The eldest son, who was eager to fight, didn't want to talk to her in circles anymore. Picking up a glass of wine on the small table on one side and taking a sip, he looked at the other party as he put the glass down again, "Isabel, I came to my father's territory to tell my father, my mother, and you that I am ready to fight at any time. ”

Ernest made the decision to go to war after several years on the western frontier, and Isabel was not surprised. She glanced at her father, who was sitting on the throne on her left, and her mother, whose expression was solemn and solemn, and her mother's face had a look of sincere prayer.

He looked at Earnest's wife, Mrs. Caroline Walton, who was sitting on Ernest's left, and at his eldest son, who was with the maid. Wolff, who was only 4 years old, looked at the adults around him with an innocent expression, and was about to speak when he was stopped by the young maid. Caroline's face became a little gloomy and sad, and she tried to say something to her, but she couldn't say anything.

At this time, a living room manservant brought Isabel a glass of red wine. Isabel took a big sip from her glass and stared at her as she put it down, "Very well, I think it would be strange if you didn't mention participating in the battle today." “

Over the years, Caroline has completely turned Caroline into a knight lady who manages the affairs of the family and the territory. Although her husband's estate is only the size of an estate, she has a sense of accomplishment in her ability to supervise. This year, when she was planning to conceive another child for her husband, she was confronted by the war, and she feared that he would die in the war.

She didn't understand what Isabel meant, and then asked, "Isabel, do you think it's normal for my husband, the eldest son of the Walton family, to go into battle?" ”

Isabel smiled lightly, "Caroline, we all know what kind of eldest Ernest is, right?" ”

Ernest's eyes kept on her, "Isabel, I only hope that when His Highness returns, he will be able to get his permission to follow him to fight on the border." ”

At the moment, Isabel is unaware of the plight of Sir Thomas, the chief of the border guard stationed at Carlisle Castle. If she knew that recruiting soldiers was difficult now, it would be difficult to tell if her attitude towards her family's participation in the war was still not like this. She noticed that her father, Baron Walton, did not take a stand on the idea of the eldest son, so she looked at the baron, "Father, you also agree that the eldest son of the family will participate in this war?" ”

"The idea of the eldest son proves that he is a knight who protects his home and his love with his life, and fights against injustice and evil." A vague statement from Baron Walton shows that he supported the idea of the eldest son.

Isabel knew that her father would answer like this, but she still asked. Now, now that Ernest has made a final decision, she only hopes that Ernest, as the eldest son, can leave one or two children for the family. After thinking for a moment, Chong nodded to the eldest son, "Okay, I'll support your idea." However, you have to leave one more child for the Waltons. ”

When she saw that the other party nodded in agreement, a smile appeared on Caroline's face, and she said again, "Ernest, if you are killed by the Highlanders in battle, who will take care of your wife, children, and family affairs?" ”

Ernest grinned slightly, glanced at his parents and then looked at her, "Isabel, I have already thought about this question and told Caroline. If I are killed on the battlefield, custody of my family, my wife, and my children will be handed over to you! ”

"Give it to me?"

"Yes. You know that my father is also going to fight, and my mother is in bad health. Therefore, only you, as the eldest daughter of the whole family, can fully fulfill this responsibility. ”

Isabel didn't speak, just nodded silently. Who would have thought that a manservant on duty at the gate of the manor would eagerly enter the living room with a letter at this time. When she saw the letterbox in the manservant's hand, her heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly had a bad premonition.

After the manservant handed the letter to Baron Walton, the baron unhurriedly opened the seal of the letter and stretched out the letter. After a while, he sighed and looked at the eldest son, then at the eldest daughter, and said slowly, "It seems that the youngest child of the family also wants to participate in this war." ”

"Father, Alfred is only 18 years old this year, and he doesn't even have the qualifications to be knighted, why?" the eldest son asked with some confusion.

"He will be Sir Alex Ferguson's squire and go with Sir Sir to fight on the border." Baron Walton shook his head and handed the letter to Isabel.

By this time, Isabel no longer wanted to read a "letter of war" full of impassioned oaths or oaths to defend her lover and home, and the words wantonly extolled the spirit of chivalry. Living in such a northern knight family, she has to face all kinds of cruel realities.

Isabel stood up and took the letter from Sir Alex Ferguson from her father's hand, and did not open it again. He just sat back in his seat quietly, staring at his father and brother who were about to die on the battlefield for a long time, and at the thought of the young son of the family who he had not seen for many years. Now, she had to think carefully about how she could avoid the tragedy of all the men in her family dying.

In the time that followed, everything that happened around her could no longer give her the slightest idea of escapism. John Neville, the eldest son of Baron Latimer III, William Parr, the eldest son of the Parr family, the younger brother of his close friend Lady Latimer, Sir William Ingleby, lord of Ripley's Castle, and several familiar guards of the Duke's Court such as Baldwin and Fast. Even Carl Fox of the Insane Village, the son of her former enemy, invariably chose to write to her, visit her or meet her directly at the Duke of Richmond's castle, telling her that they had volunteered to fight against the Scots.

In this case, the idea that Isabel wanted to capture or kill James V became clearer and stronger. Even if you can't capture the king of Scotland with your own hands, you have to capture the commanders, nobles and knights of the Scottish army. As long as she can catch these figures of high status and status, she can quickly end this war and avoid the death of people she knows on the battlefield one after another.

To her surprise and surprise, there was another person who thought of her solution. It seems that ancient England hundreds of years ago would have also given birth to madmen like her who risked their lives. In the last week of September, the Duke of Richmond led his party back to Yorkshire. However, from the duke's expression, it was clear that the worst had happened, as Isabel had guessed.