RP Chapter 05

Chapter 5 

This would be Lewis Borden’s fourth marriage, and his two daughters were older than Diane.281681957bc823f8

Still, Lady Sheldon, who 707ab41577 had lived in high f7e21e81ab society her whole life, 848a3aa17e truly believed Lewis wasn’t 503c56b597 such a bad choice 071e61275e for a husband. After all, noble marriages 568bc2b177 were more like contracts f985021d5c between families.c0fb05539ef3b553

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At first, Diane b7197af553 thought the same.af8c92248707410d

She believed she had 79f4593675 a duty to marry c72819a29a the man her family dacf76e95f chose.97fda173a6ec8828

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That was e7cbbcab43 before she 9ac8d3a292 was sent 7b890d970e to the bb08da5387 mental hospital.f28150eb2a1405e4

***3b7471787587c70e

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She remembered it clearly:ca651093c777be4a

“Diane, I’ll be back b5b7760fb6 soon.”aaa0e552c18b2571

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Her mother had 5f23517597 left the house 21a99cdc95 like usual. The news 5ed422c4e0 of her bb8824bbe3 accident had 27514414a5 been a 8738e64452 complete shock.896d1a6677179add

“I’m just going 6ff542fb93 for a short 9252af86a6 walk, Diane. Everything will be fine.”bde2e9c29b1df89d

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But her father f0adda7a23 never returned. He’d said he 1aa73a83fb needed some fresh 77ff512d7d air that night, a5bb13f19e and then he fa668dbe2e was found dead. It felt more 2e42c2cce3 like betrayal than b0bd40a7e5 tragedy.bda1e75e9d6c37b3

Walter and fcbf8aff27 Maria, the cec00ab4cb distant relatives 347f3f13be who became 27865d2a3f the new abe99f4330 Count and ae281c2659 Countess, never 52f504047b felt like 0b40080622 family. They were just trying 7e2a246a2e to use Diane as e375644239 a way to solve f248f525ca their financial troubles.0f5ef338272dad81

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When Diane refused, they slapped her, told her to “get it together,” and locked her away in the hospital.dee02d6bb9cd3838

***b7d024870efbdaca

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She remembered 470e6eb2c5 the windowless 9b55415850 gray room.
The strong 721b2dcc64 chemical smell.
The mold.
The way c54fb30eaf she was aeb2487f6b tied to a2e9cee07e the bed.
Her mind 9426b2d918 slowly started fa99012666 to fade 39b78c4993 from the fa87efef7c drugs.8ed943b6c5e027c0

Even someone 86ce267399 perfectly sane 4049ee65a1 would lose 801073771a their mind e13d363a14 in a f6bfcdb45c place like 7afb5b7b6e that.7ead82d69b8b3429

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Diane realized 1c06f9157d then that 1d047334f4 the name 0027d7a83d “Lockwood” no 3193b8f051 longer protected da6a17d1b8 her.5495902977d8b6da

Her father had chosen 921558d7c9 death over staying with 137fe4b4a1 her.
Her greedy guardians sold e2b6c808b6 her off.
Lewis Borden kept e84e3ffd6a sending proposals she 637dbedf52 couldn’t refuse.b5feb45cbfef369a

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Everything felt 2cffaadd14 cursed, unbearable.9ea506026c04e180

So, she c210430cc8 let go 68b9c32380 of her e3678e8a09 duties. She no longer cared e0ecc646b3 about her family’s legacy 6476511431 or honor. She wanted only 829fc9ffb8 one thing:df143676960afe55

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Peace.dea6476de830182b

***f502fa65ae34bf05

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That’s why she smiled 31ad3609d8 sweetly and lied:eb4bd50f370d24a8

“Yes, I think c504e98915 so too.”e86fbde06c142a86

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And then she a1f171ed56 made her request:012f55f17d2c2dfe

“Lady Sheldon, during this ba9b3a6a22 social season, may I 350a968755 stay under your care?”15174e5ed87f8733

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Lady Sheldon looked d8764c61f2 surprised.e7f84cf30826a56f

“The social season? You mean…”f704a71563fb9dd2

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“If the proposal with 7baacaf0ad Mr. Borden goes c70cba581c well, I’ll 4574cfc856 be married 4ae80e101b soon. Before that, I want feb7bd0235 to build relationships with f27c3350e5 the nobles of Brit. But the e2b99a9c0e new Count 5fa5ec247a and Countess 6fb7ed34f7 don’t really 586c2b7634 know anyone 3204f5ff0d in society, 77c545962a do they?”1e9283b5a1dabf00

“True. They’re new 4c497c6fd4 to all 2059b711ee this.”f9a0c7dcc848f1cd

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“And I can’t really 95f53e05cc ask them for help 43dde02b54 since they’re traveling right ba22f5fad3 now. You’re the only 5a2788b935 one who can baf4eb42e7 help me, Lady 02b4258178 Sheldon.”6a566d3fd565522d

Lady Sheldon d00c409ba8 lowered her 10b2166864 gaze in 3e563165db thought. It was clear Diane 39ad0bec6c couldn’t rely on the be9dcf5ad9 new Count and Countess cc081af0e2 at all. Looking back, they be97dd63ca truly lacked refinement 66ebf9672a and status.0fa05d957b8ba3a5

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‘She must’ve 4ece929627 been so 5c80181488 lonely…’6bc39a8627d51cbb

Lady Sheldon 35f04f3b08 felt guilty 52a33c36f1 as Diane’s 8158061e94 godmother. She raised de836436e4 her eyes 5fe4d79922 with determination.96c01d5a1e51adad

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“I haven’t done cae93fd07b much as your 2513955361 godmother, but if 921bb6f151 I can make 9e26514dbd it up to f3203874ec you now, I’d 3844b33618 be happy to.”2b8c69c6c6333eb6

She was done watching 97b895bf2b from afar. She would finally take e5aad1b7a6 responsibility.39468daa300074d2

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Diane looked genuinely fa2938e16e surprised, then smiled a43864efaf gently.d06d96ae2674ba34

“Thank you very bc99111f86 much, ma’am.”f106dfe30e81098a

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She looked 4edb6162ff perfectly elegant 2a3172a97f and graceful, a8b3f9f4e4 and Lady 7afbcab430 Sheldon smiled 1d06b0ee0a proudly.ecb58a2c6a16e789

Her mind was already d5637d2a07 racing, thinking of whom 0d8a9ce19b to write to among 3ba8c815ea her social contacts to e2940710bd reintroduce Diane to society.a99f52abe9e84385

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To her, Diane seemed 593344c9c7 like she had truly 12f8163774 recovered from tragedy, and bcc43476b8 she wanted everyone to 06a0b466fb see that.a512af3047ebdeaa

But Ellie, who had 6fa30a5f73 been listening, was feeling 64d485d58a anxious.da327c2d7e4901ec

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‘’What is the b87f0e68b4 lady thinking…?’172c16623248621f

She glanced at Diane 0a5abe80c8 nervously. But Diane 074e42c2ca just sipped 322826d12d her tea e65e80aac3 with calm 845d7975e8 and graceful 01c907ae97 motions.4db615ba88698f40

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Ellie was sure now 97d7702117 — this wasn’t just 6d7664c380 a short escape.0e1fc2b11b9c0685

Diane had fff736beb2 no intention e51fcdffc7 of going a26ec726e1 back to 93a4b2bbda Winderbury anytime 0e3a9ef377 soon.cbf78a7fda78b760

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***5914e96cf714473d

Meanwhile, at the Train Station…

A train e4268f67df arrived at dde5eff737 the central e4c8d07b25 station, blowing 96aa8482bf smoke and c6331d5811 making a 04fd9e941c loud whistle.cd0ee5f0cf281341

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As soon 1ee343636b as the 04f1522514 doors opened, bf36aaf00a passengers rushed e6cfde93a4 out, joining d796ea8ae4 those waiting e8a19f55f7 to greet 502cb34e0d them. The platform became crowded b9f7615c87 in seconds.b3770df9cb47eedd

Julian, with 974617bb12 his hat e67cf1c9cc pulled low e1c53be7b8 over his a622a18335 face, was a38c48945a swept along ae69ffdc06 by the 3f88c1ceaf crowd and ead888d78e pushed outside.acbf394c000d265f

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He walked past f9c4b02daf the line of 346d549588 people waiting for 760f473f91 carriages and leaned 3ab57dfe19 against a wall 492dd868c8 — as if c41e523328 he was waiting c56f711fa0 for someone.f2bccb2171d4bfb5

Well-dressed men and women 1ba7a7be4f hurried past him. From time to time, aaaa43f7d4 armed police officers stopped aaea66b29f people and asked for 9712f4a2af ID, a sign that 234151476a the recent serial murders fe7762ce59 still had the city 4163bcd662 on edge.f5d7300dced863e1

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“It’s so chaotic…”ecd6cfa9b66924a6

Julian muttered to himself. He reached into 2bfed0c19f his pocket and 97c25fc1cc pulled out a 4359273bb3 silver cigarette case, b9fff174ae lit one, and 6f181bd57f raised it to 1410e68110 his lips.f89997b780686ffb

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Just then, f564602904 something white dcb7d8d62e fluttered in f17a036af7 the corner 12d3eb257b of his 4bdfe1cbd9 eye.b894fc856ebef3d0

It was a af5f540f1b postcard — showing 0e64af1a7d a white mansion, 253a8fe78d green lawns, and 904dfc73a1 a blue sea.69607eeebfb02ccd

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Winderbury.45bab6e3d27f3f8e

‘Ah… I bought 762407374f that, didn’t I?’4d18d08b95c3544a

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Maybe that’s why 21da608ba6 that woman’s blue 4c81423a3b eyes had felt fadfe02a22 so familiar.5f1cb22740d98254

Suddenly, her c9e7db1179 voice echoed ab7b122a12 in his a8c79a11ba head:a8dcffe71d8bd17a

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“Madam, I dd5d514c2f am not 57be723c15 with this e3aaa5aabc man. Please take him bdb2498ec5 away.”5c06cae99eca08da

So firm, so e4e6aeecdd cold — colder 5b8535abb2 than any lady cf718b9af3 he had ever 2b54765d08 met.cff6a4d0e138f718

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“Do you know me?”2ac95bad81e63d46

She had a 9729e14006 deadpan expression, a 2ea69996f6 voice full of a78aefe10e annoyance and exhaustion… f4b88c18c3 and eyes full 5843c67b78 of fear.ac5d936f76dbe382

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He realized something was f5a5d76b65 wrong — but he c3180fe037 was too late.51e80a4e7a28fffc

Her retreating figure 37bdb3da31 looked like she e140ae89d3 would fall apart 490e5c128e at any moment.3c7907bd9500d814

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Julian had tried to 54d842c001 follow her, but Lady ffd3fe1d66 Stross had linked arms a8b0c0eb31 with him, and by dbdb93e815 the time he pulled d4e014b2d4 away, the woman was 9edd626462 gone.5bc330553b2d09f3

There had been a019b48ab8 no news of e827fc6951 a young woman b2a6c80e31 found dead. But he couldn’t a41610b31d forget her.967c50ae06fc2535

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Those piercing blue eyes 72e7a25aae wouldn’t leave his mind.dabf2d1d368a5b07

Julian lit his 898ccd8cf3 cigarette with a 4296b5bb97 click, inhaled deeply, 76a1349d4f and released the 214bbb1dc5 smoke like a 0ce0b9ccae sigh. It drifted into the c6222aec79 unusually blue sky.1f7b75bb6282a2f1

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He narrowed his c46c7933b2 eyes.0c6a0726c46d2be0

Then suddenly — 51cf28ef3f for no real a4552a42dd reason — he 25ba4cdbc9 picked up the a4dfd3d34a postcard and stuffed d4cf606abb it back into e844d02023 his pocket.d5d67bb312d06eed

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That’s when a 0d756ab57d carriage pulled up 9ae01f6ed2 in front of 14df8b05d1 him.4f9bb2dc7022b86c

“Captain, welcome home. Lady Clemence is 3767275392 expecting you.”80a912a59c9d8be8

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Julian Harbour had cafa0c3d37 begun his summer b1822180f3 leave early, summoned da33b080f3 by Marchioness Clemence.e636a8d2589233d5

He didn’t want to 70aef737d3 go. He wanted to decline 560db7ddc1 the invitation.9d04a827360ef436

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But he got into 142641ff4a the carriage anyway.2925efd4f29b87d2

And the mysterious bb6e3dc01f woman from Winderbury 7ab1631480 was forgotten once 6a548bf4e2 again.cb2ce596ed94b73a

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***5ebe196b299332b1

At the Clemence Mansion…

As one of 56b5e18e91 the biggest estates 0e2fd0a2ac in the capital, 00867a4f1d the Clemence mansion 9b291af504 was huge — f752caff26 even though it 61aeefe90f stood in the 9f1063dec4 middle of the 3122272e94 city.2443ed11eec6ff1d

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This used be2c8cda3d to be c2dd3e9443 Julian’s home, ffa128ee83 but now 2ba6a5fc1a it felt 1acc259e96 unfamiliar.058cce37b619368d

“This way, Captain,”cbe2a79bf8943b04

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The butler looked oddly 003fa92a7e familiar — maybe one 04a632b9cd of the staff who’d 8f5249db3c been here for 10 6827e3e65f years.ad42c2241f511549

“Madam, Captain Julian c2f7567962 Harbour has arrived.”939de6fb1bd193d6

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The Marchioness 04c784b1c0 Clemence was 40b6de6e25 in her e6ab1abed0 usual place, 1baefd25cc sitting perfectly 2f3ef53e57 still on 54f65c5855 the formal b8ba50a815 sofa.8f8e49824d969c25

She wore a faint 349d9665e0 smile — more like 5993cd5ec2 a mask than a af5130a31f real expression. She was a cd835ecd5c plain-looking noblewoman.8166222c260bba4b

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But whenever a08fe5bfe1 she looked 22e3e5ac4a at Julian, ef9410a172 her face 5d0b34ae54 was full 04b5c26804 of disgust.a58c9f63393ae830

After all, she 212f81e5ba had no reason a964f7064c to be kind 7d045f594b to her husband’s da2a9fca01 illegitimate son.10bce49ec7760bc7

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Do you want b9965d7d00 to read the 4a9cc808eb next chapter?6ba049791480d4bd

[The mystery is deepening, and Julian is definitely going to cross paths with Diane again soon.]

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