Then I asked worriedly.
"Are you okay? You're not sick anywhere, are you?"
"No. Rather... What an amazing coincidence. I can't believe we met like this."
I looked at Eileen, who was trying to raise the corner of her mouth to answer and smoothed out the cute hat that sat on her furry head.
"Oops, the pin that held your hat in place is gone. I guess you got lost along the way?"
I felt her body stiffen.
I took out the pin that held the handkerchief on the left chest of my riding clothes and pinned it on Aileen's hat.
"You've been decorating it beautifully, but if the hat comes off, it's a big problem."
"..."
I met Aileen's shaking eyes and smiled, then glanced at Rosalyn.
She was looking at me with a confused face.
"The equestrian club was such a fun place. Now that I've built up a friendship with Rosalyn, I think I'll visit often."
It was fortunate that Aileen was not someone with a flowery head.
Even if I don't have to tell her that I have the sapphire-encrusted pin that held her hat in place, she can understand that much, so I don't have to go through the trouble of explaining it.
***
"You want to visit the mansion with us?"
"Unexpectedly. I have some past ties to the Viscountess. I should have come and said hello to you a long time ago, but I was sorry for not being able to do so, but now that I have an excuse. I thought I would gather my courage."
"..."
I thought for a moment when Daniel shamelessly asked me to accompany him to his residence in a carriage, but I had nothing to say to him as he put his friendship with Madam Mancini first.
"Are you okay, Aileen?"
"Yes? Yes."
Aileen, who was half-fazed, was not in a position to be aware of Daniel's presence, so she seemed to only half-listen to my requests for understanding.
Her face looked haggard as she bit her nails as if she was anxious.
It's foolish.
'I should have thought more before taking action like that.'
Aileen probably knew Rosalyn's personality better than I did.
If she gets caught for tricking her, I don't know that it will be a completely different problem than the grumpy behavior she's been giving me so far.
What Aileen did today could have cost Rosalyn her life.
Rosalyn isn't an idiot either, so she probably has doubts about my sudden outburst of words.
They must be fully aware of the fact that it would be difficult for me to pull off a trick after rushing in late and coaxing the horse to the point where it was exhausted and calming it down, so they would be suspicious of the other party.
Fortunately for Aileen, since I switched horses with Rosalyn, it would be difficult to proceed with the investigation unless I spoke again.
'If Rosalyn finds out the truth, she won't just be humiliated.'
Although she was considered a 'young lady who had no family and stayed by the Viscountess's side, Aileen was the daughter of a family that was desperately poor and had a mediocre status.
Incurring the wrath of the Count Wilder family is not only difficult, but it can also ruin one's life. Anyway, Daniel, who was able to easily get into the carriage thanks to Aileen, who was half entranced, showed his characteristic gentle smile.
"Thank you, Young Lady."
If it had been Rebecca, I would have just punched him in the face and left him alone.
'Kind and gentle' Isabella was very sorry that she could not do so. Thanks to the people who boarded the carriage without any plans, the narrow carriage was filled.
"I'm sorry. My lord is very shy and finds it difficult to be indebted to people he does not know well, so I am asking you an unreasonable favor."
I responded with a puzzled smile to the words of the knight named Piper, who seemed to have some common sense.
"He doesn't have a very close relationship with me either."
"Lady Isabella is a special person to my lord."
Well, Not even a week had passed since he had been chasing Rebecca to the gambling den and the alleys. Your master's 'specialness' is very wide and diverse, from a woman from a slum to a noble daughter.
"I would be grateful if you, my lady, would continue to maintain a special friendship with my lord..."
Piper quickly stepped on Hayden's words with sparkling eyes.
I looked at him again and was shocked when I saw him smiling again. Judging by Eric's reaction and the Viscountess's reaction, Daniel's status is not that low.
There would be no way for him to know that I had lost my memory and was entrusted to Madam Mancini's Mansion without knowing my family name.
You're not that uncomfortable with me and Daniel getting involved?
"Sir Daniel must have a great lady who suits him better than me."
"I don't ask for much. At least it doesn't have to be a woman who goes in and out of gambling houses, drags men to back alleys, beats them up, then runs away, leaving the evidence behind to blame others."
At Hayden's words, Daniel closed his eyes with an innocent look on his face. It was as if the story had nothing to do with him.
"I think it would be nice to have someone as kind as the Lady, who could come up to the master who fell off a cliff without hesitation and offer words to him."
The woman who conquered the back alley and I are the same person.
Instead of treating his words as empty nonsense, I answered appropriately with a smile.
"The world is wide and there are many young ladies with great looks. There will be no one among those countless young ladies."
"Phew."
At my answer, a small, windy laugh escaped the mouth of Daniel next to me.
Even though I turned my head, I could see the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
As I was about to open my mouth to him, feeling a little irritated, the carriage stopped.
"We have arrived, my lady."
Fortunately, Billy's timid voice helped me regain my composure.
***
The Viscountess couldn't hide her astonishment when she saw me in such disarray, as if I had been homeless for a few days after going to a riding club.
"Oh my - Isabella, dear..."
As she opened her mouth in shock and couldn't speak, I awkwardly played with my head and explained.
"There was a small accident while riding a horse. While trying to calm down a startled horse..."
"But still. Who the hell is the manager there? At least they should give you a break room so you can tidy up."
The club manager was probably busy harassing Rosalyn.
I didn't want to blame him.
Madam Mancini looked at me and the pale Aileen who were smiling silently, then sighed and nodded.
"Both of you go up."
After saying hello and going upstairs, I heard Madam's soft greeting behind me.
"I didn't know that the Lord of the Stoke family would visit this shabby mansion. As you know, I have a niece and a favorite child here who have not yet made their debutante. As you know, it doesn't look good for Young Master to come and go in a mansion where there are two unmarried daughters whose marriages have not yet been decided."
Daniel's soft voice followed the harsh and harsh scolding.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's a shame, but I don't have a place to stay right now, so I have no choice but to rely on old relationships for a while."
"I can't believe you don't have a place to stay."
"In fact, shortly after arriving at this territory, I was robbed of all my money and jewelry."
Are you talking about the bag of jewels that was stolen from me?
"After that, I somehow ended up using up my emergency fund."
Oh, was that emergency money you wasted at the gambling den?
"After that, due to a small misunderstanding, I was detained by the security forces and struggled with it, only to be released soon after."
"Oh my God, the security forces..."
I could hear Madam stuttering as if she was embarrassed. I stopped walking for a moment and started walking again when I saw Charlotte walking through the hallway at a brisk pace.
***
That evening, when I went down to the restaurant feeling hungry because I had spent half a day wrestling with a horse, I saw Daniel sitting in one of the seats and smiling. Madam Mancini explained the situation with a look of disapproval on her face.
"Lord Daniel here will be staying in the annex next to the main building for the time being. As you know, men and women are different, so I don't want you to interact personally or spend time together until late at night while he is staying at the mansion."
No matter what the circumstances were, there would have been a way to send him a reasonable amount of money and have him stay at the inn.
The Viscountess was acquiescing to Daniel's wishes, although she did not seem to be very reluctant. Suddenly, I became curious about the background of a man named Daniel Stokes, whom even Eric was wary of.
"The information Eric gave me had nothing to do with it.'
Maybe that's because he's not involved in the plan, but maybe...
It could also mean that he is a person who should not be messed with.
I glanced at him, and the moment we met, Daniel smiled again until his eyes folded.
I immediately turned my head, checked someone's empty seat, and asked.
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