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Chapter 86
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2024-10-29 19:42:56A few hours later in the evening, Ashton tipped his head back, peering up the white, classical facade of Waterside Inn. He felt like a miserable fool, standing on the edge of the street for almost half an hour only to see the light in her window. He caught a movement beneath the white sheer curtains. The slender figure ceased to move, and the next second, the window pushed open. Her face appeared in the window frame.
"Hey,"
She called, peering down at him. She darted a look around, then her gaze drifted back to him.
"What are you doing out there at this hour?"
"Just checking around."
He replied shortly, looking up at her.
She looked hesitated, but then she asked again, making a gesture with her hand.
"Do you want to go upstairs?"
"No, I'm just about to leave."
He looked away, staring idly at the empty street.
"Wait."
She said unexpectedly
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Once he arrived home, Ashton headed straight for the drawing room with one thing in mind, to settle the unfinished business once and for all. He reached the room at the most inconvenient time. All of the residents of the house, including both of Selene's parents, spare Magnus, were gathering together in the room, sitting and talking to each other leisurely in a friendly and relaxed manner."Selene, I want a word with you."Ashton wasted no time in confronting his fiancée as soon as he entered the large salon, fully aware that everyone in the room glancing his way immediately, astounded by his brusque manner. Knowing that the clash was inevitable, he knew it made no point to offer a meaningless formality now."I don't see the reason why we must talk in private." Selene regarded him nonchalantly, challenging him artfully. "Whatever you want to say, why don't you just say it now, Yo
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Once they entered the lodgings, Ava understood instantly what the driver meant. Beyond the door was a bar full of men drinking beer and ale, chattering and laughing in loud voices. The men were not the kind she frequently met at her country. They were different. They looked dangerous, and, she noticed with a tingle of fear, savage.Most of the men were rugged, bearded and brawny, with a worn-out, grubby casual outfit. She couldn't really tell what exactly the men were. They didn't look like traveling farmers or merchants. They looked uncouth and uncivilized.The room was filled with an odor of male sweat, cheap spirits and cigarettes smoke. All eyes were drawn to her as she appeared on the door. Her breath caught at the outright lecherous gazes. She drew her shawl higher to cover her face and hurried to the doorkeeper, that seemed to be the owner of this place. The man was sitting behind a small table. She ignored a brazen whistle from somew
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For a moment Ava couldn't move or speak, her mind buzzing with dazed and confused thoughts.Impossible. This couldn't be true. It couldn't be him...She blinked. He was still there. She blinked again, only to find that her eyes were not deceiving her."How did you find me?"She gasped out."There's no place too far, no mountain high enough to keep me from you. Know that I will always find a way to get where you are."Had the words been spoken in completely different tone, it would have been the sweetest thing a man had ever said to her. When she could say nothing in response, his gaze swept over her from head to toe. She instantly clutched the front of her nightgown as if he could see through the thin fabric."What the hell do you think you're doing here? Can't you see what kind of men that are crowding this filthy place? Drunkards, hunters and mercenaries. I bet most of them are
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He crossed the room and stopped by the edge of the bed. She flinched in shock when he flipped off the bedcover."Come here."Horrified, she stared at him open-mouthed."Please don't do this..."The very idea of what was going to happen made her blood run cold."I promise I will never run away from you again..."When she sputtered incoherently in anguished fear, he urged her impatiently."Come here this instant, or do you need some assistance?"She wheeled around and ran toward the door. Storming toward her, he took hold of her arm and tugged her along with him. She screamed, twisting and turning in his grip, but he swung her off her feet easily as if she was a rag doll, carrying her in his arms all the way to the bed.Ignoring h
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The next morning, she woke to a gentle shake and a familiar voice."Ava, darling, wake up..."Polly's concerned face came to view."It's me, darling. It's all right."Polly brushed aside a strand of hair from her face, caressing her gently as though she was a child in need of comfort."He's out there waiting. He asked me to get you prepared. We'll leave within the hour. I've prepared you a bath."Ava stirred and propped herself up on her elbow."Be careful, sweetheart."Polly held her shoulder instantly, her worried gaze shifted to the lower part of her body beneath the cover."You must be sore. Did you bleed a lot? Can you walk?"Ava frowned as her drowsy mind worked to figure out what Polly was talking about. It took a while for her to grasp what was on her friend's mind."Nothing happened last night."She blurted, turning toward her friend ab
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Rubbing his hair with a fresh towel, he crossed the room and stopped by the chair where he laid his clothing before. He was bare from his waist up. His skin flushed and bloomed from the steam of the hot water. A few shiny droplets bedewed the front of his sculpted chest. His short hair was in soaked disarray, some strands hanging damply over his forehead and temples, the pewter color turned a few shades darker than usual. Ava turned away instantly, feeling heat creep over her cheeks. She had seen him shirtless before, but still the sight made her stomach leap."Well,"He tossed the damp towel on top of the heaps of his clothes."What are you waiting for?""Can you sit over there?"She walked toward him, gesturing to the side table without looking at him. He moved to the side table, and she grabbed the bandage and the scissors on the bed, then approached him. Leaning on the edge of the table, he waited in silence as she u
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They departed from the inn earlier the next morning. As they stepped out of the entranceway, a hackney was already waiting outside. The trip began just like the day before. The hours passed in silence, with no one attempted to start a normal conversation. The only constant sound that filled the enclosed space was the rumble of the rolling wheels. They stopped at a tavern to have lunch at midday and continued the trip right after. With each passing hour, the bouncing and swaying of the carriage got worse, and the rattling noise from the wheels got louder. Ashton pounded the wall, calling out to the driver."Is there a problem?""Uh, no, Sir. It's just... the road is uneven."The driver's voice muted by the rattling noise.The carriage bounced hard, as if the wheels just ground a piece of stone, Ava immediately adjusted her position as to avoid crashing herself against the wall. All of a sudden, the carriage gave a
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Darting a look around the immense moorland, Ava realized that they had left the last county far behind and now they were a long way from populated area."My place is approximately ten hours away from here. We'll arrive tomorrow before midday."He said again, sensing her anxiety."And what about our luggage?""I'll ask the coachman to deliver it to my place. It will possibly arrive several hours after, so bring some things you might need during our trip and upon our arrival."The man who sold horses came with a paper wrap and passed it to Polly."What is it?"Ava asked."Food supply."He replied, giving a short look at the wrap."We will arrive at my place tomorrow morning. Until then, that will have to suffice."Turning to Polly, he nodded toward the brown horse."You ride this one."Then he walke
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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
