Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 1125

Barrett sat motionless for a long time. Randall had thought he might cry, but not a single tear appeared in his eyes. He just sat there blankly, lost in thought.

Unsure of what was on Barrett's mind, Randall handed him a bottle of wine. Barrett drank it all in one go and passed out drunk. Randall didn't bother sending him back home, letting him stay in the guest courtyard for the night instead.

By the next morning, the steward reported that Barrett had left before dawn.

He came by a few more times after that. The two didn't talk much—they were simply drinking companions.

Randall heard that Barrett's wife had returned to her family, intending to divorce him.

One drunken night, Barrett let slip that he knew one of his wife's secrets. It was like a thorn lodged deep in his heart—something he couldn't quite remove, yet he also didn't feel the need to. He could live with it.

However, she no longer wanted to look back.

When Randall asked what the secret was, Barrett didn't answer. He simply smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"If I tell you, it'll ruin her. If she wants to divorce me, she'll need to marry again. She's the daughter of an earl's family. She'll have no trouble finding another husband."

Randall didn't press further. The secrets of women in the inner households could be harmful, often tied to life or love affairs. In the end, the two men were nothing more than drinking companions. Barrett was poor, so Randall paid for all the meals and drinks.

It didn't matter. Having someone to keep him company was enough.

-

Meanwhile, Zoey hadn't been going to the workshop lately. She was overwhelmed with many troubles.

First, she received a letter from the Southern Frontier. It said that two of the concubines who had gone with Oliver had fallen ill and passed away. Now, only one concubine remained by his side, and this woman had diligently cared for him during his time of loss.

Zoey couldn't escape the fallout. Evelyn was sick, demanding Zoey and Luna stay close and tend to her daily. She would cry about Viola's lack of understanding and disgraceful behavior, while also lamenting Barrett's incompetence. Her underlying message was clear—she expected Zoey and Luna to help look after Viola.

Zoey couldn't even talk to anyone about such matters. She kept it all bottled up inside, while also trying to figure out her daughter and son's futures.

Her daughter was to marry, and finding a good match was no small task.

What troubled her more was her son. He was the legitimate eldest son, and if the title of earl could be passed down without any issues, he was supposed to inherit it.

The title of Earl of Silverstone looked prestigious on the outside, but Zoey knew better. The family was corrupt through and through. She knew just how many dirty secrets were buried beneath the surface. Aside from her brother-in-law and his wife, who were innocent, Oliver and Viola had their share of shameful deeds.

Zoey was exhausted, but as a mother, she had no choice but to keep planning for her children's futures—no matter the cost.

In the end, she turned to Carissa.