If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 98

The soft green dress, with white lace added to the slightly scooped neckline, maintained a full shape below the waist even without a pannier due to its stiff fabric.

The ribbon tied at the chest made it easy to put on alone. However, just from the embroidery stitched across the dress, it was difficult to estimate its price—it looked undeniably expensive.

Georgiana, worried about damaging the dress, took a deep breath before stepping out from behind the curtain.

The boutique’s madam clapped her hands excitedly at the sight of her. The “Robe à l’Anglaise” she had recommended was a simple dress that had been popular in the Empire and had just begun to gain favor in the New World.

“My lady, you look absolutely stunning. I knew my eye wasn’t mistaken. Your waist is so slender that even without a corset, you look this beautiful. How do you like it?”

The question wasn’t directed at her but at Locke, who was seated on a long velvet sofa.

“That one is nice as well.”

At his response, the madam signaled the maid standing by the garment rack.

Every dress hanging beside the maid had been ones Georgiana had already tried on.

How had things come to this? Standing before Locke in yet another outfit, Georgiana looked as if she were about to cry.

It had all started when they had separated near the carriage, each intending to attend to their own business before meeting again. At that moment, he had casually asked a question. Out of nowhere, he had wanted to know what kind of attire she preferred.

Georgiana, puzzled, had asked back, “Why are you asking me that?”

Given his usual fashion choices, Locke seemed to have excellent taste, so she couldn’t understand the reason for his question.

“It’s been so long since I last bought clothes that I don’t even know what styles are currently in fashion. I’ll likely just purchase whatever the clerk recommends, but I thought it would be good to have a general idea first.”

“If that’s the kind of advice you need, I won’t be much help. I’ve never bought men’s clothing before.”

“But Raymond’s clothes—”

“I only help pick out colors when the tailor visits. I don’t know anything about the designs or details.”

“I see… I suppose I’ll just ask for the most expensive ones.”

He nodded as if he had settled on his decision.

“What?”

“That’s usually how I chose my clothes.”

“Did you really just say that…?”

Hearing his nonchalant response, Georgiana abandoned her plan to buy tea leaves for the time being.

Though Locke seemed sharp and rational in most matters, it appeared he was as reckless with spending as Raymond.

No matter how high the shopkeepers priced the clothes, he would likely buy them all.

So she had followed him.

And yet, while buying his own clothes, which had taken less than ten minutes including measurements, he had insisted on choosing a gift for her as well. For the past hour, she had been trying on dress after dress.

Saying she was fine had been useless.

If she tried to refuse, he would fidget with his crutch or give her an imploring look, leaving her with no choice but to at least try on the outfits. She hadn’t actually chosen anything yet, but looking at the growing pile of garments beside the clerk, she felt an increasing sense of unease.

“I can’t try on any more. At this rate, I won’t even have the energy to buy tea leaves.”

Had she also been wearing a corset or a pannier, the exhaustion would have been unbearable.

Throwing up her hands in surrender, Georgiana shook her head firmly.

“It can’t be helped, then. I’ll have to be satisfied with this for today.”

Seeing her pale face, he looked regretful but finally stood from his seat.

After sending her outside first, saying he had something left to discuss, he emerged a while later.

Since the completed garments would be delivered directly to the mansion, there was nothing else to carry.

“I’ll be stopping by a shop for a bit.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“Why?”

“Am I supposed to just sit in the carriage alone?”

“That tea shop over there is quite popular. You can wait there.”

Georgiana, feeling like she had already spent far too much time with him today, firmly declined.

“Sitting alone in a tea shop seems rather pitiful, so I’ll just wander around on my own.”

Before she could stop him, Locke had already started walking away with his crutch in hand.

For some reason, his gait seemed even more unsteady than before, making it impossible to look away.

Then, just as she feared, a passerby who wasn’t watching where he was going bumped into Locke, causing him to stumble along with his crutch.

“Locke!”

Georgiana grabbed the hem of her skirt and ran to his side. Supporting the arm holding his crutch, she steadied him, and he looked down at her with a surprised expression.

“You need to be more careful. What if you get hurt from a collision like that?”

The man, who was easily twice her size, had grown so weak.

Just how harshly had they treated him in the army? The thought alone made her want to curse.

“Were the other soldiers doing nothing? You could’ve stayed in the back like Henry told you to! Why did you step forward and get injured like this?”

She kept scolding him for quite some time, yet the corners of his lips only curled higher.

“You think this is funny?”

“Are you worried about me?”

“No, I’m angry. Because of your injury, you can’t even return home.”

She even placed her hands on her waist as she reprimanded him, yet Locke chuckled.

Then, as if he had taken a deep breath, he suddenly looked at her with eyes filled with warmth—like one would when seeing something incredibly endearing—and before she could react, he pulled her into a tight embrace as if he could no longer hold back.

“Whether it’s charity or sympathy, I don’t care. But if you tell me you wish I had been injured worse, I might actually get upset.”

Flustered, Georgiana struggled out of his arms, her face burning red, then turned away abruptly.

“Do whatever you want! Get hurt, roll around in the dirt—I don’t care!”

Thud, thud.

She stomped her foot before striding toward the shop.

Behind her, she could hear the light thump of a crutch following her.

Since she had already informed the coachman, the shop owner had prepared the order in advance and was waiting for her arrival.

“I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Our carriage broke down, so we couldn’t deliver the goods as scheduled. We also couldn’t find another transport service today, so we had to send a messenger on horseback to inform you. We deeply regret making you come all the way here.”

The owner kept bowing in apology.

Among the shops that supplied tea, Raymond’s plantation was one of the largest clients, and the store owner’s anxiety over possibly losing such a valuable customer was apparent.

“There was nothing to be done. Besides, it was a nice excuse to come to town and enjoy the fresh air.”

Her nonchalant response seemed to relieve the owner’s worries.

After rummaging through the counter, he pulled out two tickets and held them out to her.

“This play runs only until today. I had planned to go, but with the carriage broken and unexpected work in the afternoon, I won’t be able to make it. It’s quite a famous production, and I went through some trouble getting these, so I’d hate to waste them. If you have time, would you like to see it? I’d be happy to give you the tickets.”

She recognized the play immediately—it had been featured in the newspapers multiple times.

The story revolved around a couple who had been engaged before war separated them, only for them to reunite later. Perhaps due to the recent end of the war, it had gained immense popularity in the New World.

Raymond had even recommended it to her before, but since she disliked crowded places, she had refused without a second thought.

Even knowing it was the last performance, she wasn’t particularly interested.

Besides, she hesitated to accept the tickets, worried it might later be seen as a favor she needed to repay.

“Oh, no. I have a policy of not accepting gifts from business partners…”

“No one else has time to go, so these would just be thrown away. There’s no harm in taking them.”

“Still…”

“I’ll buy them.”

Locke, who had entered the store late and remained silent, suddenly snatched the tickets from the owner’s hand. The shop owner turned to Georgiana, eyes questioning.

“He’s with you, right?”

Reluctantly, she nodded and reached out to take the tickets back, intending to return them to the owner. She had no need for them.

But before she could, Locke dodged her hand and pulled out his wallet, paying the owner a generous sum—far more than the tickets’ worth.

“I was curious about this play anyway. Besides, paying for them means we’re not receiving them as a gift. Since today is the final performance, we shouldn’t miss it. If we have lunch now, the timing will be perfect.”

The play had two sessions—one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

The tickets were for the afternoon performance.

And as Locke said, if they ate now, they would arrive just in time for the show.

But—

‘Wait, what am I even considering?’

Shaking her head to rid herself of unnecessary thoughts, Georgiana abruptly stood up.

“Please load the goods onto the carriage properly. I need to return to the estate immediately.”

She greeted the coachman, who had arrived on time, then climbed into the carriage at once.

Whatever Locke chose to spend his money on was none of her concern.

The moment she got inside, the carriage door shut behind her.

“You go ahead. I’ll return later on a hired carriage.”

Unlike Locke, who cheerfully waved her off, Georgiana, now alone in the carriage, felt inexplicably unsettled.

The farther the town receded into the distance, the more restless she became. Eventually, unable to sit still, she pulled open the window and called out to the coachman.

“I’m sorry. Can we turn back?”