Grace in Wonderland - Chapter 124

124. Two Wishes

The matters Richard Spencer planned proceeded without a hitch.

The Spencer family meeting was convened just one week after his return to Lydon. Richard presided over the meeting with a blank expression, conducting it half-heartedly. After a brief discussion, the motion to “strip Elaine Spencer of her title as Countess” was immediately passed.

The Young Earl didn’t even distribute voting ballots. Instead, he glared at each attendee, one by one, commanding them to raise their hands.

This was an unexpected move that even Sebastian hadn’t anticipated. With a smirk, Sebastian gestured to the servants to take back the prepared ballots.

Richard Spencer’s actions demonstrated unequivocally where the real power within the family lay. The young lion, who had endured years of humiliation at the fringes of pride before finally ascending to the throne, had not forgotten the elders who had once scorned him.

Elaine Spencer, stripped of her title as Countess, fainted immediately after the meeting, as she always did. However, with Lancelot absent, this was the first time she collapsed onto the floor of the council chamber.

When news spread that Elaine Spencer would be sent to Wormleighton, James Spencer and his mistress vehemently objected. The thought of sharing their sanctuary with Elaine Spencer was unthinkable.

However, they couldn’t defy Richard’s will. He had cut off the funds he sent to Wormleighton.

If James Spencer found this unfair, he was welcome to return to Lydon and resume his duties as Earl. Richard had made that point abundantly clear, even expressing his willingness to step aside should his father wish to return to Westminster.

The scope of responsibilities Richard had taken on as Earl was immense. Parliament may have fixed sessions, but the affairs of state never stopped. In addition to directly and indirectly managing the businesses owned by the Spencer family, he had to keep an eye on the companies they invested in.

And that wasn’t all. Social obligations and various other duties were far more numerous. When carried out earnestly, the schedule of a great noble was enough to drive a person to their grave.

When a person becomes lazy, there’s no limit to how far it can go. The likelihood of someone who has cast aside all responsibilities suddenly becoming diligent is incredibly low.

Thus, instead of assuming the role of family head that he had long avoided, James Spencer opted to take charge of a single person: Elaine Spencer. And so, James Spencer, Elaine Spencer, and the Earl’s mistress began a chaotic life together at the Wormleighton estate.

Richard’s decision to send Elaine Spencer to Wormleighton wasn’t solely to punish her. It was also a judgment against James Spencer, who had abandoned his family, and the mistress who had ruined another family.

Richard’s wish was for the three of them to live in discomfort and unhappiness together. It was a wish that would likely come true easily. When three selfish people gather, that place becomes a living hell.

Richard Spencer sent Freya to accompany Elaine Spencer to Wormleighton. This was because there was someone Richard wanted to invite to the Spencer mansion during Freya’s absence.

“How is your health?”

The handsome blond man, who had been invited to visit the Spencer mansion, smiled as he asked.

Richard’s broken leg, true to his robust constitution, was healing quickly. He could now walk a little, though not enough to enjoy a stroll with Grace.

As he reminisced about those lazy, warm moments—the only tranquil part of his relentless schedule—Richard gave a perfunctory nod with an expressionless face.

“That’s good to hear.”

The illegitimate son of the Duke of Devonshire spoke with a tone that was both polite and haughty, carrying a chill. Richard Spencer didn’t particularly mind watching the man’s arrogant behavior.

If Richard Spencer looked down on Eurus with arrogance, Eurus looked up at Richard with equal arrogance. Occasionally, there are people who can bow without appearing servile.

A certain self-taught dignity commands respect, however begrudgingly. While Richard could understand why Freya Spencer had fallen for the Devonshire bastard, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy about it.

Men like him inevitably left women yearning. He was similar to Graham Harold, the Marquess of Winchester’s young heir.

The only difference was that Graham Harold wasn’t aware of how much he tormented women, whereas this bastard knew all too well. That made Graham Harold the worst of the two.

The best man here was undoubtedly Richard Spencer himself. In that regard, he had no shame when it came to Grace. Boasting twenty years of being emotionally married, the Young Earl had never left room for misunderstanding with any woman who confessed her feelings to him.

“The reason I called you here,” Richard began, adjusting his expression as it threatened to soften in satisfaction with himself.

“Is to thank you.”

The Spencers were known for their meticulous expressions of gratitude. When it came to repaying kindness, their principle was to return more than they had received. As for enmity, they repaid that tenfold, if not more.

“Thanks to you, I was able to find Grace. You were a great help.”

“I’m glad to hear I was of help,” Eurus replied, the remnants of a smile still lingering around his eyes.

“I’ll make sure you’re adequately rewarded. Tell me what you want.”

Richard waited for Eurus’s response. He’d been curious about what the Devonshire bastard would request ever since Eurus had audaciously hinted at compensation back at the Duke’s residence. Or perhaps it was since he’d seen that bright smile, one that seemed to harbor expectations.

“From what I’ve heard, the Spencer family tends to give back double what they receive.”

Oh? So this bastard wanted to haggle? A Devonshire bastard bargaining with Spencer’s heir?

Richard straightened in his chair, his tone dripping with feigned disappointment as he replied, “You’re content with merely double? Quite modest for someone who doesn’t look the part.”

Little brat. The moment you set a lower limit, you’ve already lost.

Despite his stern tone, Richard found himself oddly amused, feeling an inexplicable urge to toy with this brat. He lifted the corner of his mouth into a faint smirk as he looked at Eurus.

“I’m not particularly desperate,” Eurus said, the left corner of his own mouth naturally curling up.

When dealing with someone who wasn’t desperate, neither upper nor lower limits mattered. Richard knew this well. After realizing he loved Grace, he’d lost interest in his position as the Young Earl and even prepared a farewell speech for the family meeting.

In the end, this wasn’t a negotiation at all. The illegitimate son hadn’t come to negotiate but simply to state his desires and claim his reward.

Having been thoroughly outmaneuvered, Richard laughed aloud. He couldn’t help but think it would be a waste to brand this man merely as a bastard.

Once the bastard was formally acknowledged as a Cavendish, Freya would finally see her wish fulfilled. Looking at Eurus’s clear, guileless face, Richard made up his mind.

“So, what exactly is it that you want me to give you?” Richard asked, getting to the point. Enough wordplay; it was time for the deal.

“I’d like a life in return for a life.”

“A life?”

“Thanks to me, the person you’re going to marry was saved. If she had boarded that ship, even her body wouldn’t have been found.”

How does he know about this?

The fact that Elaine Spencer orchestrated Grace’s kidnapping wasn’t public knowledge. Richard had only brought charges of embezzlement and money laundering against her during the family meeting, avoiding any mention of the kidnapping.

He’d done this out of consideration for Grace. With the entire social circle watching her, there was no need to feed the gossip mill.

Thus, only a handful of people knew the details of the kidnapping: Richard himself, Grace, Sebastian, Viscount Lovelace, and a few soldiers. Yet somehow, the Devonshire bastard was aware.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Does it matter?” Eurus evaded the question and added, “But who knows? My information network might come in handy for you again someday. When that happens, make sure the reward is just as generous.”

“……”

The Duke of Devonshire needed to formalize this man’s status as a Cavendish. Suppressing the burning thirst rising within him, Richard gestured for Eurus to continue.

“There are two things I want,” Eurus said, smiling brightly. His deep, sapphire-blue eyes shimmered gently.