Whitaker Scarlett was not in a good mood.
William, who knew a police officer at the local station, had gathered useful information. Having committed such blatant crimes, the three offenders were certain to face severe punishment. However, their families had caused a scene at the station that morning. Someone had suggested an absurd plan: implicating Whitaker Scarlett in their wrongdoing. They accused her of being a “female hooligan” who led an immoral life, claiming that she seduced the three men and, when unsuccessful, falsely accused them in retaliation.
The statements taken at the police station revealed that the three men had been egged on by someone’s words.
Meanwhile, rumors were being spread privately. It was said that Whitaker Scarlett, the “promiscuous woman” of Larkspur Village, had been driven out of her home and had no one to stand up for her. She was labeled someone who couldn’t live without a man and would welcome any man who approached her. The three morons, who roamed between the city and the countryside, had heard of Whitaker Scarlett’s reputation. When they saw her in person, they couldn’t restrain themselves.
But they weren’t merely after pleasure. They wanted both her body and her money.
William was perplexed. “You didn’t dig up the Whitaker family’s ancestral graves. Why do they hate you so much?”
Whitaker Scarlett was suspicious. “Is it really the Whitaker family plotting against me?”
She even began to suspect that she wasn’t truly a daughter of the Whitaker family. Perhaps she was the daughter of an enemy they had taken in, which would explain their relentless efforts to make her life miserable. Thinking about how she had almost been violated yesterday and the eggs that had been ruined, Whitaker Scarlett’s anger was hard to suppress.
Since they were at the guesthouse, the two decided to discuss the matter further after returning home. They also needed to express their gratitude to Kay and Leo for saving them.
William found a state-run restaurant.
The attitude of the waitress was lethargic as if someone owed her money.
Whitaker Scarlett, accustomed to the service-oriented approach of later times, where customers were treated like royalty, couldn’t understand the condescending attitude of the state-run restaurant staff. What made it worse was that they were the first customers of the day, yet the waitress seemed reluctant to serve them.
“Do you have food stamps?” she asked.
William shook his head. “No food stamps. Just bring us two hearty dishes.”
Most people came to state-run restaurants to order a bowl of noodles, as food stamps significantly lowered the cost.
The waitress, noting William’s rural demeanor, snorted disdainfully. “Without food stamps, it’ll be expensive. What kind of hearty dishes do you want?”
Whitaker Scarlett was losing her patience. If not for state-run restaurants, which are the only decent dining option in Greenfield County, she would have turned around and left.
“Oh, listen to yourself. Just bring whatever dishes you have. Do you think we can’t pay the bill?” she snapped.
Leo’s distinct American accent immediately caught the attention of the haughty waitress.
In this era, people from the capital carried an air of superiority for many, given that it was the nation’s hub—prestigious and influential. Upon closer inspection, only William appeared small, dark, and plain among the four individuals, while the other three exuded charm and poise.
The waitress could no longer maintain her arrogance. “I’ll check with the kitchen.”
After a while, she returned, jogging this time. “Chef Zee said there’s a fresh fish just delivered from White Creek Reservoir, an 18-pounder. Can you manage it?”
