Chapter 30.
‘What was his name again? Greg? Gray? I believe his surname ended with a T…….’
His name was hazy, but he was a man who had been quite favorable toward me when Trisha introduced us earlier.
He appeared to be in his early thirties, dressed in high-end, refined attire. Though he seemed talkative, his tone was neither light nor was his laughter particularly crass.
As it happened, he was sipping a drink all alone, just like me, with no one to converse with.
Harriet decided to approach him.
“Excuse me. I was introduced to you by Countess Felon earlier, but I didn’t get to greet you properly. Forgive me, but would you mind telling me your name once more?”
“Ah, I am Greg Lambert. And you must be Lady Harriet Listerwell, am I right?”
“There isn’t a soul who doesn’t know my name, yet I find myself in a difficult spot since I don’t know many people’s names.”
As I smiled to imply I was in a bind, Greg laughed heartily as well.
“We can just get to know each other from now on. In fact, there are quite a few people whose names I don’t know either.”
“It makes me feel much better to hear you say that. You are very kind.”
Once the conversation started with a compliment, it flowed smoothly.
He was the eldest son of the House of Lambert, had been married for five years, and was assisting his father’s business as his heir.
At the mention of ‘business,’ Harriet’s curiosity was piqued.
“What kind of business is Viscount Lambert involved in?”
“He primarily invests in national infrastructure and public facility construction. Recently, well…… ah, I really shouldn’t be talking about this…….”
Is there anything that makes a person more anxious than someone stopping mid-sentence? I hadn’t asked out of any great curiosity to begin with, but because Greg cut himself off, I became even more intrigued and prodded him as if I knew nothing.
“What are you worried about telling me? No one would ever try to talk ‘business’ with me, anyway. I’m just purely interested in learning about the House of Lambert or Sir Greg. I’ve practically just made my debut into society, after all.”
Then, Greg waved his hand as if it were nothing of great importance and spoke.
“Ah, haha, well, I’m not keeping it quiet for any major reason; I’m just afraid it might sound like I’m boasting. My father recently won the construction rights for a bridge.”
In Genoa, where an industrial boom had recently taken hold, bridge construction projects were popping up alongside road maintenance and the expansion of train tracks.
The Heron River, which split the massive capital into north and south, was a symbol of Genoa, but at times, it was also an obstacle that hindered industrial development.
“A bridge, you say… in which area?”
“Hmm. That is a top-secret matter, but…… well…….”
Greg pondered for a moment before glancing around and whispering.
“You must absolutely not tell anyone else. We are going to build a bridge connecting Vaut and Chadberry.”
Vaut and Chadberry were regions that faced each other across the Heron River, both teeming with factories.
Even now, boats frequently traveled back and forth between the two, and if a bridge were built there, both regions would undoubtedly become far more prosperous than they were now.
“Vaut and Chadberry will grow significantly in the future. It could also bring changes to the industrial development within Genoa.”
“Exactly! So, if you have any spare capital or are able to borrow money from someone, you should invest. The target investment amount was reached a long time ago, but if you express interest, I will mention it to my father.”
“I’m not well-versed in those matters yet.”
“If business investment is too much of a burden, it would also be wise to purchase buildings or land in the vicinity of Vaut or Chadberry. Real estate won’t run away, after all.”
It was tempting information, but Harriet currently had no capital to buy buildings or land.
She asked, feigning nonchalance.
“How can you be sure when the bridge will be built?”
“This business proposal will be made public within a year, and construction will begin immediately thereafter. By the time it’s public, even if you try to buy buildings or land, they will have already been snapped up by others. I’m telling you this specifically because I owe a debt to Countess Felon.”
After that, the conversation shifted to mundane topics. Perhaps because the number of people around them had increased, Greg stopped bringing up business.
After exchanging pleasantries about seeing each other again, Harriet turned away with a pounding heart.
‘I’ve obtained information about another family’s business, just like Bella!’
To think it was information about an undisclosed bridge construction project—it felt like I had accomplished something grand, and I felt a surge of excitement and confidence.
At the same time, I also felt restless.
Just as Greg said, I would need to buy buildings or land before this project became public to aim for a profit from the market price difference, but how could I possibly raise that kind of money?
‘Let’s think carefully. I have a year to spare.’
Even as I told myself to stay calm, my face felt hot from the excitement, so I headed out to the terrace overlooking the garden to get some air.
However, the terrace was already occupied by several people admiring the garden or smoking. Not wanting to join them, Harriet hid herself in a slightly dim corner.
“Haa.”
After a deep breath, I felt a bit steadier, and my excitement subsided. Only then did reality set in, and I felt foolish.
‘It seems I was a bit giddy. To think I’d believe exactly what a man I just met said. Even if the information he gave me is true, I have to find out if it’s truly worth the investment.’
Moreover, simply knowing the information wouldn’t put money in my hands. How one used that information was a far more important issue, and I still had much to learn.
‘Get a hold of yourself, Harriet. Don’t forget what you were prepared for when you returned to Genoa.’
Harriet soothed and spurred herself on, firming her resolve.
The heat in her cheeks had faded, and as she turned to head back inside, someone approached her. It was a familiar young man who appeared to be drunk.
“I didn’t expect to see you in society again. Harriet Listerwell.”
The lack of titles or formal speech made me frown.
“Who are you…….”
“Ah, are we pretending not to know each other now? That doesn’t mean the things you did in the past didn’t happen.”
“I’ll overlook your rude tone for a moment, but please identify yourself first. Only then can I determine if I remember you or not.”
The man let out a scoff of disbelief, then spat out his words as if gnashing his teeth in a sudden fit of rage.
“Julian Faith. Does that ring a bell now?”
“Julian Fai……, ah!”
I remembered. The first scandal of my time as a ‘Scandal Maker’!
I had apologized to this man—who had been bragging about being Bella’s fiancé after exchanging letters with her—for impersonating Bella.
I now knew why he looked familiar. Even before the day I had bumped into him while apologizing, I had delivered letters to him for Bella a few times. He had looked much more like a pretty boy then…….
He was clearly still a handsome man, but perhaps because of his drunken, debauched attitude, he was utterly unpleasant to look at.
Harriet tensed her lower abdomen and lifted her chin.
‘I will no longer avoid a fight that’s been brought to my doorstep. Whether it turns into a street brawl or a mud-slinging match.’
When I had avoided fights in the past, what I got in return wasn’t praise for being a pacifist, but the accusation: ‘See, it really was her. That’s why she can’t deny it.’
That was why, when I left the gates of St. Clarissa’s Convent, I had tossed aside the teaching: ‘If someone strikes your cheek, turn the other one also.’
Harriet gave a wry smile.
“I remember you, but I don’t know why you’re acting this way toward me. I assume you aren’t here to reminisce about old memories.”
“Memories? To me, they’re nightmares!”
“It shouldn’t be that much of a nightmare.”
“Ha! You’re as shameless as ever!”
“Sir Julian, you’ve become much ruder than before. Though, even then, you weren’t exactly a sensible person. Pretending to be Bella’s fiancé just because you received a few letters was crossing the line.”
At those words, sparks seemed to fly from Julian’s eyes.
“What are you so proud of! You’re the one who wrote letters pretending to be Bella while saying you liked me! Is that supposed to be sensible?”
“That is why I apologized, isn’t it? Why are you picking a fight now over something that ended more than three years ago?”
Now that I said it, it really was strange.
I remembered the incident clearly because it had been so humiliating.
Before Julian, who had come to the House of Listerwell thinking he was called by Bella, I had apologized repeatedly, saying I was sorry.
“I…… I liked you, Sir Faith…… and after seeing the letters you sent to Bella…… I made a mistake in a moment of weakness. I am sorry.”
It was so difficult to say things that weren’t true to confess a sin.
He had looked at me with an incredulous expression before flying into a rage, and Bella had apologized on my behalf to calm him down. That, of course, was only after I had repeated that I was sorry over a dozen times.
Regardless, that was how the matter ended.
I had been to parties that Julian attended several times since then, but he had never come up to confront me like this. That was why I had forgotten his face.
Perhaps stung by Harriet’s observation, Julian gritted his teeth and stepped forward. It looked as if he might strike her.
It was just as Harriet instinctively took a step back.