Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 805

Carissa regarded him with cold eyes.

"I thought you were a sensible man, Lord Lionel, but I see I was mistaken. Do you understand how many lives your flippant words could ruin? It's not just these women. Entire families they've been associated with will be dragged into this mess."

This wasn't about Carissa wanting to pick a fight with him or vent her frustrations. Lionel was a favored minister close to Salvador, someone who could voice such thoughts not just to her but potentially to the king himself.

Salvador was currently focused on establishing a virtuous legacy. In a couple of years, when he felt secure in his rule, he might recall Lionel's words, and those women would be left with no way out.

Lionel recognized his blunder and dared not broach the subject again.

"Then, will you at least speak to the abbess for me? If that child can be admitted as an orphan, it would be for her own good. At least she and her mom can be together."

"If that is your decision, I can mention it to the abbess. But don't flatter yourself by claiming this is for the child's benefit. She is a child with parents, yet she will be treated as an orphan. They may see each other, but they cannot acknowledge one another. Initially, they will likely need to be kept apart. Once they meet, it wouldn't matter if Casey doesn't reach out to her daughter. That child is one year old. How can a child not recognize her own mom?"

Carissa shattered Lionel's grandiose justifications without hesitation.

She had previously suggested to Malcolm that he could send the child to the convent, allowing the mother and daughter to be together. Lionel's intentions seemed to lean toward secrecy—they could live under the same roof but not truly share their lives.

This was different from what she had initially thought, and Malcolm had explicitly stated that she need not concern herself with the child's affairs.

Why, then, was Lionel seeking her help now?

Lionel hardly dared to meet her gaze. How could he not know? If he truly cared for that child he claimed was his sister, the best course of action would have been to bring her home to live with the Quinton family. Marjorie might be disappointed, but she'd never be cruel to her or the concubines' children.

Even if the child was sent to a separate residence, there would be people there to provide for her needs. Also, as her older siblings, Lionel and the others could still visit her often. Malcolm would also be able to see her. It was clear he cared for the little girl. After all, at his age, having a sweet, rosy-cheeked little daughter must mean a lot to him.

Otherwise, why would Malcolm make a point of visiting the child during his breaks?