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Chapter 66
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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Be careful."
He held her automatically. She stopped walking and frowned as if in pain.
"Are you alright?"
She took hold of him with another hand, apparently it was painful for her.
"I think I sprained my right ankle."
"Let me see."
He led her to a stone bench nearby and sat her carefully, absently he placed his sketchbook on the bench next to her, then squatted down in front of her.
"May I?" he asked. She nodded in response.
He took her injured ankle beneath her skirt and brought it to his inspection. He skimmed over her delicate ankle to find the twisted muscles. When his focus fully drawn to her ankle, Selene glanced at the sketchbook laid next to her.
Ashton couldn't feel a twisted muscle in her ankle, it seemed perfectly fine.
&nb
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Disgraceful Chapter 67
She got up and tried to make her way out of the row, but her petticoat made it difficult to move in the narrow passage. She was in the midst of the row and with the seats fully occupied, to get out of here seemed like an impossible task."Please sit down, Miss. You're blocking the view."An irritated voice came from behind, followed by mutterings of annoyance. She had no choice but to sit back. She set her body rigid and looked straight ahead. She would just ignore the earl during the show. She could feel that he was watching her intently. Under his silent observation, she became more and more restless."What do you want from me?"She asked impulsively."Forgiveness."Came his unexpected reply."I apologize. I made a terrible mistake yesterday. I promise it will never happen again."Had she misheard him? Was he apologizing to her? He looked like an unrepentant jerk. But, s
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"Please, allow me to make amends for my careless behavior."The lady's gaze brushed her from head to toe and she felt even more inhibited."There's no need, My Lady."Struggling to conceal her discomfort, she managed to bring out a polite answer."That's very kind of you," The lady raised one brow."I haven't seen you before, Miss..?""I'm no miss, my lady. I'm just a humble lady's companion.""I am Lady Selene Wyndham, and you are?""Miss Ava Banks of Evergreen, Vermont."She performed a low curtsy, and for some reasons she couldn't bring herself to look at the lady. Suddenly she felt an absurd guilt and an urge to escape. What would the lady think of her if she knew her fiancé had had several clandestine meetings with her?"Vermont, what a coincidence. Darling~"The lady beckoned to someone standing a few feet away
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Later that evening, she walked across the garden to return to her room in the East Tower. Lady Byrne decided to retire early this evening and she couldn't be more pleased about that. She didn't think she could endure another hour of polite and mundane conversation, pretending to be enthusiastic with the topic while her mind was in total chaos.This vacation had turned out to be a real disaster, her whole situation was distressing and there was nothing she wanted more than to leave this place, and put anything that happened here behind her. She spent every hour counting down the days until she could go home and return to her peaceful life, away from the haughty, insufferable men of aristocracy who thought they could buy anything in this world with their money and power.She rushed along the lovely garden path, glancing over her shoulder every now and then as to check if she was being followed. When she passed a darkened path, suddenly a stron
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Turning his head to face him, Blackthorne watched his opponent took a deep, quick draw on his cigar impatiently. He wondered how could he not collapsed into a fit of coughing from the smoke. It seemed like his lungs, just like the other organs in his body, was made of steel, cold and unfeeling.Exhaling a thin stream of smoke, the duke muttered with a dry voice."I gather that you haven't a good intention to show respect to what belongs to someone else.""I believe your ownership doesn't include a person's own free will."He countered calmly, predicting his nonchalance would infuriate his opponent to a boiling point. He was right, because the duke cut to the chase quickly."I'm going to say something to you, and you'd better pay attention, for your own good."Blackthorne held back a snort at the imperious remarks. He knew if he wanted to irritate this prick, he'd better show little emot
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"It's so kind of you to think so highly of me, my lady, but I'm afraid the opposite is true.""I don't believe there's no man who would want to have you as a wife. I gather you have a very discriminating standard in that matter."The lady's gaze swept over her face to her middle."No ordinary man can earn your attention, isn't it?"Glancing at her surreptitiously, Ashton couldn't help a mixture of curiosity and anticipation to hear her answer. Even though he entirely opposed Selene's little scheme, at the moment he started to enjoy it.Mildly shocked by her question, Ava replied immediately."I know perfectly my place in this world, My Lady. I dare to wish only what is proper for me to have."A good answer, Ashton thought sardonically, and even better, she made it sound genuine. She said it like she meant it."Truly?"The lady gazed steadily at her ove
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He knew the underlying message beneath her words. She demanded him to stay there with her. But he really needed to clear his mind. He knew, sooner or later he should speak openly to her about the woman in the sketches, and he needed a moment alone to think about how to bring out the conversation."You don't need to. Just take anything you like and put it on my account.""Truly? How very generous of you."She stepped forward and smoothed his lapels, her dainty hands rested on his chest afterward."What if I like everything in this shop?"The proprietary gesture only added fuel to his escaping urge."Then buy them all."Watching the pair through the window, Ava was quite taken aback when the duke left his fiancée and headed toward the door. She moved away quickly, she didn't want to be caught or seen by him. She managed to walk several steps, but she could still hear the sound of the door
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"We just met."He responded shortly. Unfortunately Ava looked like a child who was caught when stealing sweets."Yes, it was just happenstance that I happened to be here.""Truly? How curious..."Selene looked quickly from him to her with calm expression."I never believe in happenstance."When Ava struggled to find a word, Ashton decided he had to take control of the situation."If you're done here, Selene, we'd better hurry,"He took Selene's arm quickly, half forcing her to turn around and follow him."There are still some places to see. We should get there before it gets dark."Selene complied elegantly, glancing at her rival over her shoulder before leaving."Have a good day, Miss Banks."Ava responded her with a polite curtsy, watching the pair leave. She continued to make her way to the hat shop, her mind was occupied with suspicious thou
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The words knocked the breath out of her. Eyes widened and jaw dropped in horror, she stared at the lady like a statue. Next seconds she was on her feet, hearing her own voice filled the room."I don't know where you got the idea, My Lady, but you are terribly wrong. I don't have any relationship with your fiancé."The lady didn't flinch a bit at her sudden blow."Am I? Because I have every suggestion that implies the opposite.""It's an absolute nonsense. Why ever would a peer have some kind of relationship with a commoner like me?""It doesn't take a genious to understand what's going on between you and him, Miss Banks. His interest in you is plain to see.""Pardon me, My Lady. I'm certain you knew that he never even glanced at me. He could never have any kind of interest in me.""Really? Then what's all this?"The lady took a leather-covered book fro
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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
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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
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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.
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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
