Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

After Harvey and Heather left, the servants in Gracehold Estate were busy cleaning up. Apart from Samuel and Ruby, who remained in the sitting room, everyone else dispersed. Even Abigail did not stay as she escorted Dorothy back to her quarters.

Before leaving, Dorothy gave strict orders that Noah was not to make things difficult for Samuel.

"Which of the young men in this family is as outstanding as he is? The king personally selected Samuel as one of the top scholars. Him losing his position is only a temporary setback. Which family doesn't have multiple wives and concubines? It's just that some petty people are stirring up trouble."

"Mom, go rest," Noah responded, but he didn't agree. He simply gestured for his wife to escort Dorothy away.

Noah then turned his gaze to Ruby, who was sobbing uncontrollably in Samuel's arms. He felt a surge of frustration.

"Why are you crying? If you hadn't provoked Leona, would tonight's events have happened?"

Still shielding Ruby, Samuel spoke up, "Dad, how can you blame Ruby? You've seen how vicious the people in Leona's quarters are. They even dared to strike me, your son!"

"You insolent brat, shut your mouth!" Noah snapped before turning his fury back on Ruby. "You will go outside and stand in a corner, out in the cold. Don't you dare move until I tell you to."

Samuel immediately stepped forward to protect her. "She can't! She's already been dragged and injured by that vicious woman. Just look at her face..."

longer hold back his rage. He slapped his son across the face and bellowed, "Insolent child! Don't

can't stand me and Ruby, then we'll leave the

off to

packed up his belongings, including his ink, brushes, and many of the books he'd been reading, and had loaded everything onto a cart. "Did Ruby

she didn't. She helped him pack," the servant

recalling what Carissa had said. Eleanor's illegitimate daughter, who had become a courtesan at a brothel, entering the Earl of Gracehold's family-what were her intentions?

was here to sow

two possibilities. The first was that Ruby had been sold off to a brothel after falling out of Eleanor's favor. The second was that Eleanor had deliberately

almost certain

had once

a distinguished nobleman with a future

after he became involved with Ruby, he first tarnished the century-old reputation of the Earl of Gracehold's family by bringing a woman from a

against him

Oversight Department, which

the

position.