As she walked in the direction of the Duke of Richmond, Isabel handed the glass to a valet standing on the side. With a reserved smile on his face, he walked gracefully, and came to the Duke with his hands behind his back and nodded, "Your Highness, is there anything I need to do for you?" ”

The Duke of Richmond looked at her sideways with sad eyes, "I'm sorry, Isabel, I... I have to tell you a very sad thing. ”

Isabel knew something was wrong as soon as she saw the other person's eyes, and her heart chuckled when she heard the other party's words again. He closed his lips tightly, took a few deep breaths, and then asked reservedly, "Sad things?" Your Highness, isn't the border battle already over? Could it be that the nobles and knights of the highlanders have organized a new army to prepare for the invasion of Carlisle? ”

"Isabel, your brother... The coffin has been transported back from the border. ”

"Coffin? My brother? ”

Before the war against the invasion began, Isabel had prepared for the worst: one or both of her father, brother Ernest, and younger brother Alfred would die on the battlefield. But when she heard the news of her brother's death, she still felt like an ancient Greek sculpture standing motionless.

The Duke of Richmond, who was close to her, seemed to feel the suffocating, oppressive, almost breathless sense of grief. Slowly descending the stairs in front of the throne, he came to Isabel's side and said in the most gentle manner, "Isabel, your brother Alfred has been called by God and has returned to the beautiful and peaceful kingdom of heaven, where he will not suffer or die. ”

Isabel nodded a little blankly, "Your Highness, I know that death is not the end of life, and my brother has entered eternal life. ”

"Although God is merciful, we must constantly ask God to spare your brother from the pain of hell."

I think that the look on the face of Jesus Christ when he was crucified was not painful, but the way He spoke happily with the disciples at the cross after His resurrection. The cross is no longer a torture instrument that causes death, but represents the resurrection glory of the dead. ”

"Isabel, it's good that you can think like this." The Duke of Richmond nodded slightly, "Now, go back to your father's territory." When your brother is buried, I and others will be there for the funeral. ”

"Your Highness, I appreciate your kindness."

As Isabel saluted her farewell, she glanced at the valet in the living room who was standing on one side, "Has my father sent someone?" ”

The manservant hurriedly bowed and saluted, "Yes, I will take Your Excellency to meet the person sent by your father. ”

As the Duke of Richmond watched Isabel leave briskly for a long time, all the retainers of the Duke's Court came to his throne and asked, "Your Highness, is there any urgent business that your Excellency needs to do?" ”

The Duke of Richmond looked back at the retainers and shook his head, "The brother of the Privy Counsellor was killed in this border battle. ”

Old Beard Smith, a blacksmith who had long since become a gentleman, sighed softly, "Your Highness, I don't care what the others think, my eldest son and I will definitely attend your brother's funeral." ”

———————————

In about an hour, Isabel hurried back to her father's domain, Kirklington, with two saber guards sent by her father. When the horse galloped to the gate of the Gothic manor, she jumped off her horse and walked towards the manor before the horse was completely stopped.

As soon as she entered the parlor, she felt a sense of grief surrounding her father, mother, and brother Ernest. Not only did the faces of the family members have a feeling of longing for their loved ones, but even the faces of the father, mother, and their personal servants and housekeepers are also full of melancholy.

Mrs. Walton, who was teary-eyed, stretched out her right hand and beckoned to her eldest daughter when she saw Isabel walk in, "Son, come over here." ”

Isabel suddenly felt a little choked in her throat, and her eyes were full of tears and walked quickly to her mother to salute, "Mother, I'm back." ”

Then, he stepped forward and bent down to gently hug his mother, Mrs. Walton, who was sitting, "Mother, don't be too sad. I think that Alph has returned to God's paradise, and that he who has gone before us is waiting for our reunion in heaven. ”

Mrs. Walton nodded slightly, "Child, we have to pray for Alver and ask God to grant him eternal life." ”

"Yes, Mother." Isabel promised and walked up to her father again, "I'm sorry, father, I... Failed to do his duty to teach Alph well. ”

Baron Walton I smiled indifferently, "Isabel, it's not your fault. I heard from the eldest son that Alph was given by the artillery of the highlanders... Killed. So, you can't stop the tragedy from happening. ”

"Yes, father." Isabel nodded and walked over to her brother and sat down, turning her head to look at her distracted brother, "Ernest, look at me, when did Alph die?" ”

Ernest slowly withdrew his gaze from staring at the floor, looked sideways at her, and said word by word, "On the day the Highlanders attacked, on the afternoon of November 24th. ”

"Tell me about the battle that day."

"Well, I remember it was after dinner on the 23rd that Sir William, the deputy captain of the guard, came to me and said to me......"

Next, Ernest carefully recounted the battle with the Sugs that day and the scene when he found his younger brother dead in battle. After hearing this, Isabel turned to look at the valet standing behind her, "Anne, go and pour me a glass of wine." ”

When the maid agreed to leave, Isabel constructed in her mind a battlefield that her brother had depicted as a killing field. After thinking for a moment, his tone became a little cold as he stared at his brother, "Since you found the highlanders attacking on the north bank of the Eske River at that time, why didn't you retreat in time?" ”

Ernest shook his head slowly, "We were only thinking about killing a few more highlanders before retreating. Unexpectedly, the highlanders would use artillery against us. ”

"It seems that I have neglected the role of artillery."

"Isabel, this is no longer the time for knights and knightly squires to rush at the enemy."

Isabel was very helpless, assuming that she rushed into battle and faced the bronze cannon that opened fire on her, she would definitely have no choice but to dodge or retreat. "Miss, this is your wine." The valet came to her with a plate with a glass of wine in it.

He took a big sip from his wine glass from his plate, and looked at his brother thoughtfully, "After Alver died in battle, why didn't you let my father, mother, and me know until now?" ”