If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 91

‘L-Lockwood?’

Her trembling eyes remained fixed on him, unable to look away.

Her clothes hadn’t suddenly shrunk, yet her chest tightened as if she couldn’t breathe.

If she remained seated like this, he would surely notice her any second, but no matter how hard she tried, her legs wouldn’t cooperate.

She had been certain he was alive, yet she had never imagined he would suddenly appear before her like this.

This was the South, a place where outsiders were rare.

Moreover, there had been no reports of any guests arriving tonight.

For a moment, she wondered if he was merely a vision, but when she looked down, she saw his long shadow stretching all the way to the wall he had walked past.

He was no ghost or hallucination.

How had he come here?

With shock and curiosity swirling in her eyes, Georgiana lifted her gaze back to him.

Now that she thought about it, only a year had passed since she had last seen Lockwood, yet his face looked drastically different. Whether it was because of the night’s darkness or sheer exhaustion, dark shadows loomed beneath his eyes, and his sunken cheeks made his sharp jawline even more prominent.

The crutch supporting him under one shoulder was unfamiliar.

Had he been injured in battle? Or had he been captured and tortured?

The thought of worrying about him in this situation felt absurd, yet her gaze kept drifting toward the crutch, uneasy.

“Meow.”

Becky, behaving unusually affectionate, rubbed her face against his arm.

Even the hand cradling the cat was so gaunt that the tendons beneath his skin were clearly visible.

Seeing him like this left a heavy, nauseating weight in her chest.

If he had returned in a pristine state, she might have only felt resentment. But looking like this—

What had happened to him?

Georgiana bit the inside of her lip, swallowing the old emotions threatening to surface.

“Becky, have you been well?”

His voice was the same.

A deep, rich tone that even seemed to enchant Becky, making her purr with contentment.

“Where is your owner, and why are you alone…”

As he glanced around, his gaze inevitably landed on her.

“……!”

His eyes widened so much that even from where she sat, she could clearly see his pupils dilate.

Perhaps it was because she was wearing a white dress that made her stand out even more in the dim light.

For a moment, he merely opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, unable to form words.

Even as he rubbed his face with his hands, as if trying to clear his vision, his gaze never left her, frozen in place like he had seen a ghost.

Seeing him like that snapped Georgiana back to her senses. Summoning the last of her strength, she forced herself to her feet and fled into the garden.

Was she the only one shaken?

She couldn’t hear any footsteps chasing after her.

Hiding behind a column, she struggled to calm her ragged breathing.

At first, she had planned to head inside the mansion, but on second thought, she crouched down behind the thick hedges near the lobby instead.

If he was truly a guest, then with Raymond away, she would have to greet him. But she wasn’t sure she could handle that.

She had to confirm why he was here.

Before long, still looking dazed, Lockwood leaned on his crutch and made his way to the lobby. Henry, who had arrived unnoticed, was already waiting at the door with their luggage.

“Why did you ask to be dropped off in the garden?”

“I heard her voice.”

“Becky? I guess she must have recognized us arriving. What a smart little thing.”

Henry reached out a hand toward the cat in his arms, but Becky turned her head away indifferently.

“She still only likes you, huh? But what’s with your face? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Even Henry seemed to notice the strange look on his face.

“I really did see a… No, never mind.”

Lockwood shook his head, cutting himself off mid-sentence.

The fact that he hadn’t mentioned her made Georgiana wonder if he truly had mistaken her for a ghost.

Well, considering how suddenly he had appeared in the garden, she supposed she had just as much right to be surprised. Especially since she had been wearing white.

If it was easier for him to think of her as an illusion, so be it.

Holding her breath, she watched their next move.

She had hoped they had arrived at the wrong house.

But when the butler opened the door and respectfully welcomed them in, Georgiana let out a deep sigh.

Judging by the amount of luggage they had brought, they wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

She couldn’t keep lurking outside forever. Instead, she decided to find out what was going on by waiting for Austin near the butler’s quarters.

They wouldn’t be heading that way anytime soon, after all.

She paced back and forth impatiently until finally, the butler emerged and approached her.

“I was just looking for you. What brings you here at this hour? Did something happen?”

Austin looked at her with a startled expression.

“Oh, no. I just took a walk in the garden. That aside, I think I just saw a guest arriving. Am I right?”

“Yes. The Count has returned. Ah, this must be your first time meeting the master’s brother.”

“B-brother?”

“Yes. Aside from Miss Angela, he is the master’s only family.”

Georgiana was just as shocked to learn that Lockwood was Raymond’s brother as she had been when she first saw him.

‘Could he be the uncle Angela always talked about?’

It made perfect sense now. The way Angela had praised him so highly was understandable. Even Georgiana had to admit that he seemed skilled at everything—except, perhaps, nursing her.

Still, she found it hard to believe. The same man who tied hair ribbons and carried children on his shoulders—Lockwood? That side of him seemed unimaginable.

Besides, there was no resemblance between him and Raymond at all.

She had been about to dismiss the idea, but then she recalled the moment on the ship when he had mentioned his niece.

Thinking about it carefully, she started noticing the similarities between him and Angela.

Even their facial features had some resemblances.

It must be because they’re related by blood.

The more she accepted that Lockwood was Raymond’s brother, the more confused she became.

What am I supposed to do now?

Overwhelmed by the situation, she let out a deep sigh.

As long as she stayed here, she would inevitably run into him again. Until now, the war had kept him away, but before that, she had heard he visited Angela several times a month.

Knowing his personality, it was unlikely that her presence would deter him from visiting.

She couldn’t hide from him forever.

Considering all these possibilities, she decided to ask the butler something important.

“How long will the guests be staying? I’ve never handled long-term visitors before, so I’m unsure what to do.”

“You’re already doing an excellent job as is. As for the Count and his party, they likely won’t stay long. They came to see Miss Angela, so they might leave as soon as they meet her tomorrow.”

“Really?”

Her face visibly brightened, prompting Austin to tilt his head curiously.

“Are the guests troubling you in some way?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that… I’ve been feeling unwell, so I’ll need to rest tomorrow. I’m worried I won’t be able to properly attend to them.”

“I did think you looked pale. Given the busy tobacco harvest season, I may have overburdened you with estate matters. No wonder you’re feeling unwell.”

“Oh, no, it’s not your fault at all.”

Seeing Austin’s guilty expression, Georgiana quickly waved her hands.

“I’ll call for a doctor in the morning.”

“That won’t be necessary. A single day of rest should be enough. More importantly, the guest seemed injured… wouldn’t he need a doctor more than I do?”

She had no real reason to be concerned about Lockwood’s condition, but worry crept up regardless.

“I did suggest that, but he assured me it wasn’t a serious injury.”

“I see.”

Hearing that, Georgiana felt slightly relieved.

If he didn’t need a doctor, then he must be fine.

“Then I’ll return to my room and rest. But if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Please don’t worry and take care of yourself. I will handle the guests, and the maids are all well-trained in their duties. Even if something comes up, we have backup staff prepared, thanks to your arrangements.”

“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”

“Trouble? Since you arrived, my workload has significantly lessened. I only hope you recover soon.”

“Thank you. I’ll be going now.”

She knew it was cowardly, but she had no intention of facing him directly if she could avoid it.

At least she had bought herself a day.

With a slightly lighter heart, Georgiana returned to her room—only to frown at the unfamiliar atmosphere inside.

Since Catherine had been taken away, no one had entered her room without permission.

Was it happening again?

On edge, she carefully scanned the space, her gaze landing on the figure lying on her bed.

The person was completely still, seemingly asleep, but they were far too large to be Angela.

She had considered calling for help, but first, she needed to see who it was.

Treading lightly, she approached on tiptoe.

Whoever it was had shamelessly taken over her bed and was now sleeping soundly.

The moonlight streaming in from the window wasn’t enough to fully illuminate their face, so she leaned in closer—only to freeze at the sight of the last person she ever expected to find there.

…Lockwood?

Before she could process why he was in her bed, she was abruptly pulled onto it.