Grace in Wonderland - Chapter 9

9. Suspicion, and More Suspicion

“So, what are you going to do?”

It must be upsetting. Of course, it would be upsetting. For Richard Spencer, who cherished his aunt as a mother, it was as if an unfamiliar sibling had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Sebastian felt a sudden urge to pat Richard Spencer’s red hair, which seemed oddly melancholic. Only the eldest siblings can understand the pain of having their parents’ attention stolen by a younger sibling who shows up like a demon.

“There’s no way to refuse.”

“Her request to visit Lydon?”

“That, and the adoption as well.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Sebastian nodded emphatically and began rattling off a list of questions that had been piling up in his mind.

“But who is this child? Is she a relative of the Montague family? How old is she? And why adopt a girl instead of a boy?”

Richard hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words before responding. When someone announces plans to adopt a daughter, most people would ask similar questions to Sebastian’s: who is this ‘child’ and why not adopt a boy?

“She’s not a child.”

In the end, Richard had no choice but to relay Graham’s words directly to Sebastian.

“She’s not a child? What do you mean by that…?”

“She’s a nineteen-year-old woman.”

“Yes… Wait, what?”

“That’s what Graham told me. It was written in the letter from the Marchioness of Winchester. She’s known to be talkative, but she’s not one to relay unverified information.”

Sebastian furrowed his brow deeply, his face clearly reflecting his confusion. A heavy silence hung between them, as oppressive as that of a haunted house.

“Young Master.”

After hesitating for a moment, Sebastian finally spoke up.

“Yes?”

“Could it be that this adopted daughter is an illegitimate child of Lord Montague…?”

“……”

“No matter how much I think about it, that seems to be the only explanation…”

“……”

“Doesn’t it make sense?”

As soon as Richard heard those words, he instinctively touched his throbbing left temple. Sebastian’s speculation aligned perfectly with the typical perspective of Lydon’s social circles.

If an adopted child was older than ten, they were often the illegitimate offspring of the husband brought into the family. Considering that this woman was nineteen, it was highly likely she was a child Lord Montague had fathered before marriage.

This realization was what tormented Richard Spencer. His reluctance to visit Lydon wasn’t just a secondary concern. He couldn’t refuse to meet his dear aunt, who had returned to Ingrint after so long. But the unease lingered.

It wasn’t long before Richard realized why he felt so uneasy. It stemmed from rational doubts about the true identity of the so-called adopted daughter.

As far as Richard knew, the Montague couple respected and cared deeply for one another. It was unfortunate that they hadn’t been able to have children during their long marriage, but they had still managed to maintain a strong and resilient family.

In the past, some had pointed fingers at Lady Montague. In Ingrint, a woman’s inability to bear children rendered her a worthless existence—especially among the nobility.

The cause of infertility didn’t matter. It was always the woman’s fault. After all, it couldn’t be proven otherwise, nor was there any need to try. As a result, wives unable to produce heirs were often treated worse than livestock, like pigs or cows, and were frequently cast out.

“Lord Montague doesn’t seem like that kind of person… If this turns out to be true, it could escalate quickly.”

When Richard didn’t respond, Sebastian cautiously studied his expression and spoke again.

“We don’t have any concrete evidence yet, so let’s not jump to conclusions.”

“What more definitive evidence could there be than the adopted daughter’s age?”

“We’ll have to confirm it directly.”

“And if she really is Lord Montague’s illegitimate child?”

“That depends on my aunt’s intentions. If she chooses to forgive, then this matter will be settled. If not…”

“And if not?”

“Then the Spencer family will stop at nothing to destroy the Montague family. We’ll use every means and resource available to annihilate them.”

“W-what…?”

As expected, Richard Spencer was not one to hold back. If anyone dared harm Lady Montague, Richard would follow them to the ends of the earth—even to hell—to exact justice. And it wouldn’t matter if that person was Lord Montague himself.

“But surely Lord Montague wouldn’t do such a thing, would he?”

Sebastian cautiously tried to placate Richard while gauging his mood.

“I agree. Uncle is a gentleman. I don’t want to judge him too hastily either.”

Anthony Montague, Mary Montague’s husband, was, by most standards, not someone who could hold a candle to Mary Spencer, the Earl’s daughter. He was merely a member of a minor branch of a viscount’s family.

Their marriage wasn’t well-received initially. The only reason it had been possible at all was because of Mary Spencer’s heart condition. If she had been in good health, she would have been married off to a more “worthy” husband with impeccable bloodlines. Her poor health turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

After their marriage, the Montagues displayed a strong and united front as a couple. Over time, society ceased its gossip about their union. Even the idle chatter comparing their worth diminished in the face of their unwavering silence.

Moreover, Lord Montague proved to be an exceptionally capable diplomat. His natural aptitude allowed the Ingrint government to manage its far-flung colonies without major conflicts. When he was awarded a medal of honor from Queen Anne in recognition of his contributions, even the most persistent gossipers finally fell silent. Thus, the couple managed to escape the proverbial chopping block of society’s relentless scrutiny.

Lord Montague’s personal life was reputedly spotless. This was verified by none other than James Spencer, Mary’s brother and Richard’s father, who had thoroughly investigated him before consenting to the marriage. Consequently, the likelihood of an illegitimate child suddenly coming to light after all these years was slim.

“Instead, we need to thoroughly investigate this woman.”

Assuming she wasn’t Lord Montague’s illegitimate child, there had to be some other reason why a nineteen-year-old woman was being adopted. One hypothesis was that she was exceptionally cunning, manipulative, and brazen, having managed to deceive the unsuspecting Montague couple.

If she were adopted into their childless household, she would stand to inherit everything after their passing. Richard knew full well the extent of Lady Montague’s accumulated wealth.

Mary, with her sharp eye as a Spencer, had impeccable taste. Following her husband on his overseas assignments, she had acquired a wide array of rare and valuable items, which she later sold for substantial profit. Upon returning to Ingrint, Lady Montague’s exclusive social gatherings became famous for showcasing exotic treasures, driving her aristocratic peers into frenzies of admiration and jealousy. Carpets and mosaics imported from Turkan were particularly coveted.

Eventually, Mary established a small trading company after observing the enthusiastic reception her Turkan goods received in Ingrint’s high society. Though Mary’s free-spirited nature led her to dismiss the company’s significance, Richard, out of concern for her reputation, advised her to register its ownership under her name officially. He even managed the company on her behalf during her frequent absences from Ingrint.

In doing so, Richard realized that this modest-seeming business was, in fact, a golden goose. It consistently yielded significant profits.

It was evident that the woman who had ingratiated herself with the Montague couple possessed formidable—and likely sinister—skills of persuasion. Should she act out of greed, the golden goose could very well meet a tragic end.

Richard Spencer prided himself on being a cautious man. Though he had yet to meet this mysterious adoptee, he was reluctant to pass judgment. Still, based on everything he had gathered so far, it was hard to imagine she was a person of good character.

Thus, it became imperative to uncover her true intentions and motives in approaching the Montague family. A surge of resolve and responsibility welled up within Richard as he considered the task ahead.

“So, when will you be heading to Lydon?”

Sebastian asked, breaking the silence. Richard stood and stretched his tall frame before replying.

“Right now.”