# 77
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Ariana felt the eyes of Mrs. Harrison and the other seamstress studying her from head to toe.
Her short hair, her sleeves frayed from being unbuttoned, her dress dirty with mud and salt water from the night before.
Perhaps they thought she had lost her fortune after her husband died, and she was left pregnant and alone.
Moments later, Mrs. Harrison heaved a deep sigh, as if the earth had collapsed. The story was not strange, but it was not without compassion.
“You don't have fleas, do you?”
"...! No, I don't have it!"
“Heh, well, get on then. I'm going to take advantage of you, so get ready.”
She said she had been experiencing a labor shortage recently, and that they could list her name as a temporary worker.
The woman spoke quickly about things Ariana didn't ask about, then suddenly turned around and pointed into an alley.
“And also...”
“Yes?”
“Throw something at that bastard following you.”
Ariana turned to look at the place she pointed. Between the brick buildings, a thin man wearing an old hat was staring at her.
“He was following you a little while ago, a known vagrant in this area.”
"He follows young women alone to rob them. Throw your shoes at him and he'll go away."
"My shoes? Can't I ignore them?"
“If you don’t, he will stick to you at the boarding gate. If he causes a scene in front of the passengers, it will be difficult to take you in.”
“Ah...”
“You'll need to wear other shoes on the ship anyway.”
Ariana carefully took off her shoes.
'Oh my God, I almost got in trouble.'
You should be more vigilant while raising baby.
She hoped that the man would be satisfied with the shoes and leave, so she placed the shoes on the ground. She felt goosebumps when her feet with torn stockings touched the ground.
Mrs. Harrison gave her heavy waterproof boots to wear on the ship.
Compared to her custom-made leather shoes, they were uncomfortable, but she didn't think to complain. Ariana followed Mrs. Harrison and the other seamstress.
'So...'
She felt afraid of how easy things were going, and her steps were as if she were walking on clouds, unrealistic.
The turquoise sea was shining white under the sun.
Like the color of the eyes of the boy who had smiled so sweetly at her one day.
Ariana kept this scene in her eyes for the last time, and boarded the ship without hesitation.
Soon after, the sail signal rang across the dock.
* * *
The first thing Kenneth got were decorative buttons.
“Ha…”
He would not have misidentified her.
Black onyx studded buttons were on the everyday outfit Ariana wore.
The pawn shop owner stammered that a woman had suddenly burst in, demanding to be converted into cash.
“I didn't know she was Duchess Clifford, sir.”
“If I knew, I swear-”
I would have paid the lady her real price, or I would have kept her here and called the Duke...
Kenneth was angry that this cunning tricked Ariana so cheap, but he was even more shocked by something else.
'Have you made it this far...?'
When Ariana escaped through the vent earlier, the feeling of betrayal was the strongest. He thought she was running away to meet Andrew.
He thought she didn't take the earrings he gave her for that reason.
But with her second escape, and whenever her true intentions became clear, he felt his heart sink into an abyss.
'Did you want to leave me so much...?'
Even if she ran away from fear at that moment, it was natural for her to return to a safe place after calming down.
But this escape… It seemed like Ariana couldn't bear the thought of staying next to Kenneth Clifford.
“…How was she?”
“She… looked very in a hurry, and there were bruises on her cheek and hands...”
"So I didn't know she was the duke's lady. I thought she was just a woman who ran away from her home-"
The store owner almost said that he thought it was a woman who had run away from her home, but he closed his mouth under the pressure of the atmosphere.
Kenneth rubbed his face in anger and frustration.
She was moving well, which meant she hadn't broken any bones or bled badly. That was reassuring, but the presence of the marks...
He said coldly to Roger and his assistants: “You haven’t gone far yet. Hurry up the investigation, and make sure you’re not afraid or hurt.”
"Yes!"
As he moved with them, Kenneth maintained a calm expression. But with every step, he felt as if he was drowning in a swamp.
Even on his cold days, he never imagined that her body would be harmed.
How could she act so rashly after being hurt like that?
'You should come back to me.'
Even if the Aberdeen family was of the lower class, it was noble by birth. He couldn't understand why she didn't come back after all that trouble.
'Who else can you rely on in this world...?'
Her family, if they can be called that, died in prison.
Ariana spent the night next to their bodies.
When he remembered this, the feeling of distress he felt when he first heard her story came back.
He knew it felt like a lost valuable opportunity.
'No.'
If he finds Ariana, there will be no crisis.
He couldn't not find her in this small place. But when he went out into the street, he heard the sound of a ship's horn echoing from somewhere.
* * *
At the end of the investigation that day, there was no woman like Ariana on the passenger lists of the ships that sailed.
Even considering the possibility of using a pseudonym, it wasn't helpful. In the end, Kenneth was forced to suppress his insult and sent an escort to the residence of Batiste and his group.
“Why am I the one being asked about Mrs..? What exactly happened?”
Damian was stunned, and when he heard the events, he seemed equally shocked. He also didn't know anything.
Even though he promised to help her if she reached Dobris, how could he have predicted that the lady would disappear before then?
But those who were walking on thin ice in this situation were the policemen in the coastal area.
Usually, petty crimes were common on the coast, and turning a blind eye to them and taking bribes benefited everyone.
But as the maids' disappearance becomes a serious matter, everyone has an explosive fuse at their backs.
A few days later, they brought a vagabond whom they usually ignored before Duke Clifford.
This man was a notorious pickpocket and abuser, coming in and out of the police station as his home. But the situation has changed now.
“Sir, this is the one who stole the lady’s shoes.”
“No, it's not true!”
“He is sure, sir, he has the same clothes as I have described—”
“Ah…!”
He didn't know that these shoes would cause him such a problem.
He was following a beautiful blonde girl from afar, but he fell into the hands of that damned seamstress.
In the end, he returned with only the shoes before he revolted.
He thought the precious leather would l for a good price, but…
“…Did you forcefully take it away from my wife?”
The tramp almost fainted in front of Kenneth Clifford.
Compared to the angry police, this gentleman was calm and maintained his dignity.
But from his experience on the streets, he knew that people with crazy calm looks were the most dangerous.
“No, no, Sir Duke, it is not theft!”
“So, I should assume you paid the right price for it?”
Kenneth looked at the creeping man without blinking.
Once again, he saw Ariana writhing on the floor with her hair held back.
Just thinking about it made his facial muscles freeze with quiet anger.
“If you don’t pay for it, you can tell me how you took it from my wife.”
“Answer. And tell me where my wife has gone too.”
The man opened his mouth like a fish thrown onto land in front of Kenneth.
No, she gave him the shoes voluntarily...! But people often don't believe the quiet truth.
Of course, everyone would think that he harassed and robbed the duke's lady.
Until this accusation comes out, the angry police will punish him severely.
What is the punishment for a noble insult?
...execution by shooting?
'Instead…'
The man decided to tell the most plausible lie.
He lay down, trembling, and said: “A, A, the woman has already jumped into the sea. She took off her shoes before she jumped.”
At that moment, the Port Miller Police Station was completely silent.