Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair)

The carriage stopped at the northern corner of Silverbrook Academy, while the Marquis of Elderglen's family's carriage followed behind to avoid traffic congestion.

The rain grew heavier, and the crowd increased. With Kayla's injured foot, it was inconvenient for her to return to her carriage at this time. She had to wait until the carriages bringing children to the academy had dispersed before she could leave. "Are you here to send your son to school, Lady Kayla?" Carissa asked, knowing that Kayla had adopted a son but unaware of his age.

"Yes, it's his first day at school, so I came to see him off." A genuine smile appeared on Kayla's face as she spoke of her son, making her expression seem more natural.

"How old is he? What's his name?"

Kayla replied, "He's seven years old, and his name is Alexander."

Violet laughed and said, "From that name, one can tell he comes from a family of generals."

Kayla's expression momentarily faltered, a hint of bitterness showing in her eyes before she quickly masked it. She softly explained, "My late husband chose names for our future children. If we had a son, he wanted a name that symbolized protection and leadership."

"I see!" Violet said, sensing the delicate nature of the conversation. Noting Kayla's reddened eyes and her apparent emotional state, Violet changed the subject. "Your maid's hand is injured. Let me help tidy your hair."

"Oh no, that's not necessary," Kayla protested, but Violet was already starting to arrange her hair.

Violet added, "Don't be fooled by my rough appearance. I'm quite skilled at hairstyling."

Unable to stop Violet, Kayla could only continue to apologize and express her embarrassment.

To ease Kayla's emotions, Carissa started a casual conversation, "I'm also here to send my nephew to school today. Like your son, it's his first day at the academy."

Silverbrook Academy had limited slots each year, so the new students were usually grouped together.

"It's Ryan, right?" Kayla asked, already knowing about Ryan. Her smile broadened slightly. "That's wonderful."

Carissa understood from Kayla's words that it was more than just a polite response-it hinted at the Sinclair family's growing hopes.

She observed Kayla's youthful yet despondent face and said gently, "Everything will be alright. What's past is past. Those who remain must live well."

Kayla nodded slightly, her expression reflecting a deep sadness.

The rain intensified, and the commotion at the academy's entrance grew louder, accompanied by shouts. The intersection was clearly blocked. Even Kayla's carriage couldn't move for the moment.

As Violet helped Kayla with her hair, she noticed an earring had fallen off. "You've lost an earring. It must have come off when you fell."

Kayla gasped, her face paled. She quickly touched both earlobes and confirmed that the earring on her left side was indeed missing. She hurried to lift the curtain as she said, "I need to go find it." The maid said, "Madam Kayla, don't go out. Let me search for it."

Violet peered outside and said, "It's crowded and chaotic right now. The spot where you fell has already been trampled by carriages, and your earring is quite large with a pearl, so someone might have picked it up."

Many carriages were not personally driven by the families; some were servants or hired coachmen. If they had seen the pearl earring while dropping off the children, they might have taken it. Kayla suddenly covered her face with her hands and began to cry. "No, I have to find it. It's a token of my husband's love. I can't lose it."

She wiped her tears away and said urgently, "I have to go find it. If I don't, someone might pick it up."

She tried to lift the curtain to jump out of the carriage, but the maid grabbed her arm. "Madam Kayla, don't rush."

Carissa and Violet helped her out of the carriage, holding umbrellas and joining her in the search.

At the spot where Kayla had fallen, Carissa and Violet scanned the ground carefully, inch by inch.

However the crowd and the rain et

made the task almost impossible. The carriages were maneuvering to turn around, and shouts demanded that they move aside.

With the heavy rain and the dense crowd, finding a pearl earring was nearly hopeless.

Carissa looked up, about to suggest waiting until the rain stopped, when she saw Kayla kneeling on the ground, dragging one foot forward while feeling around with her hands. The torrential rain soaked her slender frame, and her neatly arranged hair was now a tangled mess, making her appear like a madwoman.

Carissa's heart ached, and she nearly cried. She hurried over and helped Kayla to her feet. "Get back in the carriage. We'll continue searching."

"No!" Kayla shook her head through her tears, her hands trembling uncontrollably. She tried to hold back her emotions, but was unable to. "I must find it. It's very important to me-it truly is!"