Last time, she used missing her late mother as an excuse, unwilling to leave Guide Prefecture. This time, Charles Bolton personally accompanied Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Johnson to persuade her. At first, Emily Bolton sulked and ignored them, then burst into a long bout of crying and tears. It wasn’t until Henry Clark joined in to help persuade her that she finally, albeit reluctantly, agreed. Seeing that the two mamas were now utterly convinced of Emily Bolton’s identity, Charles Bolton felt the greatest weight in his heart finally lift. Once Emily Bolton had rested and the group sat outside together, he brought up the most important matter.

“Yu’er has been frail since childhood, so for this trip to the capital, besides the Song family’s people and a few maids, I also plan to have Little Henry accompany her. First, in a strange place, they can look after each other; second, though Little Henry is not born of Madam, she was dearly loved by her in life, so by rights she should pay respects to the Dowager Madam.”

Mrs. Cooper immediately smiled and nodded slightly, saying, “Even if Second Master hadn’t mentioned it, I was planning to bring this up myself. Before we set out, the Dowager Madam said she wanted to meet the clever and delicate Miss Henry so highly praised in Second Madam’s letters, to see what kind of person could earn such endless praise. It’s perfect that Second Master has the same idea.”

Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Johnson were, after all, from the Marquis’s household, and now both sat on small stools, while Mrs. Smith stood by Henry Clark’s side. Hearing that the Dowager Madam had already intended for Henry Clark to go to the capital, Mrs. Smith couldn’t help but feel a chill.

She was not like Mrs. Carter, who simply obeyed whatever Madam said. Even though the Prince of Zi, born of Imperial Concubine Gu in the palace, was about the same age as Olivia Bolton, and even if Concubine Gu cherished her sisterly bond, there was no reason to push her own son into the fire. Besides, there were plenty of legitimate young ladies in the two Marquis households—how could the good fortune of becoming a princess fall to an ailing outsider like Olivia Bolton? Now that she had come up with this plan to deceive everyone, if Emily Bolton married too well, it would actually be dangerous for her. This trip to the capital would require careful planning to probe the Dowager Madam’s true intentions. As for Henry Clark, she must find a way to get rid of this troublemaker!

But Mrs. Smith didn’t notice that, as Henry Clark sat there seemingly focused on listening, the corner of her eye never left her. The moment she saw the mocking smile at the edge of Mrs. Smith’s lips, she immediately sensed it. Thinking back on the conversation between Charles Bolton and Mrs. Cooper, and recalling that Mrs. Smith had once mentioned her father and brother were all under the Gu family’s control, how could she really believe they meant her well? Her vigilance only grew. It wasn’t until Charles Bolton spoke again that she snapped back to herself.

“In another three or four days, the weather should start to cool. When the time comes, we’ll pick a good day to set out. Little Henry, tomorrow I’ll have someone take you home to say goodbye to your mother and younger brother. After you go to the capital, I’ll make sure they’re well looked after.”

He said she’d be sent home, but early the next morning, after Henry Clark boarded the carriage with Fangcao and Grace, she realized the carriage wasn’t heading toward her home at all. Sure enough, it went straight out of the city, following a small road she vaguely remembered for quite a while, finally arriving at another Zhang family estate, stopping only at the second gate. As she stepped down from the carriage with Fangcao’s help, a small figure came rushing toward her like the wind.

“Big sister!”

Henry Clark was stunned for a moment before being tightly hugged. Seeing that the little one was her younger brother George Clark, her stiff body quickly softened. Trembling, she reached out to stroke his round head, and her tears fell uncontrollably, instinctively hugging him tightly to her chest. When she finally managed to stop crying, she looked up and saw, a dozen steps away, a middle-aged woman staring at her intently. For a moment, she even forgot to move.

During all those days and nights at the yamen, she had always looked forward to the New Year—not for the food or new clothes, but because she could go home for three days, see her mother and brother, eat her mother’s homemade sesame rice balls, and wear the coarse little jacket her mother had sewn. These things were more precious than any riches or finery in the Zhang household.

She gently patted her brother’s shoulder, and when he finally, reluctantly, let go, she slowly walked forward, her feet feeling as heavy as lead. When she got close, instead of taking her mother’s outstretched hand, her knees buckled and she knelt to the ground, kowtowing three times in a row.

“Mother, I’ve come to see you… Your unfilial daughter has come to see you!”

“Han’er… my child…” When Mrs. Clark-Lewis heard the word “unfilial,” it was like a knife twisting in her heart. The tears that had been brimming in her eyes finally spilled over. She almost pulled her daughter up into her arms, and only when she saw her younger son George Clark holding Henry Clark’s hand and wiping his own tears did she snap out of it. She quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and forced a smile, saying, “All right, all right, it’s rare for you to come home—don’t cry and make people laugh. I made you some clothes and shoes, come try them on and see if they fit. Little George even wrote two big calligraphy pieces just for you to see!”