There was a look of rapt attention on his face, but it was just a facade; he was not truly as focused as he was when listening to Francis.

Either way, Maria didn't care. She just looked up and down at Jay, who was dressed in Richard's costume.

"As you know, the first time Richard and Anne met was at his birthday banquet. Despite being incomparably dignified, he fell in love with Anne at first sight. So when he meets her again under the laurel tree, he shouldn't just look arrogant and aloof as usual. There should also be a hint of affection in his eyes."

Everyone was taken aback by Maria's perspective of the scene.

In the book, although the scene where Anne encountered Richard again under the Laurel tree was wonderful, it was never written in words that Richard fancied her.