Chapter 25

Pavel had told me not to speak of his secret to anyone, so Jessie knew nothing either. I could not put Jessie in such danger.

I considered slipping out of the estate secretly and taking a commercial carriage, but there was a risk in that. The butler Gothman might notice that I had gone out without permission. The more sensitive Gizelle's temper became, the more thoroughly he watched me. So I had to make it look as though I had a reason to go out at this hour.

"Where are you going?"

The coachman was prickly, as though suspicious of me for going out so often these days.

In any case, that meant he too belonged to Erdona. It also meant he did not wish to serve someone like me, whose origins were unknown.

"I'm going to the night market."

"Lady Gizelle has instructed that unnecessary outings be avoided."

His…