“Y-yes?”
“Didn’t you know? Whenever she saw you while she was my maid, she was always so shy and didn’t know what to do. Even today, she kept glancing at you, and every time your eyes met, she smiled, right? That means her feelings haven’t changed.”
Lizzy hadn’t been glancing at Izan Wrexham. She smiled only when their eyes met, but that was merely a habit ingrained in her.
However, for the Izan, who had feelings for Lizzy, those small expressions were interpreted differently.
He had already thought that she smiled at him more than anyone else, and with Ariella’s encouragement, that hope quickly became a truth in his mind.
“Lady Lizzy likes me? Is that really true?”
“Yes. You’re handsome, after all. It would be a waste for Catalina to monopolize someone like you.”
“That’s true, but… you seemed to get along well with the Crown Prince.”
“It’s embarrassing, but the truth is, it’s closer to Aaron’s one-sided feelings. Lizzy is just going along with it. Why do you think I’m telling you this? If Lizzy liked Aaron, there would be no possibility, but since that’s not the case, I’m asking for your cooperation.”
“Cooperation?”
“You marry Lizzy and gain power in Abercorn, and I comfort Aaron, who has been abandoned by Lizzy, and we reunite. Wouldn’t it be nice to help each other out as family?”
It seemed like Izan Wrexham’s mind was turning.
The fact that he was tied to Catalina because of her power and wealth was a given, as he was a man who only had his looks. His goal was to marry into the most capable family using his face.
If Ariella’s words were true, then Lizzy was a much better option than Catalina. In looks, personality, and family background. There was nothing lacking.
Although he was worried about being targeted by the Crown Prince, since Aaron was the Duke of Abercorn, it wouldn’t be a big problem.
What mattered was the feasibility of this plan.
“I don’t think the Duke of Abercorn would like to see his son-in-law go from Crown Prince to Izan.”
“No, it’s just the daughter he’s marrying that changes; Aaron will still be his son-in-law. I will make it so, and my father will help too. I don’t know if you’re aware, but… my father is not someone who would give up ties with the royal family. He prioritizes the prosperity of Abercorn above all else.”
To make a lie convincing, one must mix in a bit of truth. It was also a good method to use the enemy’s lies.
“However, if there’s just one exception for such a father, it’s Lizzy. As Lizzy mentioned earlier, my father is very weak towards the daughter he has just found. He only wishes for his daughter, who has suffered all her life, to be happy. So if Lizzy says she loves someone, he will surely support it, no matter who it is.”
“……He did say something like that earlier. He even went so far as to hold a separate debutante ball for her.”
“Yes, that’s right. He cherishes her that much. Additionally, the reason Lizzy hasn’t expressed her feelings for you yet is that she lacks certainty. You know how it is with romance, right? Unless the other person gives you certainty, it’s risky to reveal your cards. It’s wise to have a backup plan just in case.”
A backup plan in the form of the Crown Prince. Ariella added in a small voice.
“So, Izan, please give Lizzy that certainty.”
Izan Wrexham seemed to be in deep thought. He found Ariella’s proposal alluring but was worried it might be a lie.
“Certainty, you say…?”
“I heard that it’s a tradition in the Wrexham family to give a large ruby necklace as a token to the one you love. Wouldn’t that be enough to give her certainty?”
Catalina was still embarrassed that she hadn’t received a ruby necklace from Izan Wrexham.
For others, such an old-fashioned tradition had faded away, and the Izan would say that he called his red hair ‘my shining ruby.’
Catalina’s hair was, strictly speaking, a very faintly reddish-brown, not red, but she always claimed her hair was a beautiful red.
“What if I end up embarrassed? If this is all a lie, I’ll just be the fool!”
“You seem to lack confidence more than I expected. You know that there isn’t a single woman in Edinburgh society who hasn’t had feelings for you at least once.”
“Ahem, that’s true, but still, I can’t just hand over a ruby necklace without any thought. As you said, it’s risky to reveal all your cards, whether you’re a man or a woman.”
“As long as it doesn’t get known by others, there’s no risk. Before the debutante ball, send a gift to the Duke’s residence without anyone knowing. If Lizzy has feelings for you, she’ll wear it to the ball. If she doesn’t, she wouldn’t want to be embroiled in unnecessary rumors, so she’ll keep the gift a secret.”
Thinking about it, it sounded plausible.
