The ‘S’ in Baron Stanford’s letter obviously referred to Lady Sinclair.

The “high probability” meant suspicious points had been discovered about her.

However, the phrase “purpose unclear” was troubling.

She wouldn’t be doing this dangerous activity just for fun. To move on such a large scale would require significant time, manpower, and information—so what was motivating her?

“We’ll head straight to Lensk tomorrow. Get ready and get some sleep.”

At Ryan’s words, Philip immediately returned to his room.

After moving the nightstand back to its place, Ryan organized the map and packed his belongings for tomorrow’s departure.

Lensk.

A port city much closer to Albion than Gilia’s capital. On clear days, Albion’s land was visible to the n*ked eye.

As he tightened the straps on his bag, Ryan thought of Eloise.

‘I wonder if she’s doing well?’

Imagining Eloise receiving his letter, he continued packing.

* * *

At the same time.

“You want me to leave the Baron’s house?”

Eloise looked in bewilderment at the Baroness and Beatrice standing behind her.

At first, she was certain she had misheard.

Asking a guest to leave was, naturally, an unimaginably rude action.

That’s why etiquette books for nobles even included sections on how to make stubborn guests leave without explicitly asking them to go.

But even those etiquette books would have written in bold letters: “Asking someone to leave immediately is extremely rude and will drag your family name through the mud!”

Yet here she was, facing that very rudeness.

As Eloise stood there, not knowing how to react to this unexpected situation, the Baroness spoke again.

“Yes. I know this is surprising, but I would like you to leave as soon as possible.”

The Baroness emphasized, making it clear Eloise hadn’t misheard.

Of course, knowing this wasn’t a normal situation, she didn’t look comfortable.

“…May I ask why?”

As far as Eloise knew, there were only a few cases where one could expel an accepted guest.

First, if the guest had committed a crime. Second, if they had tarnished the honor of the hosting family, even if not through criminal actions.

Naturally, Eloise could confidently say she hadn’t done anything falling into either category.

“I’d like to know why I’m suddenly receiving this treatment.”

The Baroness, who cared deeply about others’ opinions, must have a reason for acting this way.

When Eloise asked for the reason, the Baroness sighed.

“There are many listening ears around. Must I really spell out such an embarrassing matter?”

At this, the maids standing nearby quietly exchanged glances.

Perhaps because the Baroness had called it an “embarrassing matter,” they turned their gazes toward Eloise.

In those gazes, the previous politeness toward a guest had vanished, replaced by faint contempt, as if looking at a vagrant from the streets.

By this point, Eloise could no longer respond with a calm smile.

“Yes, I swear to God I have done nothing to deserve being thrown out like this.”

As Eloise stood her ground firmly, even invoking God, the Baroness sighed and said to the maids:

“Leave us. Come back when I call for you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The maids hesitated, clearly dying to hear the reason, before finally leaving the room.

Once all the maids had left, Beatrice, who had been standing behind the Baroness, stepped forward.

“You’re really shameless. How can you stand there so boldly without even blinking?”

“Beatrice, if you’re going to criticize someone, shouldn’t you at least explain why you’re being so sarcastic?”

At those words, Beatrice flared up and raised her voice.

“I read all your letters! I know everything—about how you were deceived by a con artist and how your friend was tricked into a fake marriage!”

Eloise swallowed a groan at those words.

“You read my letters? In secret?”

The rush of embarrassment and anger made the back of her neck tense.

Even parents shouldn’t read letters freely, so how had Beatrice read hers? And the fact that she was criticizing her with such content meant…

‘She stole and read the letter I sent to Lady Sinclair.’

There was no other way Beatrice could know such things.

“Beatrice. Your voice is too loud.”

As Beatrice’s voice rose, the Baroness raised her arm to stop her.

Eloise realized the real reason why she had sent the maids away.

It was not only to prevent them from hearing her story and spreading rumors, but also to avoid spreading the rumor that Beatrice had stolen and read someone else’s letter.

After all, Eloise, a guest from the countryside, would leave soon, and any rumors about her would disappear within weeks. But Beatrice would remain in the capital’s social circles, where a rumor once started could follow her for life.

“I understand that Beatrice’s actions were inappropriate. But the fact that our Beatrice did this despite knowing it was wrong suggests there was something about your behavior that bothered her.”

At the Baroness’s words, Beatrice lowered her eyes like a gentle lamb and spoke politely.

“Actually, Mother, I didn’t tell you this, but… Eloise asked me to visit the Army Headquarters. I thought we were just visiting Baron Stanford about Blissbury matters, but now I see it was to find the person who had committed fraud.”

“Beatrice.”

Eloise, who had been quietly listening, called Beatrice’s name with anger.

“Fraud? How can you say such a thing? If you intend to insult me further, I won’t hold back either.”

“B-but you! You clearly weren’t married to a man named Ryan Thornton… And your friend too! Looking for a man who ran away after promising marriage…!”

Beatrice stammered in response, apparently not expecting Eloise to stand her ground so firmly.

“Both of you, stop.”

As voices began to rise again, the Baroness cut off their conversation.

“Anyway, Eloise. I clearly remember you initially telling me you came to check on the house Mr. Surberton inherited. Am I correct?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“But according to what Beatrice has heard, rather than examining that house, you and your friend… well, let’s call it deception. In any case, you’ve been more focused on finding men who were inappropriate matches.”

“Inappropriate? There seems to be a misunderstanding. Ryan and I received permission to court—”

“It’s quite common for country folk to fail to see the true nature of well-dressed visitors.”

Though she spoke indirectly, she was essentially saying that even the Surbertons had been deceived by Ryan.

As even her parents were being doubted, Eloise’s fists clenched tightly.

“Anyway, people in the capital no longer sympathize with such individuals. They view such marriage scams as the natural consequence for those who reach beyond their station.”

The Baroness said this with a frown.

Her words weren’t untrue. As such incidents increased, people had begun to blame the victims.

Some even said it was the result of greed and that one should stay away from such people. A climate of openly despising and mocking those who had been deceived was spreading.

‘And Beatrice needs to be careful now.’

Beatrice was now reaching the age where marriage proposals would start coming in earnest.

Even though the capital had a higher marriage age than the provinces, arrangements would need to be made within the next year.

That’s why she had deliberately sent Beatrice to Lady Sinclair’s gathering with Eloise, hoping to build broader social connections. But now it turned out that Eloise, whom she had attached to Beatrice, was doing something worthy of being pointed at.

‘I shouldn’t have been complacent just because she came up from the countryside.’

So she needed to send Eloise away before more was said.

Besides, the Baroness had already achieved her initial purpose.

Grace’s daughter, whom she had felt inferior to since childhood.

The Baroness felt satisfaction seeing that daughter appear tougher and more tenacious than her own daughter, who had been raised as a lady.

Grace had raised a weed, while she had cultivated a beautiful flower in a greenhouse, worthy of everyone’s praise.

‘I was worried that Grace’s daughter might come to the capital and overshadow my daughter in society.’

But now she saw there was no possibility of that happening.

Feeling her long-standing inferiority complex satisfyingly disappear, the Baroness spoke to Eloise again.

“So, Eloise, I would like you to leave quietly before I have to send the maids to escort you out.”

Then, looking outside, she added in a benevolent voice:

“You may stay until morning.”

* * *

“Lady Sinclair. A guest has come to see you.”

“At this early hour?”

Maria Sinclair, who had risen at 5 AM as usual out of military habit, got up from her seat in surprise at the maid’s words.

“Who is it?”

Wondering if it might be the people she was waiting for, she asked, and the maid replied:

“Someone named Eloise Surberton.”

“Ah.”

At that name, a subtle smile spread across Sinclair’s face. She too had been waiting for this person.

“Please show her to the reception room.”

After all, she could potentially become one of her colleagues.