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Chapter 174
One day later
It was well past dinnertime when the hackney coach screeched to an abrupt halt. Ava snapped from her half doze and stretched her aching back and limbs. She straightened up and blinked away her sleepy haze, gazing out the window to see where she was.
It appeared she was stranded in the middle of nowhere, because other than a stark building, the rest of the place was an overgrown wasteland. The carriage door opened, and she stepped out into the cold, moonless night, tipping her head back to peer at the dingy lodgings before her.
Situated far from the lively downtown and shadowed by tall trees all around it, the lodgings was definitely not an ideal place for a young woman to stay the night, but she didn't have much of a choice, since the hour was late and the next accommodation was several hours away. The driver slightly warned her about the possible danger of r
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Disgraceful Chapter 175
The man slumped atop her, eyes wide open in shock. His friend startled and cursed, reaching inside his coat to pull out his gun. Then another shot exploded, louder than before, followed by a dull thud, and then an eerie silence.Trembling from shock and fear, Ava wriggled away from beneath the lifeless weight atop her, fresh blood soaking the front of her chemise. Across the room another man sprawled dead on the floor, bullet deep in his brain, a splatter of blood dripping down the wall behind. Had she not too overwrought over Ashton's condition, the horrible sight would have made her faint, but she barely paid attention to the result of her desperate act as she crawled out of bed and toward the man who was now lay motionless by the feet of the bed."Oh, God. Please don't let him die. I didn't mean what I said before..." She whispered brokenly as she peered through the dark to see his face. Half of the side of his face covered in blood, drip
Disgraceful Chapter 176
A look of surprise crossed his face, only for a fleeting moment. The next second he shook his head,"Sweetheart, I know you are deeply shocked, but such incident is not uncommon in that kind of place. It doesn't seem personal to me. Besides, I have no enemy.""No, I heard one of the men say, their job is only to kill you, and make sure it looks like a robbery. If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, it could never have occurred to me that it was a murder attempt."She paused to emphasize her point."Someone wants you dead."His brows knitted into a perplexed frown."Well, I can hardly imagine who, or why.""Think of someone who hates you enough to want you to be settled, someone who will benefit from your demise."She considered her words for a moment, knowing that it was a serious accusation to make, especially without sufficient evidence. But the moment she started to think of who was
Disgraceful Chapter 177
He bounded downstairs in breakneck speed, rushing through the house, and screeching to a halt when his eyes caught her, standing on the terrace with her back to him. He was immediately flooded with relief to see her unharmed, but still frantic with worry that there was a gunman somewhere in the house.Then he noticed her stance and several empty bottles stood in a row on a wooden stand across the garden, and his racing mind began to register what was happening.No attack. No murderer. It was only Ava practicing with her gun."Oh, have you just woken up?" She asked when he came out to the terrace, and suddenly became aware of the noise she'd made."I'm sorry, it seems that I woke you.""Never mind that. Honing your particular skill?" He gestured at the gleaming weapon in her hands."I never thought I'd see the day I'd use it to shoot a real, living man, or two."She
Disgraceful Chapter 178
"Halt!" She shouted suddenly, startled both men as she jumped out of her seat and turned her gun at the doctor."Hands up this instant!!!"Doctor Haynes snapped his head around to see her aiming the gun at him. Immediately standing up, he raised both hands, palms out, his face turned pale. Ashton leapt to his feet, knocking his chair down onto the floor. With the muzzle pointing directly at the man's face, Ava moved forward."Don't come near!" Ashton called out, stopping her in her track."Let me," He moved around the desk, carefully approaching the man."Be careful! He concealed a weapon beneath his coat!"She warned him, and turned her gaze to the doctor, who seemed to be completely taken aback, his eyes bulging in absolute disbelief."Don't move an inch, or I'll shoot."Swi
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
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 181
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 182
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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