If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 66

Georgiana turned around and gasped in shock.

The innkeeper stood there, his face flushed, holding the doorknob. She had definitely locked the door as soon as she entered, but seeing the set of keys sticking out of his pocket, she quickly understood the situation.

Feeling a surge of fear, Georgiana hesitated, wondering if she should scream. But she decided against it. Based on her observations over the past few days, everyone was out working at this time, and there was no one nearby.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

The innkeeper slammed the door shut and walked towards her, grabbing a handful of her hair. Georgiana, fearing more that her wig would be discovered than the pain, clutched at her head desperately to protect it.

She had tucked a dagger into her skirt pocket for situations like this, but she couldn’t get to it in time.

“How much money have I spent on you? I can’t just let you go like this. You’re an outsider here; no one will believe anything you say. So I might as well get my fill.”

He let go of her hair, and before Georgiana could react, he grabbed her blouse and tore it open. The cheap fabric ripped like paper, exposing her undergarments.

The innkeeper’s eyes gleamed with greed as he gazed at her partially revealed chest beneath her worn negligee.

Georgiana, managing to step back, asked in a trembling voice, “You spent money on me? What are you talking about?”

“The money I paid the employment offices to keep you from getting hired—it cost more than what you paid for this room.”

Hearing his angry accusation, Georgiana finally understood why she hadn’t been able to find work. It was because of this disgusting man that none of the three employment agencies would even give her menial tasks.

A bitter laugh escaped her.

Even if there had been plenty of jobs here, she realized she wouldn’t have been able to get any because of him.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“What does it have to do with you? You have no family, no place to go—just stay here comfortably. Once you get a taste of me, you won’t want to leave.”

The innkeeper’s expression turned lecherous as he approached. Georgiana looked for a way to escape, but in the cramped room, even the small window was too narrow to jump out of.

The only way out was to get past the man in front of her.

Fortunately, her hands were free. She quickly drew the dagger she had hidden under her skirt. It was a small dagger, barely the length of her palm, but the blade had been sharpened well and gleamed under the light. The sight of it seemed to give the innkeeper pause, and he hesitated, not coming any closer.

“Put that down. We can talk this through.”

“Take one more step, and I’ll stab you.”

Her hands were trembling, but Georgiana held her ground, gripping the dagger firmly. If she couldn’t stab the man, she was prepared to stab herself. She would rather die than endure such humiliation.

As the standoff continued, the man’s patience wore thin.

“Do you really think I’ll die from a little stab wound? Besides, I could just tell the authorities you tried to rob me and run.”

He seemed to make up his mind and lunged forward. Georgiana swung the dagger to warn him off, but he grabbed her wrist, and with a clatter, the dagger fell to the floor.

Tears welled up in her eyes at her own helplessness.

“If you don’t want to get hurt, just stay still.”

The man grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards the bed. Georgiana’s eyes filled with terror as she saw him force her legs apart and climb on top of her.

“P-please, don’t!”

“You shouldn’t have fought back… ugh!”

Bang.

Suddenly, the innkeeper’s scream mixed with the sound of a gunshot. The smell of gunpowder filled Georgiana’s nose, snapping her out of her daze.

The innkeeper’s arm, which had been holding her wrist, fell limply to his side.

Blood flowed from his arm, and it was clear that the shot had been aimed precisely at that spot.

Beyond the fallen innkeeper, Georgiana saw Raymond standing there, his face filled with fury. His once gentle expression had hardened into a cold, wintery glare.

“How dare you try to harass a woman in this land. You deserve to pay for your crime.”

Bang.

Without hesitation, Raymond reloaded his gun and shot the innkeeper’s other arm.

“P-please… spare me.”

There was no sympathy in Raymond’s eyes as he looked down at the innkeeper, who was now crawling on the floor, both arms useless.

Seeing Raymond’s cold demeanor, Georgiana was reminded of someone. Until now, she hadn’t noticed the resemblance, but his furious expression reminded her of Locke.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Judging by your actions, this isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this. I’ve heard rumors about your inn, and now I see why.”

Georgiana finally understood why people had reacted so poorly when she said she was staying at this inn.

The innkeeper had claimed he had lost two wives and had sought sympathy, but now she suspected their deaths were related to his violent tendencies.

“She has no family, no home. I thought it would be better for her if I took care of her. If I went too far, I apologize.”

Any remaining sympathy she might have had for him disappeared at his words. Raymond’s expression hardened even further.

“Bill.”

At Raymond’s call, a man Georgiana hadn’t noticed stepped out from the shadows by the wall. Dressed in black, he moved as quietly as Locke.

“This man is nothing but trouble. It would be better if this inn were shut down. Handle it.”

At Raymond’s command, Bill dragged the innkeeper away like a sack of goods. His mouth was gagged, so not a sound escaped.

Georgiana didn’t stop him, because she felt the same way Raymond did. She had learned through her experience with Willow that people never change.

If Raymond hadn’t shown up, the innkeeper would have assaulted her, and she would have ended her own life from the pain of it. And she was certain she wouldn’t have been his last victim.

So she didn’t care what happened to him. It was better to use her compassion on those who truly deserved it.

“Are you alri…?”

As he approached, Raymond abruptly stopped mid-sentence and quickly turned away. His earlobes flushed a deep red.

Georgiana, puzzled, glanced down at herself and was horrified to realize what she had forgotten.

Her blouse had come completely undone, and her old, stretched undergarment revealed nearly half of her chest. A wave of shame and embarrassment washed over her.

“I’ll stay nearby. Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll be right outside the door.”

To her surprise, Raymond offered to wait outside while she composed herself. Georgiana was overwhelmed with gratitude and a tinge of guilt.

After changing into another set of clothes, she stepped out of the room, and Raymond, now composed, escorted her to the carriage. It was clear he was trying hard not to show any discomfort for her sake.

When she took his hand and climbed into the carriage, she saw that Angela had fallen asleep. The child had been adorable while awake, but asleep, she looked even more like an angel.

A smile spread across Georgiana’s tense lips.

“She must have been bored, but she waited patiently for you, Miss Leona. Do you like children?”

“Yes. I used to teach children, and they were all so lovely. Maybe it’s because I never had younger siblings.”

At her response, Raymond looked at her intently. “I had a feeling earlier, but you don’t seem like someone who just did household chores. If you don’t mind my asking, could you tell me more about yourself?”

“Well… I was once a noble, but my family lost everything, and I’m no longer part of that world.”

In the Empire, it wasn’t uncommon for noble families to fall on hard times. Only those of very high rank or those who quickly adapted to new developments had survived, while many middle-class families had collapsed without a trace.

“I see. Your demeanor and speech set you apart.”

“It’s nothing special. I only taught the children very basic things.”

Raymond’s eyes lit up at her response. “Then how about being a governess for Angela, instead of just doing household chores or being a playmate? Of course, there will be a basic assessment of your skills.”

“Pardon?”

Georgiana’s eyes widened at his suggestion.

“Angela’s previous tutor got married and moved far away, and since then, we haven’t been able to find a suitable replacement. The ones we’ve hired since then have all left for one reason or another. This area isn’t very populated, even in the East, so if we couldn’t find someone this time, I was planning to look elsewhere.”

Georgiana now understood why she had met him outside the employment agency.

She couldn’t hide her excitement. While she would have been content doing maid work, the opportunity to teach such a sweet child was something she couldn’t pass up.

“Are you sure I can do it? I’ll gladly take the test you mentioned.”

“Let’s give it a try.”

“Thank you. Truly, thank you so much.”

Raymond looked down at Georgiana, who bowed her head several times in gratitude, and a gentle smile spread across his lips.