For some reason, thinking that Jacqueline’s smile didn’t seem like a real smile, Windsor accepted the handkerchief she offered. As he wiped his hands, he casually said:

“I was just checking what Benjamin has been learning lately. Didn’t you tell me to take an interest in my nephew?”

At those words, Jacqueline’s expression softened a little. He still didn’t know when she would get angry and when she would calm down. The storm would come without warning and disappear without warning.

“Why did Viscount James Hemington come to see Lord Preston?”

Windsor, who was about to pass by her, stopped in his tracks. Slowly turning his head, he stared intently at Jacqueline.

“Do you know him?”

With a troubled expression, she chose her words carefully and let out a light sigh. A voice tinged with resignation flowed from between Jacqueline’s teeth.

“Did that man talk about a mine by any chance? Like, he has a mine with high-grade iron among the lands inherited from his ancestors, and he’s looking for someone to buy the mine because he urgently needs money due to his wife being sick? Did he plead to sell it cheaper than the market price but wanted it bought in cash? Did he say he came to the trustworthy Lord Preston first and that it should be kept secret from others?”

As she continued speaking, Windsor’s expression subtly changed. He brought his hands behind his back. It was a poised posture that made him look more like a naval officer than a nobleman.

“Precisely. He said the exact same thing, word for word.”

Jacqueline let out a bitter smile as if she had expected as much.

“He’s a con artist. Ah, don’t ask me how I know. I wish I didn’t know either.”

Windsor’s brow furrowed slightly. His gray-blue eyes turned a darker shade than usual.

Jacqueline stroked her bare nape with a troubled expression. The man had a strange talent for getting what he wanted through silence.

“Actually, my father fell victim to that man. Fortunately, Uncle Walter, ah, I mean Earl Greenwood. Lord Greenwood informed us that he was a con artist, so we only lost the down payment. We almost lost a large sum of money. It was a blessing in disguise.”

“Then how is he, who should be in prison, walking freely on the streets?”

Jacqueline looked at the empty hallway. As if tracing the vanished traces of Hemington.

“James disappeared for a while, and above all, Father didn’t want to report it.”

“Earl Somerset? Why is that?”

Windsor asked, as if he couldn’t understand. Jacqueline quietly looked at him.

Their gazes intertwined in mid-air. She unconsciously pulled at the corners of her mouth.

Perhaps Windsor was the owner of a rather strong personality, unlike his glamorous appearance. After all, he lived a life unrelated to the ducal family even after using the name Preston.

He must have faced countless hardships that Jacqueline could hardly imagine. Just the phrase “son raised alone by an opera singer” was enough to guess that his past had not been easy.

But he had managed to become a naval officer by his own strength, and now he was the Duke of Preston.

He must have overcome obstacles one by one with that indifferent face.

Compared to him, her father was a flower in a greenhouse. A man born as the eldest son of an earl’s family who naturally inherited the title.

He had ventured into various businesses to keep up with the times. Everyone did so. Not increasing one’s wealth was considered foolish.

However, none of them were particularly successful. If there were people who made money, there were bound to be those who lost it, and unfortunately, Baron Somerset fell into the latter category.

He was nothing but a man with a title inherited from his father. Realizing this fact, Earl Somerset fell into deep depression.

He slumped down in front of the first obstacle he encountered. And he thought everything was his fault.

It was only after starting the New World business that he finally regained his vitality. Though that too ended in a tragic conclusion.

Jacqueline, who had been silently retracing her father’s past, tightened her lips.

“Father didn’t want to admit that he had been deceived by a cunning con artist. He thought it would tarnish his honor as an earl if it became public knowledge. So he kept hiding the fact that he had been scammed by Hemington until the end. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one. That’s probably why he’s still walking the streets openly.”

Windsor nodded once. He couldn’t understand Earl Somerset’s actions, but he knew that sometimes honor was more important than money for nobles.

“So be careful with Lord Preston too. Whatever James Hemington said, don’t fall for it. Even his claim of being a viscount might be a lie.”

“I am of a suspicious nature.”

At those unexpected words, Jacqueline’s eyes widened. Windsor continued calmly.

“Do you know how many people come to me every day offering to partner up or introduce good investment opportunities?”

Jacqueline just stared at him silently instead of answering. Whatever she might imagine, it would probably be more than that. After all, sweet honey always attracts flies.

It was even more so when she thought of the carriages that stopped in front of the mansion every day and the bundles of letters delivered by the postman.

“Just this morning, I heard a story about guaranteeing the principal and on top of that, promising at least ten times the profit every year.”

“…”

“I may not be knowledgeable about business, but I’m not naive enough to believe such ridiculous lies.”

Jacqueline just kept looking at him without saying a word. Windsor raised an eyebrow. Wrinkles formed on his forehead and then disappeared. The sight was terribly sensual.

“James Hemington said he had just arrived in the capital. He said he was coming straight to my mansion from the train station without stopping anywhere else. He said it was such an urgent matter that he couldn’t give me much time to think.”

“And?”

“But his shoes were clean without a speck of mud. They were too clean to have walked on the dirt roads of Hamswood.”

At this unexpected observation, Jacqueline opened her mouth as if caught off guard.

“Uh, well…”

After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth as if to refute.

“Couldn’t he have polished his shoes before coming to the mansion? Since he was coming to meet Lord Preston. Or he might have taken a carriage to the train station. Then he wouldn’t have had to walk on dirt roads.”

“Of course, that’s possible. But the train from Hamswood, where the quarry is, to the capital only runs three times a week. And today is not one of those days.”

“Ah.”

Jacqueline looked at Windsor with newfound eyes. She had thought that he, having just entered noble society, would be as ignorant about business as her father.

There were many bad con artists in the world who took advantage of naive people, and she had worried that Windsor might follow in her father’s footsteps.

However, that was Jacqueline’s needless worry. He was not the kind of person to be easily deceived by others. Jacqueline’s eyes softened.

“That’s a relief. At least I won’t be fired because the Preston family went bankrupt overnight.”

Jacqueline, who had made the joke, started to move. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to look at Windsor.

“Since you said you’re suspicious, I was wondering, did you investigate me too?”

Her eyes narrowed. Watching this, Windsor took out his pocket watch. After opening the lid and checking the time, he said in a blunt voice.

“It’s time to handle some work, but I’ve wasted 9 minutes in the hallway. I have some documents to reply to by today, so I’ll excuse myself first.”

With those words, Windsor went up the stairs. Jacqueline’s eyes grew increasingly suspicious at his attitude, which seemed almost like he was running away.

“Hmm.”

“Oh, there you are, Miss Jacqueline.”

Just as Jacqueline was letting out a meaningful hum, Mrs. Ritz, who had appeared from the other end of the hallway, called out to her.

Jacqueline withdrew her gaze from glaring at Windsor’s back and put on a gentle smile as if nothing had happened.

“What is it, Mrs. Ritz?”

It was the perfect image of a young lady. Mrs. Ritz quietly took a breath instead of answering. She hesitated for a long time, as if she was about to say something difficult.

There was no mistress in the Preston household. So she, as the head maid, had to take on the role of the mistress.

Especially when a party was about to be held, her tension reached its peak. It was because the reputation of the Preston family depended on small details.

Moreover, this party was the first to be held in the capital. It was also a party celebrating Benjamin’s birthday. There could be no room for even the slightest mistake.

Pride and the reputation of the Preston family.

She had been conflicted for a long time. As the party drew closer, she lost her appetite and couldn’t sleep at night. Her stomach ached and even twisted this morning.

And finally, she decided to put aside her pride. After all, shouldn’t a head maid consider the reputation of her master more important than her own advancement?

Mrs. Ritz opened her tightly closed mouth. A solemn voice escaped from her lips.

“You know the party is in two days, right?”

“Has it come so soon already? Time flies.”

Jacqueline still didn’t seem to guess her intention and threw a questioning glance. Hup, taking another deep breath, Mrs. Ritz opened her heavy mouth.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you check on the preparations, Miss Jacqueline?”

“!”

For a moment, Jacqueline’s eyes widened. As if she hadn’t expected Mrs. Ritz to say such a thing.

At the same time, she realized how much consideration it must have taken for her to say those words. And how difficult it must have been to bring it up.

“If I can be of help, I’d be glad to.”

So Jacqueline nodded readily. She wasn’t the type to be stingy with help, nor was she callous enough to ignore someone else’s difficulties.

Color slowly returned to Mrs. Ritz’s pale face. Jacqueline smiled brightly and took a step forward.

“Shall we go then?”

“Miss Jacqueline, the banquet hall is this way.”

Mrs. Ritz called out to her as she walked in the opposite direction of the banquet hall. Jacqueline, who had stopped after taking a few steps, turned to look at the head maid.

“I know. I want to walk from the entrance like an invited guest to the party.”

Only then did Mrs. Ritz nod and quietly follow her. Moved by a thoughtfulness she hadn’t considered.