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Chapter 158
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2024-10-29 19:42:56After so much disturbance in the first days of their marriage, Ava could finally enjoy a few days of peace without disruption. Except for Lord Carlton and Lady Cecily, nobody dared to be hostile to her in her husband's presence, but just when she thought she would finally be able to breathe easy, a sudden news dashed her hopes. It happened one fine morning when she was taking a stroll down the garden with her husband.
"A ball?"
Ava repeated the words in horror, staring unblinkingly at Ashton, who just announced that he'd ordered the household staff to arrange a ball in her honor. Not expecting such an unenthusiastic response, he stopped walking and looked down at her with a slightly perplexed frown.
"That's absolutely unnecessary."
Ava shook her head, horrified by the idea of having to be displayed in front of the crowd of nobility.
"It's a family tradition.
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"Don't forget, you once said your uncle is like a father to you.""He is, and I will always respect and honor him, but that doesn't mean I will tolerate his unacceptable behavior, especially where my wife's well being is concerned."She shook her head, appalled by the idea."It may seem like the most possible solution now, because you are mad, but you'll regret it later.""The only thing I'll regret in life is if I fail to protect the closest person to me."Ava opened her mouth to reply but then subsided. She knew that at this point, whatever she said wouldn't stop him from doing whatever he deemed necessary. Once Ashton took a resolved standpoint, nobody could change his mind. He had always held fast to his point of view, and never wavered between two courses of actions. Now all she could do was to try to defer the decision."All right, but I ask you to consider this matt
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Stung at the unexpected jab, Ava was temporarily speechless. Just then, the woman's husband came wrapping her arms around his wife. Perfectly unaware of what just happened, the man nodded and led the woman away. The woman flashed her a scornful glance a moment before leaving. Ava froze, too dazed that she was unable to react until she felt Ashton's hand on the small of her back."I told you it's not as tough as it seems. Actually it's quite easy, isn't it?"She tried to think of a direct, clear way to tell him, but none came to mind. Another peer came to greet them and she stood beside him as still as a statue. Though she directed her gaze straight ahead without really looking at anyone in the crowd, she could feel the burn of curious eyes around her. Just as the growing tension became excruciating, she caught a familiar face amidst the crowd.It was Lady Byrne, gawking at her as if seeing a ghost. When their gazes met,
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Soon as Amanda disappeared through the door, she dropped into the coach, laid her head on her crossed arms, and burst into sobs."Darling, are you alright?"Lady Byrne's voice startled her and she looked up to see the lady regarding her with concerned frown. The lady gasped at her tearful face."You poor thing! Come here my dear."Sitting beside her, the lady hugged her and stroked her hair consolingly."I heard everything. That's complete nonsense. Don't listen to that slut Amanda. Nothing comes out of her mouth but lies.""But how-" Ava gasped, then faltered."I was just about to come in when I saw her talking to you.""Mrs. Puck?" Ava's anxious gaze swept around the room, worried that another person might have heard the shameful conversation."I can't find her. Perhaps she has returned home without me. Anyway, you shouldn't listen to that dirty whor
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Soon after Amanda was gone, Ashton wasted no time to search for his wife, andbefore long, found her with Dowager Countess Byrne in a sitting room. He stopped by the door and stood listening to their conversation.He almost choked when he heard Ava spilling the whole story of Amanda's scheme to the countess. Not only he was taken aback, he was also terribly embarrassed and strongly disapproved of her openness in such private matters. But he knew at this point he couldn't interrupt without humiliating himself or anyone. He'd never understand the ways of women. They tended to confide personal secrets in their friends, something that he, and most men, would never do.Much to his surprise, the countess was vehemently on his side. The older woman strongly supported him in her opinion and firmly convinced Ava to trust him and not to doubt his f
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The day began as usual in the Bailey's large countryhouse. Shortly after daybreak, the kitchen was already filled with the delicious aroma of smoked bacon and eggs with freshly baked toast, for the family would start the morning, as any other, with a hearty yet humble breakfast.With a dissatisfied frown on her face, Amanda stared down at the messy scrambled egg and overcooked browned potatoes in her worn tin plate. Her mother, a plump, middle-aged woman with hair the same shade as hers, walked around the table with a plate of sautéed bacon. She took a seat next to her husband, who was stuffing a huge piece of toast into his mouth."You want to eat that food before it gets cold."Mr. Bailey motioned at the untouched food in her daughter's plate. Shaking her head with narrowing eyes, Amanda let out a desperate sigh."I've lost my appetite even before I taste it. This food l
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Mystified by the strangeness of it all, he flipped through the pages, quickly reading through the book, and immediately froze, rooted to the ground as what he discovered in the pages snatched the air from his lungs. Totally unforeseen, unthinkable, and unbelievably devastating, the long-buried secret revealed in the book struck him as a bolt from the blue. It was as if his entire world had been turned upside down in the blink of an eye.Heedless of all else but one thing on his mind, he took the picture and notebook with him, rushing out of the study and right to his chamber. Without thinking, he tossed several random clothes into a valise before snapping it shut. After having his things brought down by his valet, he threw on his winter coat and bounded downstairs."Have a carriage readied for me as soon as possible."He ordered the butler, who seemed more than a bit startled."Pardon me, Your Grace, but Mr. Ingwald is still wa
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"That's complete nonsense!"Lord Carlton bristled, his face flushed, either from anger or mortification."I believe the whole tale in that diary is anything but nonsense, and since you are a constant presence in it, I am sure that you know that everything written in that diary is no fiction. If you have forgotten it all, perhaps a look inside the book will help refresh your memory."He countered with undisguised sarcasm, recalling pages after pages that implied his mother's forbidden liaison with her husband's brother.He wished he never knew such sordid things about his mother, but the words and the undesirable images of the affair had forever burned into his memory. Dear God, he would never be able to remember his mother the same way as before.Under his accusing stare, Lord Carlton's face drawn in stark, forbidding lines. When he finally spoke, his voice p
Disgraceful Chapter 166
Vermont, three days laterFor the rest of the week, time had hung heavy on Ava's hands with nothing to give her relief, not even showers of motherly affection and words of comfort from Lady Byrne. Until the indefinite, agonizing wait eventually ended one fine afternoon, as abruptly and unexpectedly as it had begun. She was having her tea alone in the sitting room when she heard clatter of hooves from the drive, followed by the echo of footsteps in the corridor as the servant hurried to the front door.Setting her cup carelessly on the table, Ava stood up rightaway and hurried out of the room.It's time for her thoughtless husband to explain the reason of his sudden departure and his failure to inform her properly about it. Oh, he better has a good one, because she won't let him get away with this so easily.With an angry swoosh of her skirt, she took a brisk, determ
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Carrying the old, unsent letter in his hand, Ashton took a determined step to Lord Carlton's bedchamber. The door was left slightly opened, as to make it easier for the servants to hear if the lord rang the bell. He stopped in front of the doorway and peered inside. Through the narrow opening, he could see his uncle across the room, sitting on the wheelchair by the window, gazing out into the wintry garden outside."Do come in."The lord called without glancing his way. Despite the head injury, his uncle hadn't lost his usual alertness, and the wheelchair didn't make him look less forbidding. He was very fortunate the injury didn't cause him any permanent damage, and though he hadn't quite regained his normal strength until this day, the doctor said that he would no longer need the device in a couple of weeks.Lord Carlton turned in his wheelchair to face him as he entered the room."What is it?"His uncle
Disgraceful Chapter 186
Present DayWhen Ava peered into his chamber this morning, she found that he'd been able to get out of bed without any help. He stood in front of the mirror with a brush covered with lather in hand, meeting her gaze within the reflection. He paused, watching her breeze into the room and walk toward him."Oh, you're up already. Do you feel any better today?"She asked casually."Very much so. I think I'm going to have some fresh air. I'm tired of being confined in this room."Stopping within a foot from him, she glanced at the shaving equipment on the dresser."Let me help you.""There's no need-""Sit over there."She ignored him, motioning him to sit on the sidetable. Obediently, he did her bidding, half-sitting on the edge of the sidetable. With a brush, she smoothed the lather evenly ove
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For a moment, she was quite bewildered by his request, but then she realized, by asking her to do so, he was trying to be completely truthful to her, to share his darkest secrets with her, no matter how sordid and shameful they were, to let her see the ugly side of him and to trust her without reserve.She settled back into the chair and took the letter from his hand. She opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, clearing her throat before she started reading,"Dear Carlton,I hope you will understand why I choose this way. I can no longer carry on in this fashion. It's not that I don't love you enough to go on. No words can express how much I love you. I die a little inside each time I see you. You can't imagine how difficult it is for me, but we both know that this is the best for us. I know you can't desert your family, and I don't blame you, for I can never do that to my son eith
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Several hours later..."This is unspeakable. I can't believe it."Magnus' voice carried clearly across the hall. He turned around abruptly, wild sparks shooting from his eyes as he gazed furiously at the woman sitting in an armchair on the other side of the room."For Christsakes, why would you do this, Mother. How could you?"Lady Cecily stared into the void without so much as a word. Her eyes devoid of emotions, her refined feature as hard as granite.Sitting in a wheelchair pushed by a servant, Lord Carlton entered the parlor. Behind him are two of the guardsmen. Shooting a bitter look at his wife, he uttered with a composed voice."You'll be up before the magistrate to face the legal consequences of your crime. I've sent words to the authorities. The Constable will pick you up at first light."The lady took the notice with a pr
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With soundless steps, Ava sneaked her way to Lord Carlton's bedchamber. The door was slightly opened, allowing a shaft of light from inside the room to spill out into the dark corridor. Stopping by the doorstep, she peeked into the room through the small opening. In the middle of the large bed, the lord lay as white and still as death. A candle burned in the nightstand, casting a dim glow in the gloom of the chamber.Drawing a long, fortifying breath, Ava slipped into the chamber. Crossing the room, she moved around the bed and sat in the chair nearby, gazing regretfully upon the lifeless face.To have a death on her conscience was too great a burden to bear. Perhaps she was a fool to think that to confess her sin and beg forgiveness from the insensible victim would give her a little comfort, but she just couldn't help it."I'm so sorry, My Lord." She began."I thou
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There hadn't been much progress on Lord Carlton's condition the following day. He remained unconscious, only a faint pulse indicated there was life in there, yet it hung by a tenuous thread. In the morning, Doctor Haynes returned to check on him. Ashton asked him if there was any hope, and the doctor shook his head slightly in answer.In contrast to her dramatic reaction over Lord Carlton's condition the day before, Lady Cecily showed little interest in taking care of her husband. Instead, it was a loyal servant that had worked for the family for nearly fourty years who seemed to care deeply about him, feeding him with broth and water every hour, and applying soothing balm to his chapped lips. When she had finished her gentle ministrations, the old maid would kneel beside his bed and folded her wrinkled hands, praying for the master's recovery.Inside one of the sitting room in the secluded West Wing, Ashton stood gazing into the fire where
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Ava blanched upon hearing his oath. She'd never heard such ferocity in a person's voice. Quick to notice her sudden pallor, Ashton took her hand, murmured some excuse to Aunt Cecily and Magnus, and led her out of the room."Your hands are so cold," He looked down at her hand in his hold with concerned frown. Too overwhelmed with distress, she let him take her to her chamber upstairs."Nobody will know about it." He said once the door closed behind them, and when she remained mute, pale and cold with fear, he headed to the sideboard and poured a glass of brandy. He made her finish the drink in two long swallows, and took the empty glass from her trembling hand. Setting the glass in the nearest sideboard, he placed his hands on her arms, forcing her to look directly into his eyes."Listen, I've told the guards never to breathe a word about it to anyone. I'll replace them immediately. Don't be afraid, I won't let anything bad happen to y
Disgraceful Chapter 180
The next thing she knew, Ashton and the guardsmen already moved with mad haste to save Lord Carlton's life. By sheer luck, one of the guards had managed to get a wagon from a local farmer to bring the wounded lord home. She fixed the bandage and tried to slow down the bleeding, doing the best she could without further question, since the severity of the lord's injury left no time for explanation. Unfortunately the process of removing the lord from the building into the vehicle and the rough journey back home seemed to worsen his condition. Once they arrived home, a servant rushed to fetch the new doctor. During the wait, Ashton could hardly think of anything else. He was too distraught with fear, not certain Lord Carlton would survive another minute. Thankfully, within minutes the doctor arrived with his nurse."I'll do my best."Doctor Haynes promised before closing the door to Lord Carlton's bedchamber.
Disgraceful Chapter 179
It seemed like the matter was urgent and highly confidential, Uncle Carlton didn't even leave his name on the message. Pulling the top drawer, he slipped the note beneath the piles of documents and rushed out of the room.*****By the time Ava returned to the study, an empty room greeted her. A sudden sense of premonition settled over her, and she instantly suppressed it. He might have retired to his chamber, or he might have been doing some other activity in another parlor somewhere in the house, she told herself. Still, she couldn't help but quicken her pace as she rushed through the house, desperate to find him as soon as possible."Edward, where's my husband?" She asked when she came across the butler in the corridor. The butler halted and bowed."His Grace has left the house a few minutes ago, Your Grace."Her heart immediately missed a beat."What?! Where?""I
