Chapter 1734: Chapter 1734

The old queen scoffed at Jenkins's naivety. The book rested securely in the space between her and the arm of the sofa. Seeing that Jenkins was about to protest, she spoke again:

"Don't be hasty. You can discuss this matter with your friends, even with Jessica. When you feel the time is right, you may come to me with your answer. Of course," she added, "if you truly wish to sit on the throne yourself, to fight me and plunge the kingdom into chaos before openly accepting the Middleton family's legacy... I have no objections to that either."

An unexpected knock on the door cut them off. Jenkins closed his mouth and looked down at his cat. Queen Isabella picked up her book again just as a maid's voice came from outside the door:

"Your Majesty, Miss Windsor wishes to see you. She has brought a friend with her."

Judging by the voice, it was the same maid who had served them tea earlier before leaving.

"How did Jessica get in?"

The old queen murmured, then granted them entry. In the next moment, both Jenkins and Isabella understood how Miss Windsor had managed to gain permission from the Church to enter under these circumstances. The friend following her was none other than Jenkins's distant cousin, Sigrid.

Jenkins stood, scooping Chocolate into his arms, and greeted the two women. They both gave him a reserved nod, careful not to show too much familiarity in Queen Isabella's presence.

Queen Isabella seemed to have no intention of continuing her discussion with Jenkins. She gestured for Miss Windsor and Sigrid to sit. Of the sofa set, the old queen occupied the long one in the middle, which had room for two more people to her right.

Miss Windsor hesitated, glancing at Jenkins. Sigrid, however, had no intention of sitting next to the queen; after all, Jenkins's distant cousin was well aware of the unsuccessful plot against her.

Seeing that neither of the newcomers moved, the atmosphere in the study grew awkward. Jenkins cleared his throat, rising from the armchair and addressing the maid outside the door:

"Have someone bring two chairs in. Something with soft seats."

Although Jenkins was not the master of the house, his words carried weight. Soon, two footmen entered with high-backed chairs cushioned with soft red pads. They placed them as Jenkins had requested before closing the door and departing.

And so, Jenkins took one of the chairs, positioning himself centrally. Miss Windsor sat on the small sofa to his left, and Sigrid took the other chair to his right.

"So, what brings you to me?"

Only then did the old queen finally ask. She was still holding the book, but this time she wasn't pretending to read; it was merely a prop in her hands.

Sigrid remained silent, her expression tinged with sorrow. Miss Windsor sighed and looked to Jenkins, as if seeking the courage to speak. When she found him watching her, she somehow summoned the nerve to voice the impolite words she had long prepared:

"I told Sigrid everything that happened yesterday. She wanted to see you, so I brought her. I know it isn't my place to comment, but this time... this time you went too far, Your Majesty. What you did was wrong."

Queen Isabella looked at her but said nothing, then turned her gaze to Sigrid Capet. The girl, her expression full of sorrow, spoke:

"I believe this will be the last time I see you. I truly thought I had found a family..."

Jenkins suddenly reached out and took her hand, a clear gesture that the Williams family was her true kin. Encouraged by his action, Sigrid bravely lifted her head to face the old queen:

"Forgive me, but I find I don't care whether I am connected to the royal family. In truth, that distinction has become more of a burden than an honor. As for your attempt to have me killed, I trust that someone will seek justice on my behalf. But from now on, please refrain from inviting me to any public functions, and please do not, in public, refer to me as your younger relative."

She stopped short of telling the queen not to consider her a member of the Middleton family; after all, she still saw the Williams family as her relatives, and she didn't wish to sever every tie.

"Very well. I understand."

the queen said, her gaze falling to the book in her hands. She was clearly distracted. While she hadn't gone so far as to hold it upside down, Jenkins noticed she hadn't turned a page in a very long time.

"As an apology, I will leave you... in my will..."

"I'm sorry, but I won't accept anything."

Sigrid declared, a statement that deeply impressed Jenkins. He would have certainly accepted it, even if he had only planned to it all to an orphanage later.

"If you don't want it, then I'll leave it to Jessica. I think..."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I won't be accepting anything from you either."

Miss Windsor's eyes had already begun to redden, though it was unclear if it was due to the queen's attitude or the mention of her death.

The old queen didn't press the matter of leaving her assets to Jenkins. She sighed, placed the book she clearly wasn't reading onto the table, and studied the three of them before asking:

"Jenkins, how are your recent talks with the Royal Army progressing?"

It was another unexpected question, and one Jenkins truly couldn't answer. He hadn't had time for such minor details recently; Miss Windsor had been handling it all.

"With enough patience, those old stubborn mules in the Army are easy enough to persuade. But the young, hot-blooded officers won't lean your way just because of your bloodline. They care about honor, money, and power. The young people of today are far more pragmatic than they were in my youth. Back then, a few shouts of 'For the motherland!' or 'For justice!' was all it took to rally a few hotheads."

Her words seemed to carry a hint of sarcasm that Jenkins couldn't quite decipher. Of course, this wasn't the kind of advice Queen Isabella should have been giving them, considering they were essentially on opposing sides.

"Jenkins, you can't let Jessica do everything for you. Otherwise, who is to be king, you or her? I've heard that since she swore to help you, you've done little besides meet with important people. You're practically uninvolved in anything else, even less so than that Stuart princess. That simply will not do."

"Jenkins is to be a king, not a hands-on bureaucrat. It is perfectly normal for him to delegate tedious matters to those he trusts."

Miss Windsor immediately retorted.

"Do you truly believe that?"

Miss Windsor said, lifting her chin proudly. One had to admit, she had a very beautiful neck.