it was easy to accept an illegitimate child brought into the house of her noble father.
That too, was common.
Roseanne lost her mother, Lalisa lost her mother.
That too, they thought would be a common bond of grief Roseanne and Lalisa could share.
Jeffrey shook his head.
"No, Lady Lalisa. I just did what I thought was right."
"I know it's not easy turning a blind eye to the person you've been following for a long time. I heard that you've looked after father since he was young."
"Yes..."
No matter how close she was to her relatives, she was still a child, after all.
Jeffrey was worried for her, but after today, she seemed different, and he thought that she would do just fine in Crichton.
He believed in her.
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