If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 9

“It’s six o’clock. Time has really flown by,” Lockwood said, glancing at his pocket watch.

“I’m sorry for being late. If it’s not a bother, I can stay longer. You can continue drawing,” Georgiana offered, feeling guilty for taking up his time. She had visited the bridal recruitment company, which had delayed her significantly. According to her mother, she only needed to model for two days, but she felt she had wasted most of his day.

Returning home now to prepare dinner would mean being much later than usual, and in this situation, she didn’t want to prioritize their meals over her own commitments. She was more worried about returning late. She checked the emergency money hidden in her clothes to ensure she had enough for a hired carriage fare.

“It’s alright. I’m sure you had other reasons. Let’s wrap up today’s session. We still have time tomorrow,” Lockwood reassured her.

“Alright. I’ll come earlier tomorrow,” Georgiana said, getting up but nearly stumbling as her legs gave way.

“Here, take my hand. You’ve been sitting in the same position for too long,” he said, offering his hand in a gentlemanly manner. Her heart pounded as if it had moved to her ears.

Trying to calm her racing heart, Georgiana fiddled with the pleats of her skirt. Lost in thought, she soon found herself sitting at a large dining table across from him.

“I’ve sent word to your home, so it should be fine if you’re a bit late. Let’s eat first,” Lockwood said.

Relieved that he had even sent someone to inform her family, Georgiana picked up the utensils. There didn’t seem to be a dedicated server; the servant brought dishes intermittently. Apparently, there was a cook in the kitchen as well.

She enjoyed the soft bread and tender meat, occasionally glancing at him.

“Do you like the food?” he asked.

“It’s delicious, really,” she replied.

“Good,” he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin and smiling with satisfaction.

The meal was far superior to anything she had ever cooked. The food seemed to melt in her mouth, easing her previous worries about eating in front of him.

Throughout the meal, Lockwood treated her with great care. He wasn’t overly talkative, but the occasional conversation showed his consideration for her. Georgiana felt as if she were a guest rather than a model expected to pose nude, which made her feel inexplicably happy.

“The dining table always feels empty when I’m alone, but today is different,” Lockwood remarked casually.

He probably didn’t mean anything special by his comment, but hearing it made her cheeks flush with warmth. His words were sweet, yet Lockwood’s face remained perfectly calm and composed.

Georgiana took a sip of cold water, trying to cool down her own rising heat.

***

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Georgiana said.

Lockwood had come out to personally see her off, waving lightly. Waiting beside the glossy black carriage was a driver who opened the door for her. She appreciated Lockwood’s kindness but worried about the fare. The opulent carriage, clearly meant for nobility, was far beyond her means. Even the driver was dressed more finely than she was.

This carriage must be incredibly expensive, she thought.

Turning down his offer seemed impossible, yet accepting it made her uneasy.

Maybe I can get off after a short distance, where he can’t see me, she considered. Or perhaps I could negotiate the fare to something I can afford.

As she slowly approached the carriage, she overheard Lockwood speaking to the driver, handing him money.

“She’s an important guest. Make sure she gets home safely.”

“Yes, sir, I will take good care of her,” the driver replied.

“I-I can pay for it,” Georgiana interjected, not wanting to be a further burden.

Lockwood shook his head firmly. “As my guest, it’s only right that I ensure you get home safely.”

“But… I already feel guilty for the dinner and everything. It feels like I’m taking too much.”

“If it’s a burden, you can repay me in some other way later,” he said, his tone playful yet with a hint of sincerity.

Georgiana, determined to find a way to repay him, asked, “How can I repay you? Just tell me.”

“I’ll think about it and let you know,” he replied with a slight, mischievous smile that quickly vanished.

As the carriage set off, Georgiana felt as though she were floating in a dream. The ticket to the New World and the dinner with Lockwood all seemed surreal.

At this time of night, she would typically be cleaning up after dinner, exhausted and heading to bed with a weary face. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this relaxed.

She gazed out the window, trying to contain her smile, but as the carriage neared Humblelum, the familiar stench hit her, causing her face to harden.

Even with a handkerchief pressed to her nose, the foul stench was pervasive. She worried that, like the smell, her bad luck would never leave her.

Just before reaching her destination, Georgiana rummaged through her coat’s inner pocket to find a tip for the driver, but something felt off.

“My money is still here, and the button on my sleeve is still attached…”

Anxiously, she reached deeper into the pocket, her face twisting in horror when she found nothing but empty space where the papers should have been. The ticket! And the contract too—both were gone without a trace.

They had been there until the time she spent at Lockwood’s studio, so where could they have gone?

Despite racking her brain, she couldn’t recall taking them out at any point, so they should have stayed in her pocket. It wasn’t a shallow pocket either, so it wasn’t easy for them to just fall out.

With a pale face, Georgiana shook out her pockets and searched the area thoroughly, even lifting the seats of the carriage. Yet, the papers seemed to have vanished as if they had legs of their own.

She remembered taking off her coat when Lockwood had helped her with it. After dinner, she had put it back on. Could the papers have fallen then?

There had been no other opportunity for the papers to have fallen out. She was certain they weren’t lost anywhere else since she had come straight from his place to the carriage.

Even though she knew she couldn’t afford to have the carriage turned around and return to his house at this hour, the possibility loomed. He might have already gone to bed, and showing up unannounced in the middle of the night wouldn’t be appropriate.

Despite these concerns, her meeting with him today had given her a sense of trust. She believed he wouldn’t do anything untoward with her belongings that bore her name.

She resolved to visit him first thing in the morning.

“Miss, are you alright? If you’ve lost something in the carriage, I can help you find it,” the driver said, his voice full of concern as he watched her search anxiously.

Even after arriving, Georgiana continued to search frantically, prompting the driver to cast her a concerned look. It seemed the driver’s attentive behavior was due to this being a carriage typically used by nobles, not a commonly hired one.

“It’s fine. Thank you for the ride,” she replied, forcing a bright smile before stepping out of the carriage.

As the carriage rattled away, Georgiana stood in front of the rusty iron gate and slowly came back to reality. It felt like she had been a princess in a fairy tale, only to return to her real, dreary life.

As usual, there was a pile of refuse near the gate, left by someone.

She took a deep breath and carefully opened the creaking gate.

Creak.

The rusty hinges squealed. She had hoped to slip in quietly without waking anyone, but the noisy door made that impossible. The inside was just as dark as the outside, indicating that the two hadn’t even bothered to light a lamp.

Tiptoeing up the stairs, Georgiana headed for the farthest room. But as soon as she opened the door, she was met with a sudden thud, followed by a searing pain on her right cheek.