Chapter 750

Rosemary glanced toward the doorway, making sure Flavia was truly gone before speaking. “Mother! Something terrible has happened.”
“What is it?” the Dowager asked, her expression puzzled.
Rosemary lowered her voice to a whisper. “Stuart’s awake.”
“Stuart?” The Dowager paused, searching her memory. “Who is Stuart?”
Some things had happened so long ago that the details had begun to fade.
“Oh, Mother, he’s
Before Rosemary could finish, a flicker of recognition crossed the Dowager’s face. Her eyes narrowed. “You mean the Gonzales family from the Capital?”
“Yes,” Rosemary said, her face etched with anxiety. “Mother, with Stuart awake now… do you think… do you think something might happen?”
“What could possibly happen? They’re in Eldermere, and we’re in Valerium.” A smug smile touched the Dowager’s lips, her eyes glinting with triumph. “And don’t forget, we have the backing of the Valerium royal family. No matter how powerful the Gonzales family is, they can’t reach us here.”
The Gonzales family might be a powerhouse, but only on Eldermere soil. Once they were out of their element, what were they? Even a lion out of its jungle could be cornered. What chance did a single family have against the Valerium monarchy? That would be a fool’s errand.
Rosemary let out a breath of relief. “You’re right. What can one family do? It’s not like they can extend their influence all the way to Valerium.” She paused, her eyes narrowing again. “Still, we should keep a closer eye on her for a while.”
The Dowager knew exactly who “her” was. The source of this content ɪs.net
“I understand,” she said, nodding. “As long as I’m alive, this family will not fall into chaos. Neither the Gonzales family nor the Richards family will ever take her from me.”
She took Rosemary’s hand, her tone turning earnest. “But Rosemary, I won’t be here forever. One day, this family will depend on you. The Windsor family has ten unmarried Lords. You must try your best. If you’ can catch the eye of just one of them, the entire Vance family will be proud of you for generations to come.”
“Mother,” Rosemary sighed. “It’s not that simple. I’m thirty-five.”
No matter how well she maintained her appearance, she couldn’t hide her age. A thirty-five-year-old woman was no competition for someone twentyfive. The truth was, she had remained unmarried for so long. precisely because she hoped to use, her family’s royal connections to marry into nobility.
The Dowager’s eyes narrowed. “Thirty-five is nothing. History is filled with couples who had large age gaps and were deeply in love, You’re only ten years older than the youngest of them, Lord Welles. A woman shouldn’t be defined by her age. What truly matters is her charisma and grace Don’t sell yourself short. You are thy daughter, Diana’s daughter. You’re more than
my
worthy of a Lord-you could even
marry an Earl!”