# 29
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“Grand Madam, the matter is...”
Mrs. Isaacs opened her mouth hesitantly, but Grace preceded her.
“Forgive my impudence.”
“You ask for forgiveness, yet you act as if you did nothing wrong. “You are so confident.”
"I apologize. But I felt that, in the end, I could not avoid this insolence no matter how long it took.”
"…What did you say?"
“If I had waited in the reception room, would you have agreed to meet me?”
M.M.: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
A twitch between Eliza's eyebrows twitched. Although anger began to thicken in her eyes, Grace did not lower her gaze.
When Eliza tried to get up, Mrs. Isaacs, who was standing anxiously behind her, rushed to help her. The eldest lady slowly got up and sat down.
Between the scattered strands of silver hair, prominent cheekbones emerged from extreme emaciation. But what really caught the eye were the shining black eyes between that silver hair. Lips tightly closed, back and shoulders straight, though weak.
A woman who spent more than ten years waiting to die in a living grave, and yet her prestige was incomparable to the prestige of those who played the role of masters.
When Mrs. Isaacs tried to arrange her messy hair, Eliza coldly rebuffed her, then stared at Grace as if she wanted to penetrate her with her gaze and said:
“Yes, you understand very well. "I wasn't going to meet you."
“Aren't you curious why I came to you?”
"no. It only astonishes me that the daughter of a noble family, not yet married, follows the duke. Don't you have any regard for your family's honor?!
Eliza's voice was sharp and strong, unbelievably coming from an old woman so frail that her bones could barely be seen. However, not a hair on Grace's eyebrows twitched as she replied:
“Is that really what you think?”
«……»
“By plan, I should now have been a wife in the house of the Count of Saxony.”
At the mention of Saxon's name, Eliza's brow furrowed. Grace lowered her voice and continued:
“If I were to become the daughter-in-law of the Saxon who killed my parents and live in silent obedience, would Taylor’s honor be preserved then, my great lady?”
M.M.: Indescribably luxurious 🔥🔥
«……»
“Let me ask one question. Why are you holding your breath and living like this?
“Watch your tongue!” How dare you address the eldest lady like that...!”
Mrs. Isaacs exploded in anger, but Grace did not stop.
“Why are you sitting here as if you handed over all of Richmond, just waiting for the day when your life ends?”
“This cannot be tolerated. Get out immediately!!”
At that moment
Eliza suddenly burst out laughing.
A dark laugh, as if it were black blood stagnant in dried entrails under hardened skin. She laughed for a long time, a laugh that made Jessie, who was watching from behind, rub her arm because it gave goosebumps. Then Eliza raised her right hand.
“Grand Madam...”
“Stop gossiping about health. Bring him.”
Mrs. Isaacs sighed lightly, then took a cigarette from the table. She lit it and presented it to Eliza's right fingers. Eliza kept burning the cigarette for a long time.
Under the sunlight, the white smoke looked remarkably bright. Through the curtains of smoke, Eliza fixed her gaze on the sparkling green eyes and spoke slowly:
“You ask me: What am I holding my breath for?”
«……»
“My little one. “I don’t care to know what you want from me, but I will answer this question.”
«……»
“I…”
At that moment, all the feelings that had been stuck in Eliza's black eyes withdrew like a sudden tide. As the white smoke that was clearly forming faded away without a trace, even the little anger that was in her vanished, leaving a complete void.
“That (something)... has disappeared.”
With her ancient voice, Mrs. Isaacs' eyes filled with tears, while Grace remained silent. After Eliza finished her cigarette, she went back under the covers.
Mrs. Isaacs silently wiped away her tears, straightened Eliza's blanket, and then led Grace and Jessie out of the room. She stared at Mrs. Grace as if she had a lot to say, but in the end she closed the door without a word.
“What do we do, ma'am?”
Jessie asked cautiously. Grace was staring at the closed door, then turned around and said:
“Let us come back today, and come again tomorrow.”
Walking down the cold corridor, in contrast to the warmth of Eliza's room, Grace organized her thoughts.
First, as Walter said, Eliza does respond to anger. But barging into the bedroom alone is not enough to force her to get up.
Secondly, the biggest reason she didn't get up was because she lost track of her goal.
So, to awaken Eliza, there must be greater anger, and a clear goal set before her.
As Grace left the annex, she kept these two conditions in mind
“Ma’am.”
Jessie stopped her. Following her gaze outward, Grace saw unexpected people waiting for her. Maids in dark navy blue dresses, collars raised, stand with haughty faces.
She felt her heart sinking heavy. A sense of danger, a survival instinct, surged through her body.
“It seems that they will try to pin the accusation of imprisoning the maids and assaulting me.”
“What are we going to do?”
The green eyes sparkled with cold sarcasm. Isn't the bait a bait because it bites? One is not bait without a willingness to bite.
“Hide yourf.” Tell His Highness to monitor the situation now. This is an internal issue, and if you intervene hastily, the matter may turn against us.”
Jessie bit her lip, then nodded.
"concept."
Then she lowered her body like a cat under the window, and withdrew. Grace made sure she had disappeared around the corner of the corridor, then pushed open the front door.
Then the Marquise's maids stood like judges, looked up haughtily, and said in a pressing voice:
“Our Lady, the Marquis Linco, summons you. Come with us at once.”