766
Backlund, Empress Borough, in the Hall Family's study.
After receiving permission, Audrey pushed the door open and walked in. Her father, Earl Hall, and her elder brother, Hibbert, were discussing something.
"Oh, darling, you don't look very well?" Earl Hall turned his gaze toward the door.
Without any acting, Audrey gave a genuinely strained smile and said:
"The Poor Relief Fund has a large shortfall in food. I wanted to raise some more, so I visited many nobles today, but they all told me they had no food to spare, not even if I paid in gold pounds."
When they said this, those nobles had been sitting either in small drawing rooms or in places specifically reserved for afternoon tea, with high-quality black tea and an assortment of exquisite desserts laid out before them. From time to time, they had invited Audrey to comment on their pastry chefs' skills.
Their servants had rosy complexions and walked with light steps, making almost no sound so as not to disturb their honored guest.
"With things as they are now..." Earl Hall sighed at her words.
Audrey thought for a moment, then said earnestly:
"Papa, I remember we should still have quite a lot of food at home. Could I buy some of it?"
"Audrey, you've already done too much. There's no need to keep doing this," Hibbert Hall said with a slight frown, while Audrey merely looked at her father, making no response to her brother's words.
Earl Hall's expression, which had relaxed considerably at his daughter's arrival, slowly grew serious again.
"Audrey, the prerequisite for charity is that it must not affect your own life or your family's. That is a principle I hope you will remember."
Dressed in a gold-and-white gown, Audrey furrowed her brows slightly before smoothing them