He caught himself and mentally shook his head. Lilian was a common name too, it didn't mean anything,
Besides, not many people remembered his mother's name. She was often just called that whore that seduced the Earl by his wife and children, or the maid that dared to reach above her station and covet what wasn't hers. Not many knew her name, and if they did, they wouldn't name a child after her.
"Lady Francessa?" Lady Harringder asked cautiously.
"Yes!" Jasper replied. "It has been an eventful day for all of us, please, do get some rest on my behalf."
"Of course, of course." Lady Harringder turned to leave.
Seeing that it was fine to approach her, more and more ladies began to give their regards to Jasper. Some had their family crests, some did not, but Jasper could see several noble houses have decided to pay their respects. Foxton, Nicholnor and even Alirral were present!
He had a bad feeling he knew who the Lady Francessa in question was.
There was only one Lady Francessa that was this well-connected after all, to have ladies of various nobility pay respects to her funeral.
But he did not want to believe it.
It was until they got into the carriage, and the carriage drove all the way through the lands of the Lawrence estate, passing through widespread fields and the forest borders, that he was finally forced to accept the truth!
He was Lady Francessa Lawrence, formerly Lady Francessa Hensworth, first daughter of Royal Physician Frederick Hensworth.
At this realisation, Jasper could only laugh helplessly to himself.
The heavens surely had a sick sense of humour!
How did he end up in the body of his childhood friend, his first love, just not in the way he always wanted to (in their marriage bed)?
How was it that she was dead? How could her husband not have cared for her even when he passed away?
"Mama? Why are you laughing?" He turned to look carefully at his daughter, gently holding his face. Yes, now that he took a closer look, he could see the resemblances. Even though she favoured her husband in terms of hair and eye colour, she had the same eye shape, the same tilt of her nose and the same cute pout she used to have.
"I'm just happy," he said, half-choked up, lightly patting her cheek. Frannie's daughter smiled the same gummy smile she used to give him and cuddled closer, and he felt his heart breaking all over again.
She was right here next to him, but Frannie's soul was nowhere to be found.
If she was dead, does it mean her soul was reincarnated? Sent to the afterlife? Surely not to hell, seeing that she spent her life trying to help people with the medical skills she learnt from her father, and from her numerous charities.
'Hopefully her soul didn't end up in my body', he prayed fervently. He had offended quite a number of people and he didn't want her to know about her less than savoury lifestyle!
But if her soul was in his body, maybe they could get their souls switched. That would be the best case scenario! The alternative was that he was stuck in her body forever, doomed to be a lady and helping her raise her young daughter with no parental experience.
He sighed and slumped against the back of the carriage. Nanny Oswald and Lilian looked at him in surprise.
Oh right, he was a lady. He was supposed to be composed at all times. He forced himself to sit up straight again, in case they suspected something was wrong.
In no time at all, he was back at her estate. As he walked through the doors, he marveled at how little things changed the last time he visited five years ago.
Everything, from the drapes to the cool stone tiles, even the way the air smelled…everything was the same as back then.
The last time he saw Francessa was back at this very same estate, when he was invited to her wedding despite his low birth.
If she was not the daughter of a Lord and he, an illegitimate son with a highly dangerous and secretive job, perhaps there could be a future for them both.
But circumstances being what they were, he had wished her well as she looked at him hopefully, longingly, expectantly. He had nothing to offer her, and in the end, she could only give him a soft smile tinged with slight disappointment as she went on to embrace her new life as the Marquis' wife.
Now, he was living her life.
When he made his presence known, he saw the staff going on their knees in shock!
"Why isn't the estate in mourning?" He asked casually. If Francessa had died, wouldn't the household be decked in mourning colors? Instead, the hall was still awash with bright purple fabric, one of her favorite colors. However, there was significantly less silver on display than what he remembered.
Did her estate fall into such disrepair in a few short years?
"We didn't have time," Housekeeper Mindy said, bowing low in apology. Jasper saw how her knees shook under the weight of her gaze and frowned in suspicion.
"You passed so suddenly, we couldn't prepare anything in advance!"
"I see," Jasper said, still frowning before remembering to paste a gentle smile on his face. "It must have been hard on all of you then."
"Not at all! We're all very pleased that you… arrived back safely." Housekeeper Mindy said shakily.
Jasper highly doubted so. Everyone's faces seemed paler than paper, which was strange. They should have been glad that Francessa was alive! If she wasn't, they would all be dismissed once a relative inherits the estate.
Someone like Housekeeper Mindy, who was already working at the manor before Francessa got married, should have been on her knees in relief that her Lady came back to life!
How suspicious.