Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 40

“This sachet…”

Looking down at the item said to contain the poison, she found Palmascus inside, identical to what she had prepared.

“Hah.”

Guinevere staggered, letting out a hollow laugh.

“Ha, haha.”

Poison in a sachet given by Ulysses’s fiancée, Caroline?

That foolish girl, daring to do such a thing.

“Bring her to me.”

Guinevere, her eyes half-crazed, commanded.

“Caroline Lasphilla, bring her here. Now.”

Soon after, Caroline appeared. Guinevere lunged at her immediately. If Adam hadn’t intervened, Caroline might have had a handful of hair ripped out right then and there.

“Was it you?!”

Guinevere asked sharply.

“What? I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Your sachet to Ulysses had poison in it. What exactly have you planned?”

“Sachet?”

Caroline’s face turned pale.

“I did make it, but…”

As Caroline alternated her gaze between Adam, Guinevere, and Ulysses standing afar, she said,

“…I had help from a maid.”

“A maid?”

“Yes. I didn’t make it alone. I asked the maid to finish it… If something strange was there, it must be her doing.”

“Which maid is that?”

“Mary Swinn, Nathan’s nanny.”

Mary Swinn. At the mention of that name, a crack appeared on Guinevere’s previously confident face.

Not Mary Swinn. Not now.

It had only been two days since Guinevere had ordered someone to poison that maid’s lotion.

Guinevere was wary of calling the nanny, fearing it might expose even more than intended.

She thought quickly.

‘Let’s pin everything on Caroline.’

Whether she had actually put the poison in or not, this matter would end here.

It wasn’t difficult. Just intimidate her into confessing honestly instead of blaming the maid, and surely this naive girl would quickly cower and apologize.

‘I never really liked that dim-witted daughter-in-law anyway. I tolerated her only because she was Adam’s daughter, her only redeeming quality being her obedience.’

Perhaps this incident could be an excuse to break off the engagement and match Ulysses with the daughter of Duke Pierce.

After all, breaking the engagement wouldn’t strip Ulysses of his inheritance rights from Lasphilla. The engagement was more a matter of formality for Adam’s pride because Ulysses succeeded the title.

Having reached this conclusion, Guinevere opened her mouth.

“Caroline, what nonsense are you…”

“Bring that maid here.”

Guinevere’s face turned towards the one who interrupted her.

Seeing Ulysses, her eyes sparked with fury.

This clueless fool! I’m trying to protect myself! You’re ruining everything!

“I’m not the culprit. Nor do I believe Miss Caroline is.”

Ulysses, looking towards a terrified Caroline, said,

“So, we must ensure no one is wronged. Let us question the maid, Uncle.”

“Yes. You’re right.”

Adam looked at Guinevere and spoke.

“We must ensure no one is wronged.”

His gaze was no different when looking at someone else. Cold… and unfeeling.

“A-Adam, how could you look at me like that…!”

“Sister, don’t worry.”

Adam patted her shoulder.

“I would like to trust Ulysses completely.”

Saying such honeyed words so slyly.

“I’m always on your side, Sister.”

Lies. Even a passing dog would know those words were false. The kind of nonsense even a dog would scoff at, yet he spouted it effortlessly!

Fuming with boundless anger, Guinevere’s eyes grew hot. But she could say nothing more. She couldn’t say that they shouldn’t call Mary, she couldn’t just accuse Caroline, she couldn’t possibly plead for trust.

Now that Adam had turned on her, she was powerless.

“Here is Mary Swinn.”

The inevitable had arrived.

Mary, her hands clasped in front of her and shoulders hunched, walked in hesitantly.

Caroline quickly grabbed Mary’s shoulder and demanded,

“Mary, what on earth did you put in the sachet I asked you to make?!”

“M, Me?”

Mary seemed as clueless as the rest. She was just scared, having been suddenly dragged in.

“I didn’t do anything! I swear, Milady!”

“Then who was it! The sachet contained poison! You and I were the only ones who touched it!”

“But, but…!”

Mary looked around and shut her eyes tightly, then shouted,

“I didn’t make it!”

“…What?”

“I didn’t do the embroidery on that sachet!”

“T, Then who did?”

Mary lacked the skill for embroidery. If Caroline hadn’t mistaken the worn sachet Mary was carrying as her handiwork, Mary wouldn’t have even held a needle. Evidently, the sachet wasn’t her work.

Right. It wasn’t her work.

It was…

“It’s Hannah Linfitt, she made it! She’s the one who got sent to the attic recently!”

Slump.

Someone collapsed behind Mary.

It was Guinevere.