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Chapter 94
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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They settled and watched the horses graze on the open meadows until the dark descended. Because there was no material to build a bonfire, they were just sitting in the shadow, under the moonlight."Not as bad as I thought."Polly said as she opened the wrapping of the food, greeted by a pleasant smell of fresh bread and cheese. Ava immediately took the paper-wrapped bread from Polly."Out of courtesy, I think we should let him have it first."Polly rolled her eyes when Ava moved in his direction. She stopped and kneeled before him."Here."She offered the bread to him. It seemed that he knew that she would insist that he had it, he took a loaf of bread and replied shortly."Thank you."She added another piece and a block of cheese, which was accepted in silent compliance.Later that night, when Ava and Polly spread their cloak over the grass, Polly said thoughtfully."You
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The words knocked the wind out of her. His expression remained blank when she gaped at him in profound shock."After I left you at the inn, I was keeping close watch on you. I knew you went to see him and asked him to come away with you. I saw and heard everything. You were waiting for him to come at midnight, weren't you?"She riveted on the spot, stunned to the point of speechlessness. Vaguely in the midst of bewilderment, she heard his quiet voice."It was a shame he never came."Tears guttered down her cheeks in a helpless stream, and when she realized that she was weeping, it was already too late to conceal it."Don't cry. What are you crying for?"He frowned with a severe look of irritation."He doesn't deserve your tears. He is unworthy of you.""You were there?"She choked out a broken whisper."The night you met me before I ran away....
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Is it real? Or is it just a beautiful dream?The thought drifted around her consciousness as Ava awoke the next morning. She got up and started the day just like any other day. Polly helped her to get dressed and arrange her hair, then she went to the dining room. She stopped in the doorway when she saw him there, sitting on the opposite side of the table. He was reading a local newspaper. He lifted his eyes from the paper, meeting her gaze, and her mind strayed back to last night."Good morning."He greeted her in a calm, self-possesed manner, pulling her wandering mind back into the present."Good morning."Returning his greeting in the same formal manner, Ava glimpsed a servant waiting for her in the corner. She stepped into the dining room and let the servant seated her."You slept well, I hope?"He asked her as the servant put a napkin on her lap."Yes,
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