If Solam had not pointed it out, neither Philip nor Digla would have noticed that this woman named Natalie Ann was in remarkably good condition. Far from looking like someone who had been kidnapped, she looked as though she were on vacation.
The woman appeared terrified, but in truth, she was in excellent spirits, with a rosy complexion and immaculate clothes, as though she had just stepped away from her vanity and was preparing to attend a ball like some refined lady!
Solam noticed that not only were her clothes immaculate, they were obviously new!
She wore a fitted, clean black cocktail dress over a blouse with a lace collar. A sapphire pendant hung at her throat. Below, she wore tight riding breeches favored by many noble young ladies, along with a pair of calfskin knee-high riding boots.
At first glance, the outfit did not seem especially remarkable. But upon closer inspection, one could see subtle patterns woven into the garments. That meant their fabric had come from the distant Far East. Only the weaving techniques of that mysterious land could produce cloth that was so understated yet luxurious.
As for the jewelry she wore, Solam would have sworn that none of it was a shoddy imitation. It was all genuine gold and silver! Especially the sapphire at her neck—judging by its luster and clarity, it was unquestionably a gemstone of collector's quality. At that size, that gem alone had to be worth at least a hundred thousand gold coins. A jewel of such value was simply not something an ordinary person could possess.
And according to Digla, his beloved had merely been born into a minor noble family. There was no way she could own such a precious gemstone.
There was no reason for a kidnapped hostage to feel