If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 25

Her face flushed instantly. Darling? Even if it was just an act, she couldn’t believe that word had come from his mouth. It felt so surreal that she wondered if she was dreaming or if he had been replaced by someone else.

Despite her confusion, she knew she couldn’t show it in front of all the eyes watching them. She felt as if the entire banquet hall, not just their table, was focused on them.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them again, her voice trembling as she responded, “Yes, dear.”

At that moment, tomato soup was served to everyone at the table. Georgiana was certain her face was redder and hotter than the soup.

“Wow, you really are shy. It’s like watching a volcano erupt right in front of me,” Anthony said with a laugh, noticing her flushed face.

“You shouldn’t say such things to a lady, Anthony. No wonder you’re still not married,” Isabella scolded him.

“I’m not unmarried because I can’t get married, Isabella Edmund. I just haven’t found the right person yet.”

“That’s what people usually say. Well then, would you like to meet my friend, Violet?”

“You mean that tomboy from the count’s family? No thanks.”

“That was ages ago! She’s a complete lady now, even more so than me.”

“Then I definitely shouldn’t meet her.”

The people at the table burst into laughter as Anthony recoiled in horror. Isabella playfully swatted his hand with her fan, feigning annoyance.

To Georgiana, they seemed like people from another world. The cheerful man before her was apparently the heir to a wealthy marquisate, and Isabella was a duke’s daughter. She had no doubt that the others at the table held similarly high statuses.

Even Lockwood, though currently without a title, was still a nobleman.

Georgiana was certain that she was the most ordinary person at the table.

“So, Juliana, where are you from? I don’t recall seeing you in the capital,” Isabella suddenly asked, turning the conversation to Georgiana.

Isabella’s eyes held a familiar mix of disdain and contempt, likely assuming she was from some unknown rural area.

As Georgiana hesitated, unsure of how to answer without causing trouble for Lockwood, he stepped in smoothly, “She’s from the barony of Elburn. I was there on business when I happened to see her. I was so taken by her at first sight that I proposed on the spot. I was lucky.”

“Ah, that explains it. She certainly doesn’t look like someone you’d pass by without noticing. I’ll have to make sure my next business trip is there. Who knows? Maybe there’s another Juliana waiting for me,” Anthony chimed in, nodding in agreement.

“Elburn… Isn’t that a mountainous region? I’ve heard the air there is very fresh, though I’ve never been—it’s too far,” Isabella added, her tone brightening as she joined the conversation.

“Yes, I’ve heard it’s so remote that even merchants rarely go there,” the brown-haired woman who had come with Isabella agreed.

“That’s not true. Sometimes, I feel the need for a change of scenery, like a farm or a rustic countryside. I might need Juliana’s help for my next rural experience. She must be an expert,” Isabella said with a pointed smile.

“Yes, perhaps I’ll suggest to my brother that we go hunting there next time,” the other woman added.

“It seems we think alike, Rowenda, especially since we both live in the capital,” Isabella responded, continuing the conversation.

The more they talked, the lower Georgiana’s head sank. If this was how they reacted to her being from a rural noble family, how would they respond if they knew she had lived in Humble Street, one of the most problematic areas of the capital? The thought made her feel dizzy.

She wasn’t concerned about herself, but she feared causing trouble for Lockwood.

As Isabella noticed Georgiana’s discomfort, a sly smile played on her lips. “Oh, Juliana, we weren’t trying to offend you. We were just saying how envious we are of your lifestyle. You’re not upset, are you?”

“N-no, I’m not…”

As she waved her hand dismissively, her hand was suddenly caught in a large, warm one. Following the hand, her gaze met Lockwood’s, his eyes filled with a kind of sweetness she had never seen before. He smiled and shook his head slightly.

He then answered for her, “There’s no need to be upset. She grew up in a place where people are pure and kind-hearted, much different from the people of the capital.”

At his words, the faces of the two women froze.

Ignoring the tension in the air, Lockwood placed his napkin on the table and stood. “Anna, shall we leave? You’re still recovering, and the food here seems too rich.”

It was exactly what she wanted to hear.

Thankfully, the food they had just been served was a thin soup, but if it had been anything solid, she was sure she would have felt ill.

“Then, we’ll be going first. We’ll see you at the next dinner.”

Lockwood neatly placed his utensils aside and handed his napkin to a passing attendant, who quickly cleared the table. Georgiana followed suit, offering a polite farewell to the others before turning to leave with him.

As soon as they exited the banquet hall, she couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh of relief. Just enduring the hostility directed at her had left her feeling exhausted. She even began to wonder if there was something wrong with her.

“I should have introduced myself as someone from Humble Street. I’m sure they wouldn’t have dared to bother me then.”

Her exhaustion must have shown because Lockwood, uncharacteristically, chuckled at her joke.

“Perhaps you should have. And maybe you should have taken off your wig to show them your real self.”

“That might have worked. I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

They both laughed at the thought.

What started as light chuckles soon grew into full-blown laughter, the kind that brought tears to their eyes. It had been so long since she had laughed this hard that she almost forgot what it felt like. With each laugh, the discomfort and awkwardness between them began to fade.

“Since we’re already out, why don’t we take a walk around the ship if you’re not too tired?”

“I’d like that. I’ve been curious about the ship.”

Her quick response seemed to surprise him, and his eyebrows arched in mild surprise. “Then allow me to be your guide, Lady Georgiana.”

The way he softly whispered her name reminded her that, despite everything, she was still herself. Somehow, it felt like a comforting reminder that it was okay to be Georgiana from Humble Street.

For the first time, placing her hand in his didn’t feel awkward. Her steps felt a little lighter as they walked together.

Following his suggestion, they passed the seventh-floor banquet hall and headed up to the top deck.

Though the view from the cabin’s balcony was the same, seeing the sea from the open deck was a completely different experience.

The vast expanse of the ocean, with no barriers obstructing the view, was overwhelming in its beauty. The fresh sea breeze swept away the last of her tension, leaving her feeling completely at ease.

Georgiana tightened the ribbon of her hat to keep it from blowing away in the wind.

Though there were tea tables and couches scattered about for resting, the deck was empty except for a few attendants and crew members, as most passengers were still in the banquet hall.

“Raise the sails higher!”

At the captain’s command, the workers, many of them shirtless, pulled on the thick ropes in unison. The once wrinkled sails were quickly smoothed out and filled with the wind, billowing majestically.

As Georgiana watched the workers, their bronzed skin glistening in the sunlight, and the sails rising in the wind, she felt a burning gaze on her from the side.

She tried to ignore it several times, but when the feeling persisted, she turned her head to look up at him.

“What is it? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, not at all. You were just staring so intently,” he replied, gesturing with his chin toward the shirtless workers.

“Oh, I was just admiring them.”

She meant the sight of the sails rising behind the workers, but whatever he was thinking, his expression turned serious.

“You find that impressive?”

“Of course. I’ve never seen anything like this before. If I were an artist, I’d definitely paint it.”

“Your tastes are… unique.”

“Well, everyone’s different.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

She tilted her head in confusion, unsure of what he meant by that, as he hurriedly led her down to the lower decks.

The seventh floor had more than just the banquet hall; there was also a salon and club, where all food and drinks, except for gambling, were complimentary. Georgiana’s eyes widened in surprise.

The shelves were stocked with rare teas and expensive liquors, the kind that were hard to find even in stores. She wasn’t paying for anything, but just imagining the cost of passage made her head spin.

They passed the first-class cabins on the fifth and sixth floors and descended the stairs to the second-class cabins on the fourth floor. At each stairway, attendants and guards thoroughly checked the passengers’ credentials. Naturally, no one questioned those descending from the upper floors.

The differences between first-class and second-class were apparent in the wallpaper and carpeting.

She lingered a little longer, thinking that if things had gone differently, she might have been staying here. Despite being a second-class cabin with two people per room, it was still a far cry from the third-class cabins, where eight people shared a single room. The second-class corridors were even adorned with paintings, making them feel less sterile.

After touring the ship’s lobby on the first floor, they climbed the stairs again.

Given the height of the ship, it was more challenging than expected. By the time they reached the fourth-floor stairs, Georgiana was panting slightly, while Lockwood, two steps above her, showed no signs of fatigue.

“If you’re tired, just let me know,” he said.

“What?”

“Like before, I can carry you.”

“No, no, I’m not tired at all,” she quickly replied, startled by the suggestion. Just as she was about to continue walking, someone suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the hallway.