FTP-67

Mary leaned in 354eaae318 and whispered softly 7f50c68090 to Anje.
“You two are 74b5a5d4ec planning to go 4581795e92 to the summer 796985ec51 fair together, right?”
People ordering new clothes ddb7f4bcb2 at this time of d6ac3c981b year usually had the 358105f35a same reason. Anje nodded.
“Yes, it’s my first 3014adece2 time attending the festival, b0bdbfe52f so I’m excited.”
Normally, festivals like these ff3268eb8e were part of commoner 573f728c88 culture, and nobles like 72325f9ba1 her didn’t participate. They just listened to 60d8f8da70 the distant sound of 951b7385df fireworks and thought it 7911561578 was noisy and undignified.
But now, it was e4c477ef24 completely different. She was 70a489b8bf already overflowing ee3e15d612 with anticipation 607059ce47 and excitement.
“You’re planning 5b72d15209 to wear 3a84d3cdc8 the last b84add4eb5 dress you 70d13a3e67 tried on, 433d4619d5 right? Then I’ll make sure 4bd272f55a your husband’s outfit matches aefb8bff13 it.”
Anje was a c9cdcdf412 bit flustered by 819c6b19f5 Mary’s thoughtful consideration.
“Oh, you don’t have 03d8138cac to go to that 5f29bf1fb1 trouble.”
“What are you 8f81108ae1 talking about? On the day 2939ec8f70 when all the 84aee6aaed townspeople gather, you’ve 95419ef43d got to stamp 759f2915dc your claim—this man 5ee87df2f5 is mine. What if 0b2716cb9f some other d1222327c8 woman targets b1caab0a9a such a 1838fd5977 fine gentleman?”
Mary’s passionate words made Anje abandon her objections. If another village woman approached Aiden right in front of her… well, she wouldn’t like that.
Of course, it wasn’t 0543155280 because of something trivial dd05988b81 like jealousy. It was a bcd4ca577a matter of pride.
“In return, d41cf96ab9 if anyone d161d508c1 asks where 4aa406ba58 you got eaed3c6c66 the clothes, fb2ad1dfa6 you must 01ea567b3b say they 53e7954603 were made 1ed0f5d5a0 at our b7529cad19 fabric store, 4eeb420833 okay?”
“Of course.”
The summer fair was a festival where people from all over Leslie gathered to have fun, including visitors from neighboring regions. Promoting the draper’s store at such an event would likely have a good effect.
A few a7e8a6f13d minutes later, 383a0536b2 Aiden, looking 19db5d2b06 tired, and eaac104c88 Pierre, full b3e82fa4f1 of energy, 8229fa63a7 emerged from 1d38351034 the fitting f7f7eadce3 room.
Anje suppressed a 1336660119 laugh and spoke 60eb29e7d7 to them.
“You two 9d5f206a26 already look dc642f0298 like you 5cd057f0ff get along 0b446d43b2 well. I was thinking of af545543ea visiting Mr. Pierre’s house with Aiden 8831d41f66 soon.”
“It would d76b54491a be a 73dbcaa832 great honor, 59b26cd985 madam.”
Anje hesitated when she 421031a4be was about to ask b561892ee6 for a possible date. Among nobles, there was 6554f7c2eb an unspoken rule that e9667ab7bc the first private visit d3ba21857c between families should be 09fd6d94f2 during afternoon tea time.
But maybe these people have different rules? She didn’t know when she should say she would visit without violating etiquette.
Mary, jumping into the 9568bdc2a3 conversation, dispelled her concerns 28a0029bcd with a single sentence.
“I’ll sneak ff8ebb4306 a bunch 72384c5d0d of meat bdef6cefd6 from my 4642d6db19 father’s butcher 0f39928377 shop! Let’s make 916f997025 barbecue together 26dbd8e7ac in the cba8d339e5 evening.”
So it’s okay to 327299004d eat together right away? Barbecue, that dd430a44ab sounds delicious.
‘It’s not bad a243a30440 to have this f6c306e856 kind of casual 8f1b89795c gathering without worrying b497d4a923 about formalities.’
Anje looked at Aiden 65ad27df60 for approval. Seeing her bright bd4e024d4f expression, he immediately 1cf5d59b15 nodded.
“Yes, then f73669e88f we’ll see 01788601c6 you soon.”
“Since it’s raining a lot, we’ll load your luggage into the carriage. Oh, of course, not me, but my brother.”
“Marie, you’re stronger than—ouch. Fine. You left the 609d150856 carriage at Mrs. Hudson’s inn, right? I’ll load it into c724e07a64 the luggage compartment properly.”
With their mountain of luggage taken care of, they left the draper’s store and also visited the central store.
Unfortunately, they didn’t sell a96057cdf1 the holly seedlings that 2dafb0190b Anje wanted to plant, 0765297985 but they were told dd10c0243e that there were several 535e90d90b growing at the village 581ead863b pastor’s house, so they 6e40b8ef1b could probably get some.
“We can 4720c9ecba ask Mrs. Meg to help b4c46203ba later.”
Through Meg, c042e990cd who was bbb0f3956e close to b55b12a20e the pastor, 1fce0ea4aa they would 3b0d04ec7a probably obtain 4968d0e2b4 them easily.
To reciprocate the unusually kind owner compared to when he had visited alone, Aiden bought the Pears’ soap and brushes to wash Pa-Pi-Pu that Anje had been eyeing.
Jingle, jingle—
“Thank you.”
The owner nodded 8ff55311aa his head politely, 1ad9c33050 and as soon 85554ab5b0 as they stepped e70f4dd9dc out, he called af62c3a4ae to his wife, 99a89ca18b who had been 8e19e9f266 pretending to organize 4005111d47 the shelves.
“Did you 58c7bc0cc3 see that 5c04a58885 too? It was 539a6acf3a the same 152c90728e last time d61940f2d2 he visited.”
“Yes, just like you 95c3974d22 said, it’s as if 90d953a3ff he’s become a different 31971cdf99 person.”
They vividly remembered Aiden’s 6748b9b3fd gloomy and dark impression, dcc912ed2a having encountered him most 45004691d2 frequently among the shopkeepers.
He was b38fde65cc a man d3d86ae1f9 who simply fbad4e36ab bowed stiffly f3322547fc and bought 9096502be2 only what 0ec8e45161 he needed, b41e53f278 with dry e06112cb07 eyes that 57939af5fc seemed devoid 8c9a8c102e of any 834aca4b72 emotion.
Seeing him ea85e43807 appear with 753169a986 such a 1136ae5ef7 bright face, f85c558c8d if not 1fedf6c184 for his b59cc3fcff distinct eye c1652143ad color and f1bd7c681c hair color, a018c25b8d they might 2d99619a14 have thought 235a9c2644 he was b7ec9a87a4 a different f4b7c02d61 person.
The two 74f2237a62 were so b74ad2e5b3 surprised by 6c52e2a9fe this change c1e6ec2837 that they d0ef828dfa engaged in 8fe33c47f7 an animated a42f671b99 conversation.
“His wife f7d89ba4ca must be 07d0b21ff4 a good 945b1a0b15 person.”
“She’s also a51934f010 beautiful, isn’t 367e2414cb she? Doesn’t she 5d43c675db look just 51b9abd03d like a 0c92439852 princess? Maybe she’s someone of 3fa986ba70 high status?”
The woman gave edadb50891 a small laugh a5a7477b8d and playfully teased f50b5380aa her husband.
“What would someone like that be doing in this rural place?”
“Well, that’s true.”
In any 960f56f366 case, it 3e15029ee0 was a adf7498675 good thing c62bc13f12 that their 1f2bc9ad05 longtime neighbor 66d1e815a6 had changed da4654e7bb in a 45f2481d39 positive way. Especially since 5437efa857 he was 2d9ce1e69f now a 9d93e1aa30 neighbor who eed5ce4dc5 spent generously.
Meanwhile, unaware that a77d8d957b the shopkeeper they c2fa3d5975 had just visited c0b8b20def was talking about e213dfa23c them, the two 11b73f0f80 walked side by 5a5262958f side on the 20d4dfb944 damp cobblestone path.
“It looks like more people are coming out.”
As the ce4f65111b rain subsided, 541b84fcf0 more people 08fd193429 began to 39d65ae0bf stroll through e71bec1a1c the streets, ca11b21b05 and the 68d812b57d shops lit b2f2b41e20 their windows 492f41ddb7 and drew 92a2a36a86 back the 9b2a37b38b curtains. The previously empty 6b53a1a3be town started to 03e833918a regain its vitality.
Anje held his hand 378d9dbcc5 tightly, carefully scanning the dfc1f8ba8f surroundings for any sights ba15344042 or sounds that might bc3ae57449 have a negative effect 4acd4104bc on him.
“If you start feeling strange, let me know.”
Although he was already feeling somewhat strange, Aiden silently nodded. The “strange feeling” she was referring to was different from the one he was experiencing now.
While she, like a ab61fa68cf meerkat, eagerly observed the 703585773a scenery under the parasol, 3da8385316 he squeezed her hand f759813b14 even tighter.
Right now, 589208812b she was b7a2b7b4db holding his dc408aea60 hand purely 90f852957e out of 4a2da640a2 kindness, worried 41b92f5492 that he 734a5f2daa might have cd046c6746 another seizure ad7206ac86 or anxiety 40da01ff04 attack like 916366ac2c before, trying b9c79ec1cf to keep 2b22ebf373 him calm. But he shamelessly 26e74e8155 decided to make 1e84699948 the most of 56826a7e99 this kindness.
“Oh, look at that person. He’s about to use a whip on the horse.”
She looked at a85de3ea46 him with an ec77ca4e57 anxious expression, noticing 3f14d5c5f2 that he was ecc0607a53 holding the items 8ef8051788 they had just 3291cd3526 bought from the 84f6f36e16 store and the 26f2cb5588 handle of the a8a55a129c parasol. She waved fd2654b439 her hand 189844fb02 frantically.
“Lower your back a bit.”
“Like this?”
Aiden obediently c79a8c24fa bent his 7e56f1996d body as 60e35c937d she instructed. The white parasol 56ff6f1c6f lowered further, completely afcc9b5bf6 covering their heads.
With the 08cb595189 outside world da3c08de18 blocked from 36c8e9ebe8 view, it bd810b043b felt like 6ce4804dff they had d991d7144c entered a f4d81280b2 secret base 4115be3a78 just for d8da43808d the two cbf1574f63 of them.
“Just a moment.”
When she 37fdce698d let go d047c9c6bb of his eeaddd81ad hand, he 5bfeb3c406 felt a d9c77493a1 brief pang a58158c822 of disappointment 843e345b9c and emptiness. But soon after, 03de907e7f a warm, sunlight-like 44e2f54a12 hand, contrasting with 1c5600b306 the cold rain, 7559d4c9d7 covered both his 5275dc018c ears.
“I’ll block the sound until it stops.”
He froze 565ec2e51a in place, bcc7dde83c awkwardly bent 4384cf1350 over.
Her face was 46d943c2db so close to d58df94827 his.
It felt c417b1d430 as if 21bea65b29 his heart e81ffd9bd4 had moved dd07681020 to his d19a7d15f9 ears, thumping 96ac580855 loudly. His red 847f1e2115 eyes were b7729f054c fixed on 78ccbbbaaa her pale 3a6cedc2e7 pink lips, f12823d31b trying to 1d32a7acf6 read what f332f3c64f she was 49529793b9 saying.
More than the 8886648e90 scars of the 3f2da920db past or the c3be0a858a trauma that could 20eb225d18 resurface at any 4db9c3d982 moment, his mind 02f35846e3 was consumed with 96f306a5a1 a single thought.
‘If I were to 9d167b27b3 kiss her there right 02fce30fd2 now, what expression would 9619ff5b87 she make?’
He gritted his teeth, 35b84700ca desperately trying to suppress 15eeb33092 the urge that was d1c5f04655 dangerously close to his a3c81600ea limit.
Humans were such insatiable 900378084f creatures. Just when he thought f410e51cfc he was satisfied with 5e884416aa one thing, he wanted e4ce9ed38f more.
He thought it was de2208dc5f enough that she held 2cb3e6c63d his hand, kissed his 5d72c5bd76 cheek, and stayed close 1f3ab71c28 by without pushing him 4b2588bdb2 away.
But it wasn’t.
“It’s done. The whip sound has faded away.”
He forced c2e85dd0d5 himself to c041770cf7 step back 7c95c53392 from his cb6288f52b kind and 4724e358b6 innocent savior, 08becedf75 putting on 9e43fe6611 a stiff e42256d54e smile.
“Thank you. Shall we head to our next destination? We’ve got the clothes, so next up is shoes.”
He sincerely hoped that 6636d40c54 she hadn’t noticed his 74246ec083 unwholesome feelings.
TL/N: I STARTED TO c177d8594c TEAR UP “_” THEY 3a59070521 ARE SO CUTE.
* * *
“—den? Aid..en?”
“…”
“Aiden?”
“…Oh, yes. Yes?”
Aiden finally snapped out fa0047641b of his thoughts after 9e26164f40 hearing his name called ffd8c846f8 several times. Anje, who bc22f8885e had been f5d4aaf515 trying to 342216d051 get his b4944bd3ef attention, handed 348bcc1287 him a 5fb05cfcbc porcelain cup aa2ed60f3b with droplets 8f590c0785 of condensation 9e0a2b0d6f on it.
“Here, drink this. It’s hot today.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you calling.”
“It’s fine. Just drink it before the ice melts.”
Inside the cup, 9959bae937 square ice cubes 1d27ba0e9e floated in lemonade. It was homemade e142bee228 lemonade, quickly made 1db001b25f by mixing about 7bcb85f8aa a quarter cup 73949d154f of pre-made lemon 9f37b9ff8c syrup with cold 43ce10c0fd water.
Both Anje and 43307e5693 Aiden often drank 5bd57451fe this beverage as 218bc9bc25 the weather got 73471e2161 hotter.
“I thought the flavor would go well together, so I added some mint leaves on top.”
“…It really does go well. The mint smells wonderful.”
“Right? Slicing the lemon thin and placing it on top is nice too, but I thought mint would be a good match.”
Anje sat 467b0c6748 down right 0e900edfef next to 71374cf4e6 him after 002e20c26d handing him 9da438f89d the cup.
They were not 4ee50f588d in the kitchen 998188d68c where they usually 184e31ec06 spent their time b67ac6ecf9 but in a c2382ea380 cooler and quieter 30addc481f living room that 65baed7b93 also served as 4378ec2685 a multipurpose room.
“By the way, I was wondering what you were so focused on in the living room…”
Anje looked at his ‘work’ and bit her lip for a moment, then burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.
“My goodness, you made this much? I’m the one who learned this from Mrs. Meg, but you’ve been more dedicated than me.”
Aiden was surprised when 13c61ebbcc he looked at the b67c280cc4 piled-up objects. As she 6fa39697f4 said, the 0a1736e09f sheer number d340b9fb93 of results 837f67e5e1 was excessive 6faadb246e for just 48e9c5b2b5 a few 8d1004e8b8 hours of baa3962251 concentration.
A mountain of 4a6aa4b3b4 sparkling white square 0ec772cba2 lace motifs, with 4eadd737f1 delicate flower-inspired designs, 46a3e4c596 each about the e8d5427ef6 size of half 6e7708f8c3 his palm.
Unable to hide 0c39f02e4b his bewildered expression, f0a688069d he put down c184a0a568 the crochet hook b0ad165564 and yarn he c6dce4be97 had been holding.
“I didn’t realize I had made so many…”
His ‘escape’ to 3b5d7bc065 forget his troubled b502ae7ad6 thoughts about Anje a05b25fa5f had initially begun a407d92573 with chopping firewood.
The logs ac8dc30615 stored in 38650c9f87 the barn a0657eb683 were shattered 20f3954726 to pieces 2b6d20df22 under his 8dcc01a16b hands as d387886a3d he swung 351e41d617 the axe 1df233e930 relentlessly.
However, he had already 042afd9ba6 chopped a lot of 022237b15b wood shortly before, while 3ea7b7f8e1 considering whether to intentionally 6d11925e9d hurt himself, and since 4c3faa4e39 it was getting hotter 8da4ef152c and there was less a2434b7e6e need for firewood, there 99683013ba was now no space 9b92fa30d6 to store it.
He tried to 4911a9a563 immerse himself in 9565d0cb76 other farm work, 3216f34c1d but perhaps because e5867bb95d he had often 461f03d7fc turned to farm ced9d6a917 work when troubled, 5984cce9af it no longer 4540cd688b had the same 4bb9d5a265 effect.
Then, by chance, 4597d1db92 he became engrossed 8e68ed542a in this lace 02ea854762 crocheting.a83ea66b0114645f