CHAPTER 243: SEEK PEACE

The Next Morning

A light mist still hung over the gardens when a modest carriage arrived at the front gates of Williams Manor. The family’s steward, half-dressed and bleary-eyed, blinked at the unexpected visitors—two elderly nuns in plain robes and, between them, Lady Rosalind.

He hurried to alert the master of the house.

Lord Williams was still seated in his study, unshaven and sour from a sleepless night, when the steward entered and bowed.

"My Lord... Lady Rosalind has returned. She is with two nuns."

Williams’ eyes narrowed. He had heard from the king’s messengers the previous day that she would return, but he hadn’t expected it to be so early.

"So early?" he raised his brows.

"She says it was the monastery’s decision."

A moment later, Lord Williams stood at the front entrance, his coat hastily thrown over his linen shirt, as Rosalind stepped down from the carriage. She looked thinner than she had two days before, but calmer—almost untouchable in the serenity that clung to her.

"Father," she greeted quietly.

Lord Williams frowned, his eyes darting to the nuns.

"Lord Williams," said Sister Magdalene, the taller of the two. "We’ve brought your daughter back to you. The monastery does not accept novices who have unresolved ties to the world they wish to leave behind. Rosalind has matters here that require peace and closure."

"Closure?" Lord Williams echoed sharply. "She abandons her engagement and drags this family into royal disgrace, and now she wants to retire from the world without even explaining herself?"

Rosalind’s jaw tightened, but she remained composed.

"I did not return to justify myself," she said, "but to speak honestly. I have no intention of running from blame. I only seek to be heard."

The nuns exchanged a look and stepped back, allowing Rosalind to enter her father’s house first. Servants stood stiffly by, avoiding eye contact, the tension crawling up the walls like smoke.

Lord Williams led her into the study and shut the door behind them.

"I suppose the monastery hopes a talk with your foolish sisters will change your mind?" he asked bitterly.

Rosalind turned toward him, her voice quiet but resolute. "The monastery believes a person cannot devote their life to God while bitterness festers in their heart. They are right. And I do not wish to carry resentment—for you, or for them."

"Then why not speak with me before fleeing like a coward?" he snapped.

Lord Williams felt that he had never mistreated this daughter in any way. He could not understand why she would believe he would send her to her death.

"I wasn’t running from you," she said, her gaze locking with his. "I was running from what you were sending me into—a palace where mistresses bear more power than queens. A marriage arranged for politics and image, not for my safety."

She could not help but voice her doubts. The marriage was requested by the king; if her father had no choice, he might truly sacrifice her.

Lord Williams sighed and rubbed a hand across his face.

"So you intend to abandon this family and hide behind a convent wall?"

The more he thought about it, the less he could tell where he had gone wrong.

"I intend to find peace. But I won’t take vows with anger in my soul," Rosalind said.

She felt a bit hurt that he did not deny Bridget’s words.

Lord Williams stilled at those words. Perhaps for the first time in years, he truly looked at her—not as a daughter fulfilling duty, but as a woman weighed by impossible choices.

"...Your sisters have been punished," he said. "They’ve confessed their words. I will not defend their cruelty, but you must understand—this family is breaking under the king’s scrutiny. If you never return to court, do it with dignity, not disgrace."

Just knowing that his daughter did not trust him made him lose the will to convince her about the marriage.

Rosalind nodded. "I understand."

"Will you speak to them? Bridget and Beatrice?" Lord Williams asked.

As a father, he still hoped his children would get along.

"I will." She hesitated. "And I will speak with the king too, if he’ll see me. Not to restore the engagement... but to apologize for how it ended."

Lord Williams gave a short nod. "There is no need to speak to the king."

Just then, a servant knocked gently and pushed the door open.

"My lord, Lady Williams wishes to speak with you," the servant said.

Lord Williams turned back to Rosalind, his voice softer now.

"Go and speak to your sisters. I’ll handle the palace."

Since things had come to this, he no longer wanted to push.

Rosalind inclined her head. "Thank you."

As she stepped out, the study felt colder in her absence. Lord Williams stood alone for a long time, staring at the dying fire.

"Let her in," Lord Williams instructed.

"My husband," Lady Williams said as she entered, forcing a smile. She had not known that her daughters had said such words to Rosalind.

"You will manage the household properly from now on, or you can return to your father’s house," he said coldly, not wanting to hear anything else.

"My Lord..." Lady Williams was shocked. He had never been so angry with her.

But Lord Williams did not stay to listen. He still had to see the king that morning.

---

The twins chamber

The warmth of the morning sun filtered through the tall windows, casting golden streaks across the finely woven rugs. Bridget and Beatrice sat side by side, dressed impeccably, their fingers idle against embroidery hoops they clearly had no interest in.

The door creaked open, and Rosalind stepped inside.

For a moment, the sisters stared in silence.

Then Bridget gave a sharp laugh. "Look who returns from her holy retreat."

"I thought you’d already married the Lord above," Beatrice added with a mocking grin. "Changed your mind? Or did the nuns tire of your dramatics?"

Rosalind stepped farther into the room, her expression unreadable. "Say what you wish. I didn’t come here to fight."

"No?" Bridget tilted her head. "Then what? Did you come to see how pitiful we look from father’s punishment?"

Rosalind’s voice remained calm. "I came because I was asked to return. And because peace begins with honesty."

Beatrice scoffed. "Is that what you call it? Running from an engagement to a king? You’ve brought disgrace to this family. People still whisper your name like a scandal."

"And yet," Rosalind said, her gaze steady, "you both still hope to take the place I walked away from." Rosalind understand that these sister’s have been jealous of her

The sisters exchanged glances, but said nothing.

"I came to tell you this," Rosalind continued, her tone firm now. "I will not return to court. I will not stand in the way. Whatever anger you carry toward me, let it go. Grandmother only took special care of me because I had no mother, and whether you deserve it or not, one of you may soon be queen."

A flicker of triumph lit Bridget’s eyes, though she tried to hide it.

Beatrice narrowed hers. "Why would you say that?" Even she had become a bit afraid of marrying the king.

"Because the king may still need a bride," Rosalind said simply. "And Father will not waste another chance to secure the crown for this family. So be ready."

There was a long silence.

"You’re giving up," Bridget said at last, her voice low.

"I’m choosing something else," Rosalind replied. "And giving you what you’ve always wanted. You can have the court. You can have the crown."

With that, she turned and walked toward the door.

"You’re a coward," Beatrice called after her.

Rosalind paused and looked over her shoulder. "Perhaps. But I will sleep without fear."

Then she left them behind, her steps light and unwavering, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.

"Sister, do you think this marriage would really fall on one of us?" Bridget asked finding it difficult to hide her joy.

"Yes," Beatrice answered. She understood that Rosalind was not the type to joke around.

"Then this is great, one of us will become queen and the other a right hand man to the queen," Bridget said.

"Do you think this is really something good?" Beatrice asked. They did not have a good relationship with Rosalind she found it had to believe that she would let them have something good.

"Why not? No matter what our father has an important position in court. Once married, do everything to get pregnant. What do I need the king’s affection for if I hold the position of the queen?" Bridget asked.

"It’s not that simply," Beatrice said. She could not help but think of her father’s words in the study the previous day. He admitted that there was indeed danger in the palace.

"If you are also scared, then you can pass the position to me, do not worry we are sister, even if I become queen, I will still stand by you," Bridget promise.

Beatrice did not reply she simply took a deep breath and prayed she was over thinking the situation.