If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 100

“It’s fine. Please, have a seat.”

Unlike Georgiana, who nodded immediately, Locke looked at his brother as if he were an unwelcome intruder.

“We’re about to leave anyway, do you really need to take a seat?”

His slightly raised eyebrow was filled with displeasure.

“It’s just nice to see you both outside the estate. You both seem to have finished eating—are you heading back together?”

Raymond directed his question at Locke, but his gaze remained fixed on Georgiana.

“Yes. We should leave now. If we set off now, we should arrive before dinner.”

“I’ve finished my business as well. Would it be all right if I join you?”

“All three of us together? What about the carriage?”

“You can take yours separately, and Leona can ride with me. It would be uncomfortable for her to share a carriage with you, wouldn’t it?”

“What? Why would you assume that?”

Locke’s expression darkened as he noisily set his coffee cup down.

“What, have the two of you suddenly gotten close?”

“N-no, that’s not it. I’ll ride alone, so you two can go together. That would be best for me.”

Caught between the two brothers, Georgiana decided that if there were two carriages available, she would prefer to ride alone.

She had no desire to be around either of them at the moment.

Although both men seemed dissatisfied, neither had a reason to object, so they had no choice but to accept her decision.

Watching Raymond, who was completely unaware of the complicated history between her and Locke, Georgiana resolved to ask Locke for understanding and reveal her real name to Raymond later. She couldn’t keep hiding the truth from everyone around her forever.

“Leona, what brought you to town today?”

Raymond, knowing her usual habits, was naturally curious.

“There was an issue at the tea supplier’s shop, and they couldn’t make their delivery, so I had to go pick it up myself.”

“If I had known, I would have gone for you… You don’t usually like going out.”

Hearing the same remark from yet another person, Georgiana realized just how little she went outside. She decided that, from now on, she should make an effort to go out more often, even if she found it bothersome.

“No, it’s fine. Thanks to that, I was able to get some fresh air. And I had a nice meal as well.”

“And you saw a play, too.”

Locke added, making Raymond’s eyes widen as he turned to Georgiana.

“Did you happen to watch The Ballad of Wind and Hills? The one I mentioned before?”

“Yes, somehow…”

“I see.”

Raymond looked as if he had been wounded.

She suddenly felt guilty, as if she had disregarded his recommendation and gone to see the play with Locke instead.

Moreover, since it was the weekend, she worried that he might think she had neglected her duties at the estate.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“There were extra tickets, so I suggested we go. Besides, even as an employee, what she does on weekends is none of your concern.”

Locke interjected coldly between them.

“This is unusual. Since when do you watch plays? And now you’re even defending someone else.”

“I can’t always stay the same. People change.”

As he spoke, Locke fixed his gaze on Georgiana.

Feeling uncomfortable under his steady stare, she deliberately looked away.

Raymond’s golden eyes dimmed slightly as he watched them.

When they stepped out of the restaurant, two carriages were waiting side by side. The coachmen, who had been chatting, quickly straightened and opened the doors for them.

“See you back at the estate.”

With a disgruntled expression, Locke guided Georgiana into the front carriage before shutting the door.

Although the carriage felt much more spacious than on the way there, she felt far more uncomfortable.

The scent that had filled the carriage earlier was gone.

Her body was now more at ease, yet in a different way, it felt as if she had turned the page of a book that she wasn’t ready to finish.

***

“Compared to other plantations that are like war zones, this one seems quite peaceful. I look forward to our continued business.”

The merchant dealing in food supplies politely bowed to her before departing.

As he said, revolts among enslaved workers had been breaking out frequently.

News from nearby plantations was making its way here, causing some unease among the workers on Raymond’s land.

The entire South was like bubbling magma, on the verge of an eruption.

However, none of the estate’s staff seemed to fear the possibility of an uprising.

There were no enslaved workers here, and even if there had been, they had faith in the former soldiers now residing at the estate, believing they could handle any situation.

Moreover, while the guards were discreet, they were highly skilled.

“Bill!”

As Georgiana stood on the front steps, checking the inventory one last time, she spotted a man dismounting from a horse behind Evan.

He was usually Raymond’s personal guard, but this time, he had accompanied Evan on a journey that had seemed too dangerous for him to travel alone. Now, he had finally returned.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

“It’s past lunchtime, but you haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

“No.”

“I’ll have a meal prepared in the dining hall. You can go down and eat whenever you’d like.”

“Thank you.”

Though Bill’s responses were short, Georgiana found him easier to be around that way.

She was certain that without Bill’s help that day, she wouldn’t have escaped from the brothel. Ever since then, she had kept a gun by her side, and Bill had spent even more time training her.

They hadn’t exchanged many words, but for someone like Bill, who rarely opened up, it was a significant change.

“I must be invisible.”

Walking ahead, Evan suddenly turned back, puffing out his cheeks in mock indignation.

“How could I not see you? You worked hard, too, Evan.”

When Georgiana smiled warmly at him, he cleared his throat and hastily quickened his pace, disappearing inside.

Unlike him, Bill stopped in his tracks and turned his head toward the stacked crates.

“I’ll help.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I’ll be done soon, and there are others here, too.”

She couldn’t let him handle the cargo after his long journey.

But despite her refusal, Bill had already bent down to pick up a crate.

“I’ll do it.”

Locke appeared out of nowhere and swiftly took the crate from Bill’s hands.

Bill tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled.

“Bill, go take care of other matters upstairs.”

“Both of you, I don’t need any help. I can manage this on my own. The kitchen staff will be out soon—ah, there they are.”

Just in time, the cook and two of his assistants emerged to retrieve the goods.

“Miss Leona, thank you for accepting the delivery. The back door was giving us trouble, but we finally managed to fix it.”

“It was no trouble at all. I checked the inventory against the ledger, and everything matches. The quality is excellent.”

“If Miss Leona says so, then it must be good.”

“Not at all. When it comes to assessing goods, I could never compare to you, Chef.”

Her gentle smile made those around her blush slightly.

With three people carrying the crates, there was no longer any need for Locke’s help. Bill, deciding that everything was under control, nodded at the two remaining men before heading upstairs.

“I’ve been watching for a while—since when did you two become so close?”

Locke, standing at an angle, asked Georgiana with an unimpressed expression, his furrowed brows mirroring his dissatisfaction.

“And what does that have to do with you, Count Locke Rivern?”

“You never used to smile so easily at just anyone.”

“Bill isn’t just anyone.”

“Ha, so you call each other by name now? Well, I suppose I’m the only one here who still uses your surname.”

Now that he mentioned it, he was right.

Everyone else called her by her first name, but he still addressed her formally.

That level of distance between them felt just right.

It meant there would be no more pain, no more wounds.

Though he wouldn’t admit it, Locke’s uncharacteristically petulant tone almost made her laugh.

At that moment, a carriage approached from afar, speeding toward them.

She hadn’t heard of any visitors, but since the vehicle had passed through the main gate without issue, it didn’t seem suspicious.

Where had she seen that emblem before?

As she pondered the mint-colored star on the black background, the carriage came to a halt with a sharp clatter of hooves.

The driver jumped down and opened the door, revealing the madam from the boutique she had visited with Locke.

Spotting them in the lobby, the woman beamed with delight. “Oh my, both of you are here! As always, you are a dashing pair. I’ve brought the tailored clothes. The final fitting remains, but I simply couldn’t resist seeing the lady again. Just looking at you fills me with inspiration!”

Speaking with practiced ease, the madam gestured for the maid accompanying her to unload the garments.

The carriage was large, making Georgiana assume the delivery was for Locke.

But then, her breath caught as dress after dress was carefully placed on a rolling rack, forming a stunning display.

It was as if the entire boutique had been transported here.

“Don’t tell me… Did you buy all those dresses? Say it isn’t so.”

Georgiana turned to Locke, who averted his gaze sheepishly.

“What were you thinking? How am I supposed to wear all of these? We have to return them.”

Each one was lavishly colored, far too extravagant for her lifestyle.

“Tailored garments cannot be returned.”

“Locke!”

“I can’t hear you.”

Plugging his ears, Locke turned on his heel and disappeared inside before she could grab him.