Chapter 85
The room where she was staying was the finest suite in the Ronfey General Hospital—complete with a private caretaker’s room and a separate reception room for visitors. The reception room itself was large and luxurious, rivaling even the parlors of noble estates.
Elisa sat on a soft sofa, sipping her warm tea as she waited. Before long, Andrew Grenville entered the room. The escort assigned by Prince Howard personally was accompanying him, both as a guard and as a watchful eye.
Andrew’s eyes darted about nervously, scanning every corner of the room. His pale face and frail build already gave him a sickly look, but the anxiety made him appear even worse.
The escort guided Andrew to the sofa and stood directly behind him. The knight’s broad frame made him all the more imposing by contrast, and Andrew couldn’t help glancing back at him several times. He even shot Elisa a pleading look, silently asking her to send the man away.
“As you know, Andrew, there was… an unfortunate incident a few days ago.”
At the mention of that unfortunate incident, Andrew bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
“Because of that, Prince Howard insisted on assigning me a personal guard. I can’t send him away of my own will, so I hope you understand.”
At her calm explanation, Andrew lowered his gaze and nodded faintly.
“Did you come here on your own?” Elisa asked, pouring him a cup of tea herself.
Andrew stared blankly at the steaming yellow liquid for a while before parting his bloodied lips.
“…My parents don’t know I came here.”
“Oh dear. They must be worried. You should have told them.”
“They would have stopped me.”
He clenched his hands tightly on his knees.
“My parents and everyone in the family… none of them intend to save my brother. They say he disgraced the family, that this disaster happened because they didn’t deal with him sooner. Now they’re planning to cast him out completely.”
Elisa already knew that Derrick Grenville didn’t have the best relationship with his parents, despite public appearances. Still, she had seen them visit him during his hospitalization and thought there was at least some affection left. Apparently, she had been wrong.
It made sense now—why no lawyer from the Grenville family had shown up even after days had passed.
“So, the fact that you came here means your thoughts differ from your parents’.”
Andrew lifted his gaze toward her, his eyes filled with a desperate plea.
“Please… show my brother mercy.”
So that was why he’d come. Elisa raised her cup in silence.
“I know this request is absurd—and that it’s terribly rude of me—but I still beg you. My brother truly regrets what he did. He’s been reflecting deeply, and I swear he’s sorry. So please…”
His trembling voice wavered with emotion. Elisa listened quietly, saying nothing as she drank her tea.
Then something changed in Andrew’s eyes.
“In the first place, isn’t it true that my brother only did what he did because Lady Leslie betrayed him—because she went to another man first?”
At those words, Elisa’s cup clattered sharply against the table. Her cold, cutting gaze met his, and only then did Andrew seem to realize his mistake. He flinched and looked away.
“Ever since the talk of breaking off the engagement, my parents and cousins mocked him constantly—called him half-witted, said he couldn’t even hold onto one woman. The people who’d invested money thinking he’d become the Leslie family’s son-in-law turned on him too, accusing him of fraud.”
Despite his shaking, Andrew forced himself to continue.
“Even then, my brother told everyone not to worry. He swore he’d marry Lady Leslie no matter what. But in the end, the engagement fell through… he must’ve been devastated. Please, consider his suffering and grant him leniency.”
“Is that all you came to say?” Elisa’s tone was flat, emotionless.
Andrew’s shoulders stiffened. He clasped his hands together so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“So you’re saying… there’s no chance of mercy.”
“None.”
She didn’t want to give him false hope for something that would never happen. Her answer was firm.
“I do feel sorry for betraying Derrick Grenville. But that doesn’t justify what he did—and it certainly doesn’t mean I should forgive him for committing a crime like kidnapping.”
If Ethan hadn’t come to save her and Noah in time, who knew what would have happened to them?
The thought alone made her shudder. That was why Elisa could never forgive Derrick Grenville.
“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave now. Please be careful on your way back to the capital.”
As Elisa rose to her feet, the escort stepped forward. She was just about to exit the room when a dull sound echoed behind her.
“…Andrew?”
When she turned, she saw him on his knees, his forehead pressed against the floor.
Elisa froze, startled. Proud Andrew Grenville—on his knees? It was almost unthinkable.
“Lady Leslie, you may not know this, but the royal family is trying to pin all the blame on my brother. That way, they can clear Princess Camilla’s name and restore the monarchy’s reputation.”
Of course she knew. Ethan had chosen to stay behind the scenes, but she was fully aware of everything that was happening.
“If my brother takes all the blame, he won’t just spend a few years in prison. They’re talking about life imprisonment—or worse, being exiled to a labor colony, forced to work until he dies.”
Labor colony. The word hit Elisa like a stone in the chest.
A slave.
The thought made her heart sink. She remembered all too vividly the pain and fear tied to that word.
“So please, show him mercy. Or if you can’t… at least help bring Princess Camilla to justice too.”
Andrew bowed his head again, his voice breaking as he begged over and over.
Elisa looked down at him, pity flickering in her eyes, but she said nothing. In the end, she quietly turned and left the room.
***
The king’s letter arrived on the tenth day after the kidnapping incident.
In it, His Majesty expressed regret for what had happened to Elisa Leslie, but added that, as a lord, Ethan still had duties to fulfill. The letter urged him to go inspect Carsten, saying the situation there was deteriorating and could no longer wait.
The royal lawyers and investigators had been trying to meet Elisa, but Ethan’s interference made it clear—they were planning to push him aside by force.
Predictable bastards, Ethan thought with a bitter laugh as he tossed the letter aside.
“You really don’t need to imitate the prince in every way, you know,” Conrad muttered as he picked the letter up.
Ethan ignored him.
“What will you do? From what I hear, His Majesty expects you to leave for Carsten before the weekend.”
“I can’t defy a royal command. I’ll go.”
Conrad blinked in surprise. He’d expected Ethan to argue, to protest—but he accepted it so easily.
“And what of Derrick Grenville’s case? I heard the investigation’s still ongoing.”
“It’s finished,” Ethan said flatly. “But if they close it now, they’d have to admit Princess Camilla was behind it. So they’re dragging it out on purpose.”
The royal family’s desperate efforts to protect the princess were almost pitiful.
“Speaking of which,” Conrad continued, “Prince Alex sent word—he wants to meet Lady Leslie.”
Ethan’s brow arched slightly.
“The prince himself?”
“Yes. Prince Howard said it might be a good idea. What will you do?”
