Had their fortunes taken a sharp turn for the worse? Ariella thought as she naturally took the seat of honor.
Meanwhile, Smith scrutinized the appearance of the noble lady he was seeing up close for the first time.
Ariella, sitting with her long legs crossed and taking a sip of water, looked so elegant that for a moment, the dilapidated house seemed to transform into a splendid mansion.
As Smith swallowed hard, trying to sneak a glance at her white ankles, a sudden fierce gaze turned towards him.
Adam, the knight standing protectively behind Ariella, glared at him coldly, causing Smith to flinch in fear.
Cautiously shrinking back, he asked, “Um, what do you want to ask…?”
“It’s not a very serious matter, so you don’t need to be so tense. If you could just tell us about a certain person, we’ll leave quickly. If you provide satisfactory information, we’re willing to offer a small reward as well.”
At the mention of a reward, a glimmer of interest sparked in the eyes of the Chestnut couple.
“Oh my, a reward? How much will you give us?”
“Ah! This woman, how can she be so frivolous…! I apologize, my lady. She’s just a simple woman with no education. We will, of course, tell you everything we know! Who is it? The person you’re curious about, my lady.”
As Jane raised her voice excitedly, Smith scolded her roughly. However, his gaze, filled with desire, was just as frivolous as hers.
Ariella wiped the smile that had appeared on her lips and slowly presented a portrait.
“You’ll recognize this face. Her name is Lizzy, she’s twenty-two years old. Since she was a significant child in your hands, you must know her.”
The faces of the couple, which had been brightening with igLizzynce, turned pale as soon as they spotted Lizzy’s portrait.
They exchanged urgent glances. It was clear they had something to hide.
“We don’t know her.”
As Smith declared with a serious expression, Ariella let out a small laugh.
She had anticipated such a reaction. Lizzy, who had thoroughly concealed information about herself, must have left them with a warning. Whether it was a threat or persuasion, she would have made it clear.
“Mr. Chestnut.”
Ariella was confident.
Whether it was a threat or persuasion, both were her specialties.
“It would be better to answer honestly. I detest liars—”
As she whispered in a low voice, the couple stiffened.
“And I’m not very patient.”
Ariella fluttered her long eyelashes and gestured towards Adam. The quick-witted Adam immediately placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Eek!”
Smith quickly retreated and hid behind his wife. He had thought that since they were treating him with respect as a commoner, the noble lady would be easy to deal with. He realized too late that she was indeed a noble lady.
The couple trembled as if they were about to scream. Judging it was time to offer a carrot, Ariella continued speaking leisurely.
“This woman, Lizzy, is a criminal who has committed a grave mistake in a high noble family. Be careful, as you might be mistaken for her accomplices if you carelessly protect her.”
“A, a criminal?”
Smith looked quite surprised, as if he had never expected such a thing.
It seemed Lizzy hadn’t honestly told them about her situation. If this couple knew she had been recognized as a true noble, they would have surely clung to Abercorn, demanding compensation for raising her.
The fact that they were living in this dilapidated house with expensive dishes meant they didn’t know what name Lizzy was currently being called by.
Ariella, nodding lightly, continued her deceitful tale with a nonchalant demeanor.
“Yes, that’s right. I can’t disclose the charges yet, but I can say she has committed a very serious crime.”
“Such…!”
“This criminal has lived in your house from the age of five to thirteen, and I already know that. The reason I’m asking about Lizzy is simply for final confirmation, so you won’t be harmed.”
Ariella added with a gentle smile.
“However, if you and the criminal are in a cooperative relationship, that would be a different story.”
The couple exchanged hurried glances again.
It seemed they had a lot to say to each other, but unfortunately, they weren’t close enough to understand each other’s thoughts just by exchanging glances, nor could they leave the nobles waiting while they talked.
As a result, Jane, unable to contain her frustration, spoke up first.
“Oh, I know her. We’re acquainted. That girl threatened us! She said she was favored by a high-ranking person and was going to marry a very noble man. She said that man looked down on us and threatened us to leave Edinburgh if we wanted to keep our lives!”
