“There’s something I need to tell you. Now that we’re sending Little Emily to the capital, I’ve already decided—Little Henry will accompany her.”

Mrs. Smith never expected that in just half a day, the situation would change so drastically. For a moment, she could hardly believe her ears. Almost instinctively, she shrieked, “Master, don’t be fooled by that wretched girl! She must be making things up to trick you. How can you let her go to the capital? Isn’t that just letting a tiger return to the mountain!”

“Mrs. Smith, you know a few idioms and you just use them all wrong? Letting a tiger return to the mountain? I have no relatives or connections in the capital, unlike you, who still has a bunch of family working at the Marquis of Wuning’s and Marquis of Weining’s mansions. What mountain am I returning to?” Henry Clark saw that Mrs. Smith was so angry her face had turned green, so she mocked, “And all my mother and brother are in Guide Prefecture—this is my home!”

“You—”

“Enough!” Charles Bolton recalled how just now, in her panic, Mrs. Smith had started addressing him so rudely, completely forgetting the proper respect between master and servant. His face darkened as he said, “The second girl can barely read, knows nothing of etiquette or rules. With Little Henry accompanying her to the capital, she can learn all sorts of things along the way, and if anything happens, there’ll be someone to guide her. She was personally brought up by Madam, so she’ll naturally be more likely to win the Dowager’s favor!”

Only now did Mrs. Smith realize what reason Henry Clark had used to persuade Charles Bolton. She was both angry and resentful, but it was clear that Charles Bolton had already been thoroughly convinced. For the moment, she couldn’t think of any other argument to refute him, so after much thought, she could only plead bitterly, “Master, this is a serious matter, please reconsider. If word of this incident gets out…”

“If word gets out, we’ll all be dead anyway. Does Mrs. Smith think that if I report to the Marquis of Wuning or the Dowager, they’ll spare only me? Besides, my mother and brother are both in Guide Prefecture. Even if I don’t think of myself, I have to think of them. As for you, Mrs. Smith, I heard you were packing up for your son William Collins? This trip to the capital is to send your elder sister to the marquis’s mansion to see her maternal relatives—why do you need to bring such a young son along?”

Mrs. Smith hadn’t expected Henry Clark to suddenly bring this up. Seeing Charles Bolton looking at her coldly, she panicked a little, and after a while forced a smile and said, “Master, I just wanted to take William Collins to the capital to broaden his horizons…”

“He’s only eight. What’s the point of taking him to the capital?”

Charles Bolton thought of all the dangerous things Mrs. Smith had been involved in lately, and with Henry Clark’s family still in his hands, if Mrs. Smith turned against him, it would be disastrous. So he spoke with finality, “I happen to be short a page boy in my study. Let him serve in my study, and when I have free time, I can teach him a few characters. If I manage to transfer back to the capital, I’ll naturally take him and your husband with me.

By the way, Little Henry just told me that the household was recently cleaned out, and there aren’t enough people. It’s already hard enough to pick two decent maids for Little Emily, and with too many people, there’s too much gossip. She might as well buy two new maids outside, train them on the way, and by the time they reach the capital, it’ll be enough. After all, she’s not a proper young lady, so there’s no need to be particular. Also, too many people in the back courtyard know Little Olivia and Little Emily, so it’s better to use the excuse that Madam’s passing has left Little Olivia heartbroken and ill, and have her stay at the other residence for now. She can meet the people from both marquis’s households there.”

Mrs. Smith knew well that the leverage she held could indeed threaten Charles Bolton, but unless she was willing to risk her entire family’s lives, she absolutely couldn’t reveal it—otherwise, it would be mutual destruction. She didn’t care about her useless husband, but her son was her dearest. Even though she was unwilling for her son to be left in Guide Prefecture, she could only swallow her anger and accept it. As for Charles Bolton saying that Henry Clark suggested moving to the other residence, she had thought of it before but hadn’t had the chance to bring it up. As for buying new maids, it was clearly Henry Clark’s way of preventing her from sending maids to spy, but no matter how angry she was, she could only grit her teeth and endure it.

Let that little wretch be smug for now!

After Mrs. Smith agreed to everything and left the room, and after another round of wrangling with Charles Bolton to see him off, Henry Clark finally let out a long breath. Though she managed to keep up appearances, her back was already drenched in sweat.

This tiny bit of advantage had been so hard-won! But no matter what, she had at least made it through the first hurdle!

Chapter 7: United Hearts

Charles Bolton came from a prominent family in Jinling. He lost both parents before passing the imperial exam as third place, which was why the Dowager, searching the city for a son-in-law for her daughter, chose him—passing as third place meant he could be appointed to the Hanlin Academy, a position of natural prestige. And with both parents gone but the family still well-off, it was a rare and ideal match, far better than marrying into a noble family and having to endure the whims of in-laws. Relying on the family fortune left by his ancestors and Lady Gu’s dowry, after becoming the prefect of Guide, Charles Bolton bought a house in the city and an estate outside, where he would take his family to relax when he had free time.