2
The young man’s voice, just as I remembered it, rose in desperation.
“My lady, please don’t misunderstand. I am a scholar, here in the capital for the Royal Examinations. I have fallen on hard times because my travel purse was stolen. This is my writ of identity; it bears the royal seal.”
Josh produced the scholar’s writ he kept close to his chest and offered it
Chapter
because my travel purse was stolen. This is my writ of identity; it bears the
royal
to
Isabelle
if it were a precious treasure.
04:49
Isabelle wrinkled her nose and leaned in to glance at it. When she saw his ranking on the writ, her eyes brightened.
“Very well. Seeing as you’re a poor, unfortunate scholar, I will help you. Someone, fetch this young man some food.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Her maid hurried to obey.
Josh’s body went rigid. His lips moved, but no sound came out.
I knew his dilemma. In his desperate state, he needed coin to survive until the examinations. But he possessed a scholar’s pride
and could not bring himself to ask for it.
In my past life, I had admired his talent. I not only gave him twenty silver pieces but also secretly helped him fend off the schemes
of of a few wealthy, well–connected rivals in the capital.
My sister, however, in all her charming innocence, could not comprehend the suffering Josh had endured. In her mind, giving him a
bite to eat when he was destitute was an act of immense generosity.
s an act
www
1 watched the helpless, humiliated young man at the gate, a faint ache in my heart. I hoped, for his sake, that this lifetime’s love
would be everything he dreamed it would be.
