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Chapter 77
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Hastening along the hallway, Ava darted a look around the empty passage. The hallway was bright in the mid morning, sunlight streaming through the window. There was no one in sight, not even a passing servant. Today was the last day of their stay, and tomorrow they would leave early in the morning. She must return some books that Lady Byrne borrowed from the library and she preferred to do it before dark. The library and its surroundings were always empty, seemed like the residents and the guests were more excited in outdoor pursuits than spending time in a quiet room filled with the smell of old books. Clutching the books tighter against her chest, she rushed into the library. She headed to the nearest passage and put the books in the shelf hurriedly. She wedged the last book between two thick dictionaries, it took some time to put it in its place eventually.
"Miss Banks, how delightful to see you here."
The deep, smooth masculine voice sta
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Disgraceful Chapter 78
"I apologize if I have offended you in any way, Uncle Carl. You must know I haven't the slightest intention of doing so."Standing in his own bedchamber, Ashton chose his words with great care. In the heat of the moment, he managed to persuade his uncle to settle their dispute in the nearest place that provided privacy, that happened to be his bedchamber.He knew that his spontaneous reaction must have shocked the hell out of his uncle. All his life, he had been totally obedient to this man, and now for the first time, he had openly defied him in front of another peer. He couldn't tell if Selene had told his uncle about his alleged affair, he could only speculate.Remaining silent, his uncle was staring out the window. Ashton proceeded with his explanation."That woman was entirely blameless. She had just fallen victim to an assault. In my opinion, she didn't deserv
Disgraceful Chapter 79
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Ava stared out the window absentmindedly. It was late at night, but the candles on the sideboard were still burning bright. Ever since her last encounter with him this evening, her entire mood turned into sheer melancholia. Of all the trouble she was facing now, she knew that it was not the threat that overwhelmed her or the insults that broke her heart. It was the farewell.By chance a series of incidents got their paths crossed over and over again. Now it seemed like fate kept throwing him into her gravity, but she knew that one day, he would completely disappear from her life. She always knew. Right from the start. They lived in different world. And really, no matter how attracted she was to him, she never had any expectations for a further entanglement. She had no interest in starting an affair. She had no wish to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors. And so was he. No matter how obsessed he was with her, he never suggeste
Disgraceful Chapter 80
Twisting frantically beneath him, she clawed at his hands, digging her fingernails into his wrists, but his grip was too strong to wriggle out of. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing escaped her constricted throat. Her lungs started to ache as his grip tightened, leaving her with no air. The edge of her vision went dark. In nearly surreal moment, she thought dimly that this was her final destiny. Then suddenly the weight upon her body and the tightness in her throat was gone.Ashton arrived on the scene of the incident not a moment too soon. Had he come a minute later, the man would very likely have finished her. Grabbing the villain's collar from behind, he pulled the man off with a brutal force. He struck the man a quick, sharp blow on the face, sending him sprawling across the ground. He could just have killed the man, piercing him with his sword from behind, but he needed the man alive to know something, or precisely to confirm something. He straddle
Disgraceful Chapter 81
He could feel her body tense in shock and resistance. For a fleeting instant, he thought she would start back in revulsion, but a second later, her hand slid to his uninjured shoulder and her fingers curled against his flesh. The strip made no sound as it dropped to the ground.His powerful thrust forced her head to tip back. With a gentle insistence, he urged her to part her lips. Holding the back of her neck with one hand, he kissed her with desperation that both startling and frightening. He never felt a stronger need, an irresistible urge to have something then and there, as if he was going to die and her lips were the only remedy.He kissed her out of the blue, it knocked the wind out of her. When his lips met hers, however, she could not for a moment tear herself apart. It was hot and sweet, strong and delicate, and fierce and tender at the same time, it was more than all she had ever known. It was like being caught by a spell, she was
Disgraceful Chapter 82
That comment gave her a sudden stab of pain. She took a hurtful lungs of breath, wishing that emotion didn't find a way into her face. Polly regarded her warily, then asked,"Have you given yourself to him?"Ava reacted instantly as if she was just stung by a bee."No! I told you we just kissed.""Good. Next time never let him take advantage of you again."A moment of awkward silence dragged on several seconds. After some time, without quite looking at Polly, she murmured uneasily,"I still have to return to him to bind his wound,"She hesitated,"Or, will you do it for me?""Jesus, no!!!"Polly spurned abruptly, her mouth twisted into a grimace."All right, then. I must return to him now. I've made him wait too long."She turned away from her friend. Polly bored her gaze into her back, grumbled in annoyance."I can't believ
Disgraceful Chapter 83
To tell the truth, at the moment she was afraid that he was cornering her into a situation from which she could not escape. Coming with him to his place was like entering a lion's den. Under his protection, she might be safe from the rest of the world, but who was going to save her from him?"I can just leave this town on my own, that's what your fiancée asked of me. I don't have to leave with you."She suggested, and he responded with an irritated frown."You're saying that you want to travel on the street on your own? For Christsakes, a man has just tried to kill you and now he is somewhere out there, waiting for another chance to attack. Don't you understand you're in great danger?""But I don't think it's a good idea. Think about it, if we both suddenly disappear at the same time, people will know instantly, or at least suspect, that we're leaving together. Can you imagine what would they think of us? It would bring
Disgraceful Chapter 84
An hour later, they were arrived at Waterside Inn. He helped her mounting from the hackney and held her by the arm along the way, as though to keep her from running. She and Polly wore a cloak and a big shawl around their neck, covering almost all of their faces and hair. They cast down their eyes and tugged the hem of the shawl until it covered their mouth while heading to the concierge. From the way the concierge got on his feet quickly and approached him, Ava knew instantly that the staff recognized him. It was difficult to stay unnoticed with his unusual hair color. She was certain that his ripped, blood-stained waistcoat didn't escape the staff's notice, however the man wisely kept his gaze averted from the sight of the duke's disheveled appearance, and greeted him properly.Ava heard him muttering about bumping into some burglars on his journey and she could hear a little, although he said it in a low voice, he stated in an unmistakable tone to the staff t
Disgraceful Chapter 85
A not so distant clash and clang echoed in the air as though answering her question and before long, a small cottage came into sight, along with two men fighting with swords in the front yard. Bursting with relief and emotion, she stopped and cried out his name."Magnus!"The two men stopped at once and turned toward her. Her heart nearly stopped at the very sight of him. God, it's been a long time. She felt her chest squeeze in tightening ache.He didn't change much. He looked just like the last time she left him in the barn. He looked so ruggedly handsome, and suddenly it felt like they just laughed and kissed and walked together not so long ago."Magnus."A sob escaped her voice as tears constricted her throat. Heat sprang to her eyes and spilled over her face. She removed her hat and tossed it to the ground."Ava?"He whispered her name and flung his sword, runn
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Disgraceful Chapter 187
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
Disgraceful Chapter 185
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
Disgraceful Chapter 184
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
Disgraceful Chapter 183
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
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
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 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
