If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 16

The sun, once high above, was now slowly dipping toward the horizon over the distant sea.

Though the weather wasn’t particularly cold, the stove had been lit for her, given her poor health. The fire crackled warmly within, while Georgiana sat wrapped snugly in a blanket by the hearth, her red eyes drooping with exhaustion as she kept glancing up at the clock. There were about three hours left until boarding.

The Mayfield office should be open by now.

Originally, the meeting place was supposed to be right by the dock, but since her boarding pass had been stolen, she needed to negotiate with them before she could board the ship.

The first task, however, was getting there.

It was a relief that Willow hadn’t hit her in any visible places, so her arms and legs were still functional. If any part of her had been broken, she wouldn’t have been able to move at all.

With her hand on the wall for support, Georgiana slowly pushed herself up.

“Oof…”

A groan escaped her lips.

Still, the medicine seemed to be working; although she wasn’t fully healed, she could at least stand and move her body slowly. Thankfully, she didn’t need to use the men’s cane she had borrowed from Henry, just in case.

The office wasn’t too far, so she figured she could leave right away. As she gathered her belongings and rose to her feet, Lockwood descended the stairs, having finished his preparations.

Unlike her own face, which was weary and pale, his was fresh and glowing, as if he had rested for days. His hair, slicked back with pomade, revealed his sharp features even more distinctly, making it hard to look away. The smoothness of his forehead and the straightness of his nose gave him the appearance of a living statue, especially when the light reflected off him. She thought the people on the ship would hardly be able to take their eyes off him.

Given that he was traveling with businessmen, his attire reflected considerable attention to detail.

His dark blue frock coat and light blue waistcoat complemented his cobalt-blue eyes, making it difficult to tear her gaze away.

Why would someone like him need to find a wife for a role?

Even now, if he proposed, there would be countless women eager to accept.

As questions arose in her mind, she also felt that she could understand why, seeing the emotionless look in his eyes. It was hard to imagine him ever falling passionately in love.

Perhaps he would prefer a quick, practical marriage that met certain conditions.

But even then, it was hard to picture anyone standing beside him.

Even if they pretended to be a married couple as he suggested, it seemed like they’d quickly be found out. No one would believe they were lovers.

Nor did she look wealthy enough for him to propose a business-like marriage.

They were like a pair of shoes—one old and worn, the other polished and new—easily distinguishable at a glance.

The strange feeling she often got from him likely stemmed from that difference.

Come to think of it, did he manage to find someone to play the role of his wife? Given how urgently he had made the proposal to her yesterday, it seemed likely that he would board the ship alone.

Hearing his footsteps, she was startled out of her thoughts, and the sight of her luggage seemed to puzzle him as he approached.

“There’s still some time before boarding. Where are you going?”

“I have somewhere to stop by.”

“I’ll have the carriage brought around.”

He turned, as if to call for the servant, but she quickly stopped him. If he knew where she was going, he’d ask why, and she didn’t want to explain.

Of course, if the Mayfield turned her down, she might consider him as a last resort, but only as an absolute last option.

“No, that won’t be necessary. It’s nearby.”

“Even so, walking in your condition might be too much.”

“I-I’ll be fine.”

Georgiana hurried her steps before he could press her further.

Just as she reached the front door, Henry, still wearing his apron, rushed out of the kitchen, holding a half-peeled potato and a kitchen knife.

“I’m in the middle of preparing a meal. Where are you going? I can drive you, but you should at least eat before you go.”

Seeing that he was not only a servant and coachman but also cooking, Georgiana couldn’t help but cast a reproachful glance at his employer, Lockwood. Wasn’t this too much?

Lockwood shrugged slightly, as if to say it wasn’t his fault.

“No, I don’t have time to eat.”

She hastily placed the old hat on her head and reached for the door, but Lockwood stepped in front of her, blocking the way. He simply leaned against the doorframe, yet the shadow cast over his face made him look like the protagonist of a classic painting.

His lips, which had been tightly shut, parted just enough, and his voice was even calmer as he tried to persuade her again.

“My offer still stands. If you’ve changed your mind, let me know.”

“N-no, my answer is still the same. I’ll be on my way now.”

Without raising her head, she opened the door and stepped outside. She felt that if she looked at him one more time, she might get swept up in his expression.

As soon as she rounded the corner, out of sight of his window, her brisk steps faltered.

“Oof.”

The strain of walking too quickly caused her bruised abdomen to tighten, painfully pulling at her muscles. Her side and back were all sore.

Doubling over, Georgiana took a few deep breaths.

“Huff…”

With every breath, her chest ached.

She wanted nothing more than to sit down and rest anywhere, but there wasn’t enough time. They’d be busy when boarding time approached, so she had to reach the office before that.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to keep moving.

It took her much longer than usual to reach the office, and by the time she arrived, she was a mess, drenched in cold sweat. As she wiped her sweaty face and approached the door, she saw a familiar figure already there. She quickly ducked behind a wall.

“Damn it, where did that bitch go? If she’s not here, should I wait at the port?”

The stench of cheap liquor wafted through the alley where she hid, coming from Willow.

Georgiana covered her mouth with her sleeve, afraid even her breathing might give her away.

It seemed he had come here to catch her after learning that she planned to board the ship. His huffing and puffing suggested he had lost everything he’d gambled with the boarding pass.

She felt neither disappointment nor surprise—she hadn’t expected any better. But now, the thought of missing the ship because of this delay made her anxious.

Despite his talk of heading to the port, Willow lingered by the office door, pacing back and forth. His menacing presence made passersby hesitate and glance back nervously.

“Could she have been kidnapped? I mean, her face is nice enough. Maybe she seduced someone! Oh! That painter bastard—could she have gone to his house?”

Georgiana’s heart sank at Willow’s wild guess.

“Yeah, where else would she go? If he’s hiding her, I’ll make him pay. Where did I write down that address…?”

As he rummaged through his pockets, Willow finally pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. The address was scrawled in his crooked handwriting.

“82 Harrington Street—that must be it.”

Georgiana paled as she watched him read the address.

She was terrified that Willow might go after Lockwood.

At the same time, she was grateful she had left the house. If she hadn’t come to the office and had stayed behind, things could have gone much worse. Even if Willow was crazy, surely he wouldn’t make a scene once he realized she wasn’t in the house.

After Willow had disappeared, following the directions on the note, Georgiana finally emerged from her hiding place, pulling her hat down over her face.

She had already lost 30 minutes. Though she knew she had to hurry, her steps slowed and eventually came to a halt. The image of the knife Willow had brandished kept flashing in her mind, making her feet feel like they were glued to the ground.

What if the drunk Willow caused trouble?

Guilt washed over her as she imagined leaving Lockwood to face her misfortune while she tried to escape.

If she moved quickly, she might have time to warn him and still return before Willow figured out the way. After all, Willow didn’t know the route as well as she did, so she could reach Lockwood faster.

In the end, Georgiana clenched her eyes shut, then turned back the way she had come.

The faster she moved, the more the pain increased, but she couldn’t afford to dwell on that.

When she finally reached his house, clutching her aching abdomen, she was relieved to see the carriage still parked outside. The house was quiet, indicating that Willow hadn’t arrived yet.

As she passed through the gate, intending to warn Lockwood and leave, Willow suddenly jumped out from a shadowy corner of the yard.

“I wasn’t sure, but it was really you I saw in front of the office.”

Georgiana took a step back as she saw Willow’s eyes, already half-crazed. He approached swiftly and grabbed her hair, shaking her violently.

“Where do you think you’re going? You really think you can get away from me?”

She wanted to scream, but the thought that the noise might bring Lockwood outside, where he could get hurt, kept her from crying out for help.