The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 251: Visitors Of The Day

Chapter 251: Visitors Of The Day

Meredith’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at both princesses.

"Why would you do that to your governesses?" she asked, genuinely perplexed.

Meanwhile, Laura affectionately rubbed Rhen’s head, and Lilith carefully placed the little dog on her lap. Since Anna brought the puppy, the children, especially the youngest princess, had been overjoyed to have a furry companion to play with.

Rhen quickly became accustomed to the princesses’ presence, enjoying treats and engaging in playful moments with them.

During those time together, Laura decided to confide in her aunt and the lady-in-waiting about their governesses.

"They were mean... except for Helen," she revealed, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Curious by Laura’s statement, Anna inquired further, "Did they do bad things to you?"

The eldest princess shook her head, indicating that no direct harm had been done. At the exact moment, Lilith threw a ball, prompting Rhen to jump down from her lap and eagerly fetch it.

"They’re friends with Lady James. We don’t like her. She wants Uncle Ky for herself," Lilith interjected, her voice filled with a hint of defiance.

"They said she will marry Uncle Ky and become the grand duchess. Then, he will have babies with her and won’t play with us anymore!" Laura added.

Meredith’s shock and anger were palpable.

"How audacious they are!" she exclaimed, appalled by the audacity of such rumours. "Didn’t you tell your mother about it?" she asked, hoping for some intervention.

"We did. But mother said not to bother," Laura replied, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Anna interjected, offering insight into the situation, "She might choose not to dwell too much on it. Rumours spread quickly in the palace, involving so many people. It’s challenging to contain every single one of them."

Understanding the source of it, Meredith expressed her disdain for Sarah.

"I see where these things are stemming from. It must be the work of that obnoxious lady. She’s being too ambitious!" Meredith declared. "Well, she can forget about it because our grand duke already has a perfect woman by his side. There’s no way His Highness would turn to her! Wait till Sylvia hears about this!"

Anna smiled at Meredith’s unwavering confidence. Today, their friend Sylvia couldn’t join them as she had received news that her grandfather and uncles were visiting.

The Marquess received the invitation to Anna’s banquet celebration sometime later, as he was away at a training camp with his sons. Upon receiving the letter, they rushed to the capital, albeit late. They were set to meet with the king and apologise for their delayed arrival.

Just then, a knock came at the door, capturing their attention. A servant assigned to assist for the day opened it, and Rafe entered in a rush. The sudden entrance piqued their curiosity.

"Forgive me, my lady, for being late! Are you all right?" the healer asked hastily, his expression filled with worry.

Anna and Meredith exchanged surprised glances, wondering why Rafe seemed so concerned.

"I’m perfectly fine, Rafe. What’s the matter?" Anna inquired.

"I just received a message left by His Highness. When I returned to my room, one of the servants handed it to me. I had gone back to the mansion early today to collect some personal belongings and just arrived back at the palace. As soon as I received the message, I hurried here for you," Rafe explained, his tone urgent.

"What message did His Highness give you? He didn’t inform me of anything. He had left before I woke up," Anna replied, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"His Highness asked me to check on you. He mentioned that your body temperature was slightly warmer than usual this morning. He’s worried that you might be coming down with a fever," the healer elaborated.

"Fever? Are you experiencing a fever, Anna?" Meredith asked as she turned to the princess, surprised.

Anna shook her head, dismissing the notion.

"I don’t think so. I don’t feel feverish at all," she assured them.

Concerned, Lilith approached Anna, setting Rhen aside, and gently placed her palm on the princess’ cheek.

"Are you sick, Aunt Anna?" she inquired with genuine worry.

"No, I’m not. I feel perfectly fine," Anna reassured, offering a warm smile. "Don’t worry about me."

"Perhaps it would be best for me to check on you, just to be sure," Rafe suggested.

"All right, then. Please go ahead," Anna consented, permitting him to proceed.

Meredith graciously vacated her seat beside the princess, allowing the healer to sit. Rafe took his place beside Anna and began his examination. He started by checking her body temperature, confirming no fever was present. He proceeded to examine her eyes and tongue, finding everything in order.

"You’re all right. There’s nothing wrong," the healer concluded.

"I told you so," Anna smiled confidently at the confirmation.

"Perhaps His Highness was just nervous about leaving his beloved wife," Meredith suggested, offering a possible explanation for the grand duke’s concern.

Rafe paused momentarily, then asked, "May I check your pulse, my lady?"

"Yes, please," Anna agreed, extending her hand for the healer to assess.

Rafe placed his fingers on her wrist, feeling the throbbing beat in her vein. His forehead creased with concern.

"Are you still feeling anxious?" the healer inquired with curiosity.

"I can’t deny that I do, with all that’s happening around me," Anna admitted honestly.

"Ah... that explains it," Rafe responded, his expression now relieved.

"Why? What’s the matter, Mr. Amares?" Meredith asked, growing increasingly concerned for her friend’s well-being.

"Her pulse is slightly faster than usual, and it hasn’t subsided since the night before yesterday," Rafe explained.

"Is it becoming dangerous? You said it would go away," Anna inquired.

"It’s not dangerous at all. It’s just unusual to have it continuously for days. Nevertheless, it happened because you’re anxious, as you said. It would be best if you calmed down a bit so that your pulse returns to its normal rate," Rafe reassured her and offered a piece of advice.

"Please don’t get sick, Aunt Anna," Laura chimed in as she approached, having overheard the conversation.

Lilith, who was beside Anna, grew increasingly worried and hugged the princess’s arm, tugging at her gently.

"Thank you for worrying about me, but trust me, I’m not sick at all," the princess told them, gently rubbing Laura and Lilith’s heads. The children smiled happily, finding solace in her reassurance.

Just then, another knock came at the door, and Helen, the governess of the little princesses, entered the room.

"Helen!"

Laura and Lilith’s faces lighted with joy as they rushed to embrace their governess.

"I’ve come back for you, my little sweethearts!" the governess replied happily, returning their affectionate hugs.

"Oh, you’re here! Didn’t His Majesty dismiss you?" Anna asked, surprised by her sudden reappearance.

Helen turned to the princess, a smile gracing her lips.

"I’ve been reinstated. Her Majesty the Queen spoke on my behalf, which led to a change in His Majesty’s decision. Before I could finish packing, I received the reinstatement order and was required to return to service immediately," she explained, her delight evident.

"Congratulations! That’s wonderful news!" Meredith exclaimed, sharing in the happiness of Helen’s reinstatement.

Noticing Rafe, the healer from Gerhard, the governess curtsied respectfully.

"Forgive me for not noticing you earlier, Mr. Amares. I was too excited to tell the little princesses about my return that I forgot to pay my respects to you," she apologised.

"Don’t worry about it. But I’m curious, what actually happened to you? Why were you dismissed?" Rafe inquired, interested in the details.

Helen proceeded to explain the morning incident to him, recounting the events that led to her dismissal.

"It’s a relief that the matter has been sorted out already. I’m glad you can return to your job quickly," the healer expressed.

A sense of gratitude coloured Helen’s expression.

"I am so grateful! I was in tears, thinking I would be separated from these little princesses. How could I ever leave them?" she said. "Enough about me. What about you, Mr. Amares? What are you doing here?" Helen redirected the conversation.

"I’m here to check on Lady Raychard’s health," Rafe responded.

"Oh, is my lady all right? Are you not feeling well?" Helen asked attentively, turning to Anna.

"I’m fine. Rafe already examined me, and everything is good," the princess reassured her.

"I’m glad to hear that. Since I’m already here, I can take the little princesses with me so that you can get some rest," Helen proposed, considering Anna’s well-being.

"I think that would be a good idea, my lady," Rafe agreed. "As I said, you need to be calm for your pulse rate to return to normal. Taking more rest would be ideal for your current condition."

"But I don’t feel too tired," Anna replied, slightly hesitant.

"You better listen to Mr. Amares, my lady," Meredith interjected, addressing Anna formally before Helen. "Besides, today is the last day before His Highness’s departure. We don’t want anything to happen to you. If you get sick, he might be worried and hesitant to leave."

Anna considered Meredith’s words and eventually agreed, understanding the importance of her health.

"All right, then."

"Then, let me take them with me," Helen offered gladly. She turned to the princesses and said, "Come along, Your Highnesses. We should let Lady Raychard get some good rest, right?"

The princesses nodded and kissed Anna before leaving the room. Laura and Lilith bid farewell to Rhen, who whined sadly when the girls departed.

"I still have to return the puppy to Armel," Anna said, realising that the puppy had been left behind.

"It’s all right, my lady. I can do that on your behalf," Rafe offered, willing to assist.

Anna nodded in relief and expressed her gratitude to the healer. Just then, another knock echoed through the door.

"You surely have a lot of visitors today, Anna," Meredith teased playfully. "I wonder who it is this time."

The servant opened the door, revealing a surprising guest.

"Alex!"

Meredith’s eyes lit up upon seeing his beloved, a grin spreading across her face.

The knight smiled warmly, his eyes fixed on Meredith. He then bowed respectfully to Anna and nodded to Rafe before turning his attention back to the lady-in-waiting.

"Hello, Meredith!" he greeted her, his voice filled with genuine happiness.

Meredith approached him, her face beaming with delight as she held his hands.

"What are you doing here? Aren’t you on duty?" she inquired, slightly puzzled by his unexpected presence.

"His Highness left a message before he left for his task, stating that all knights are allowed to take some time off. Those with their own families can have a full leave, while the bachelors are allowed to rotate shifts so they can attend the festival. Therefore, I was thinking... if you would like to go?"

Meredith’s cheeks turned a shade of red, unable to hide her shyness as this was the first time the knight had ever asked her out.

"But... but... I’m on duty right now," she murmured, conflicted between her responsibilities and the opportunity to spend time with Alex.

Not wanting to waste any more time, the knight turned to Anna directly. "If my lady doesn’t mind, can I take Meredith with me to the festival?" he asked straightforwardly, seeking her approval.

"Alex!" Meredith exclaimed, her embarrassment evident.

Anna smiled, understanding the couple’s desire to be together.

"Why not! Just go, Mer! It’s a special day. So, you two should spend time together," she encouraged, wanting to support their budding relationship.

"But you’ll be alone," Meredith hesitated, concerned for her.

"I’m thinking of taking a nap," Anna told her. "There’s nothing for you to do here anyway. Just go and enjoy yourselves. Don’t worry about me."

Meredith’s expression brightened, her eyes shining.

"Really? Do you mean it? You don’t mind?"

Anna nodded, granting her permission to the couple, and their joy was evident. However, a small ’ahem’ from behind caught their attention. Eli, another knight, appeared and bowed to Anna before nodding to Rafe.

Meredith raised an eyebrow upon seeing the young knight.

"Yes, Sir Henderson. Is there anything I need to do for you?" she asked, curious about his sudden presence.

"Oh, no, Lady Grey. I am just here to inform you that the knights in charge right now are Sir Parker and Sir Brooks," Eli explained.

"Ah, the shift changed already! Noted, Sir Henderson!" Meredith replied happily. Turning to Alex, she exclaimed, "What are you waiting for? Let’s go!"

Before the knight could respond, Rafe interjected, his voice calm and composed.

"Sir Jarr, before asking Lady Grey out, have you met with Lord Grey and requested his permission?" he inquired, reminding him of the important matter.

Meredith’s expression changed drastically, her eyes widening in shock.

"Oh, no! We haven’t told father about us!" she exclaimed, the realisation hitting her hard.

Alex reassured her, a gentle smile on his face.

"Don’t worry about it. I already went to see him first thing in the morning," he revealed.

Meredith’s concern didn’t dissipate entirely.

"What did father say? He accepted our relationship, did he?" she asked anxiously, hoping for a positive response.

As Alex thought back to his encounter with Lord Grey at the minister’s office, he remembered the anger and shock on the minister’s face. Lord Grey was taken aback to learn that his daughter had been courted and agreed to a marriage without his knowledge.

Fortunately, Eric, anticipating the minister’s rage, had accompanied Alex to help diffuse the situation. The second-in-command knight handed the minister a letter from the grand duke, requesting approval for the couple’s relationship and expressing his blessing.

Recognising Alex as one of his best knights and the second son of the Duke of Sanad, Kyren who had blood ties to his family from the first king’s lineage, recommended the knight as an excellent suitor for Meredith.

Despite the initial tension, Lord Grey couldn’t refuse the strong backing from the grand duke and the promising prospects for his daughter.

"Of course, yes!" said Alex calmly. "Everything went smoothly," he assured her, omitting the details of the altercation between him and his future father-in-law.

Aware of the actual events, Eli smiled knowingly as he observed the situation. The news of Alex’s meeting with Lord Grey had already spread among Gerhard’s Knights. Eric had gathered them, who were anticipating the outcome, before departing to his sister-in-law’s place and sharing the details.

Meredith expressed relief, grateful that her father had not rejected Alex or treated him disrespectfully.

"I’m so glad! I was nervous that father might have reacted differently," she confessed.

Alex followed Eric’s advice to keep the altercation hidden and spoke only positively about Lord Grey’s acceptance.

"Definitely not. He’s a warm person and accepted our relationship with open arms," he said to her.

"That’s weird. Father usually doesn’t act like that whenever I do something behind his back," she pondered, trying to make sense of the situation.

"We shouldn’t waste any more time as I’ll be on duty again tonight," Alex interjected, changing the subject and indicating their need to leave.

"You’re right! Let’s go," Meredith agreed. She turned to Anna and bid her farewell. "I’m leaving now! Have a good rest!" she said with a smile.

Anna nodded in response, wishing them well. The servant quickly handed Meredith’s robe to Alex, who accepted it graciously. The couple bowed and curtsied respectfully to the princess before exiting, followed by Eli.

"I should be going too, my lady. I have a puppy here to return," Rafe mentioned, preparing to take his leave as well.

"Thank you, Rafe," Anna acknowledged with appreciation.

Once everyone had departed, the room fell into a peaceful silence, finally allowing Anna to rest and rejuvenate.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.