Mirabella raised an eyebrow, casting a sideways glance at Cassie. "What? What kind of scheme are you plotting now?"
"You've got it all wrong. What mischief could I possibly be up to?" Cassie cleared her throat. "I just don't want to be apart from you, that's all."
Last night, they had decided it would be best for Cassie to stick close to James for the next few days, mainly to keep him safe.
"Is that so?" Mirabella's eyes twinkled with teasing amusement. "Can't wait for me to hit the road, huh?"
Cassie quickly straightened up, eager to defend herself. "No way! Without my sister around, even the food loses its flavor."
"Ha."
Mirabella didn't bother to call out the young man's transparent facade.
Cassie thought to himself, "These days, nobody seems to believe the truth."
Sitting across from them, Grady caught their conversation and chimed in, "Miss Mira, there's no harm in taking the kid back for a few days."
The Davis family had its fair share of rules, but nobody in the main house dared to voice any objections.
Mirabella shook her head with a smile. "This kid's used to the freedom of the countryside. He'd probably feel more at ease without constant supervision."
Grady glanced at Cassie once more but decided not to push the matter further.
By lunchtime, Mirabella and Grady returned to the Davis family estate.
"Where's Keir? Is he upstairs?" Grady asked the elderly butler after taking a look around the empty living room.
"Keir got a call—seemed urgent—and left about an hour ago," the butler promptly replied.
Grady seemed to recall something from the past and quickly replied, "Yes, there is. But, Miss Mira, are you looking for herbs... for Keir?"
"Yes," Mirabella replied softly.
Most of the herbs she needed weren't particularly rare, but a few required seasonal distinctions.
For instance, the same herb harvested in the summer versus the fall can have different effects, which would influence the final medicinal product's efficacy.
To be on the safe side, she preferred to handle the purchase herself.
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