Eleanor, like her family, seemed to have heard the news about Bridget late.
'Who told you? It must have been Penelope.'
Penelope's breathing was suffocating, so she looked for a hole to breathe and finally remembered Eleanor.
Bridget, who had not moved an inch when her mother called, sat up at the news of her mother-in-law's visit...
"Anna, I need to get ready to go out. My mother-in-law is coming."
"Huh? You want to meet Lady Eleanor?"
Anna didn't move for a moment as if she couldn't understand.
When Bridget, who lived comfortably behind the high walls of the palace where her eccentric mother-in-law could not dare to invade, volunteered to go see her, he was reluctant to move.
Eleanor often visited Bridget and harassed her while Isaac was away on long trips from Luxembourg.
Of course, Anna is unaware of the current situation, but it was much worse in her past life.
When she got angry at Bridget for the gossip, she beat her calf with a stick until it bled, and he even confined her and starved her to vent her anger.
It was also Eleanor who kicked Anna out and sowed discord among the employees in an attempt to isolate Bridget.
It wasn't that she was happy to meet her.
"There is a saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Bridget said something unintelligible.
"Prepare the carriage."
***
Penelope was having an uncomfortable time with Eleanor.
"Mom, try this. It's a herbal tea from Russel. You know Russel is famous for its herbs, right?"
Penelope tried hard to look good to her mother-in-law.
"Hmm."
Eleanor looked at Penelope with sharp eyes.
"I didn't know I would hear from you."
Penelope tried to smile even as she thought. "She must be uncivilized because she's from a commoner background." at the sudden remark.
"I'm a Winston now. Why don't you contact me? Mother, the head of this household, should know what's going on in the family. Bridget probably doesn't care about duty right now so I thought I should ask you how you're doing and do my duty."
Penelope tried to please Eleanor while belittling Bridget.
Eleanor laughed but seemed satisfied with the attitude.
It made Eleanor feel smug that a woman who was a Countess of a certain family was trying to impress her, a farmer's daughter.
'She's like a fox, but unlike Bridget.. she's cute. Bridget must have been so stubborn. That's why our son had an affair with a woman like this, Tsk.'
Eleanor, who lives with Isaac's brother and sister-in-law in a city a little way from the capital, visited the Winston mansion yesterday.
She had a brief chat with Penelope last night, but this was the first time they had a proper face-to-face conversation.
"I heard you were kicked out of the Bellingham family. What should I call you?"
Eleanor deliberately brought up an uncomfortable topic.
Penelope, who was the main culprit who brought scandal to the Winston family, was not welcome.
Of course, she was more upset with Bridget, but Penelope was just as annoyed.
"I haven't been kicked out yet..."
Penelope let out a word in frustration but quickly closed her mouth.
The case was still in legal proceedings.
Of course, once she has the baby, her name and title as Countess of Bellingham will disappear.
Anyway, she was dragging out the lawsuit half-heartedly, following her father's advice to hold on to it until the end just in case.
But no matter how she said it, that fact could not have sounded good to Eleanor.
Penelope was emotional and simple-minded, so she often made mistakes in her speech, but that didn't mean she was oblivious.
She quickly added this to make up for her mistake.
"I cannot allow the Winston family's descendants to be taken away by the Bellingham family, so I must come forward."
She secretly pretended to leave Bellingham because of the child.
"Please call me Penelope, Mother."
Penelope smiled cutely and quickly brought the conversation back to the baby.
"The baby will be born soon. My belly has grown quite a bit. Would you like to touch it?"
Penelope took Eleanor's hand and placed it on her stomach.
Eleanor, who was ready to scold Penelope for her gossip, couldn't bring herself to get angry when she felt her belly moving.
"...When will the labor take place?"
"A month later. The doctor looked at the shape of my belly and said it was definitely a boy. I'm sure you'll have a handsome son who looks just like Isaac."
Penelope saw right through the hearts of the elders of the family who wanted the eldest grandson.
I heard from Isaac that Eleanor placed great importance on the lineage from son to son, such as the eldest son, eldest grandson, etc.
Eleanor was the daughter of a wealthy farmer, and among farmers, it was customary for the eldest son to continue the family line.
It was slightly different from the nobles, who inherited property as long as they were the heirs, and the capable children within that inheritance became the successors.
Due to Eleanor's influence, Isaac often called himself son, son.
So Penelope assumed the baby was a boy, even though she was not yet sure of the baby's gender.
Because this child has to be a son no matter what.
That way, she won't be thrown out of this dangerous situation.
Penelope let out a sad sigh as she saw the satisfaction spread across Eleanor's face.
"Why, don't Isaac like your son?"
"No. that's not possible. I just thought that if Isaac doesn't accept the chiId even after his birth, there's nothing I can do."
"Je won't accept the child? He's my child. There's no way he'd do that. My son isn't that shameless."
"Yes. I believe so too..."
Penelope suddenly burst into tears.
"Actually. Oh, no. I did it for no reason."
"What's the matter? Isaac said he wouldn't accept the child?"
"No, he didn't say anything like that..."
Penelope hesitated and shed tears.
Only after Eleanor, who was growing impatient, urged her on for a while, did Penelope finally confess.
"I don't know if it's the right choice for me to stay here because Isaac doesn't seem to care about the child. My parents said they'll just provide a place for the child to live with me, but I should register the child with them."
Then Eleanor jumped.
"What? Why are you putting Isaac's child on your family register? I don't know what you're talking about."
"It would be difficult for this child to be registered in the Winston family register anyway."
Eleanor's expression turned fierce.
"Bridget did that?"
An illegitimate child needed the permission of the legal wife to be registered in the family register.
Such was the law of the nobles.
Even If Isaac gave permission and Eleanor stepped forward, it would be of no use, as the noble council was extremely strict about that matter.
Penelope's eyes filled with tears.
"You may not know it, but Bridget is trying to hurt me. This child and I almost died because of Bridget."
"What? Tell me more. What does that mean?"
"There was an accident one day. There was a fire in a cabin in the field and Bridget happened to be in it. I was walking nearby. Bridget said that I had planned it all. Oh no! She framed me!"
"Tsk, I see."
Eleanor believed Penelope's words.
She thought that Bridget must have brought Isaac's mistress into the house to take Penelope away from Isaac by framing her like that.
Otherwise, why would she have brought Penelope into the house?
'She was a scary woman with a gentle face.'
"Bridget immediately asked His Majesty the King to kill me, and there was chaos at Winston Manor."
Penelope showed Eleanor the scar on her neck.
It was a wound from touching the Shadow Knight's sword blade that day.
It was so faint now that it was barely visible, having been scratched while she clung to Bridget's skirt and begged for her life.
But Penelope was wearing a scarf to cover up the very ugly wound.
Eleanor shook her head, rubbing her forehead.
"What a wicked woman! I didn't see it that way. She dares to have an affair with another man and then dares to kill my grandson? This is why you shouldn't let women into your home."
Penelope delivered the decisive blow, repeatedly wiping away tears.
"Bridget... will now give birth to the King's child and add it to the Winston family register!"
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