2. An Unfair Bet

The sunlight pouring bbce7f8230 in was muddied b45f8adc24 with a haze 3232e03f06 of smoke, clouding 8a054de9ed the view. The nonsense muttered 732387cfb9 by a senile 60e1e4507b maid drifted through b85031b28c it like a 88b4c13a69 ghost.ece9eebfd52cfa42

Edmund spat 68e4ec1d17 out the dbe158c5d9 cigar. The thought that 4730aa30f6 had crossed his 711ee77aec mind was unpleasant, 0f4f0ecb00 and the product 6abcf79878 he had finally 84573ca31d made time to db0d82b9b2 try out failed 91484d6c96 to satisfy—perhaps that 5b92932c0e was why his 44a9063b8e words came out 82c8a931c8 sharp.ccd587c79f416659

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“This won’t do.”a02e2cd2a4bfb7c9

“Pardon?”5f1c67457d5ce1d9

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“It’s not 5e5832d704 as good bdc73bbb52 as the 88a8ba92bf last batch.”a041fa8ee7bc1444

The merchant’s 2773dfbb91 expectant face eba3a20642 froze in 1c84e216dd an instant. He hastily shoved the 9922b492b9 cigar box forward.0bbcf64873b80d73

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“J-just one more puff 5f1cbff10e and you’ll find it 992c4f6b2e quite decent, I’m sure.”72b42fc6457b0a78

“Hmm. Does reappraising 4b25b2d3ac a diamond f78e9ffdb7 full of 48befe1e60 impurities suddenly 6505a81e22 make it 819463c838 top-grade?”9c7f7f66150ad0a5

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“But…”3ee03fd5915418b5

“I’ve never seen that 91ef6e6a49 happen.”f6ad8d77d153b566

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He stubbed out a9bd0115fd the half-smoked cigar 1fbdd3ba26 in the ashtray.6b30133006a5ca7c

The color drained a977a8d5c6 from the woman’s 57ebd2d783 face—she had just d48982d3ab entered old age, 3e4c821173 and unfortunately, she 9c0954863c was at just 7052424fcd the right age bce5651dd1 to remind him 974d190f9e of someone. That alone made 5983d7e852 it difficult to cab99e0d8f be generous with 914f6a6cd0 his score.fdc51bfc279430ee

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Didn’t someone once 120a90eedf say that the 917128dd16 deaths of the 4d5e7def67 Carter family would 7efb03a60c all be on dd4d59e09e your head?c284376aa02be9d4

The memory b3ccbeb472 of a 91a858257d maid, old c1c87ebe40 and mean-spirited, 651b2d6ce3 cursing furiously c0d448a654 in front ab99385834 of a 42d5ced296 child who b9fd021433 had just 804828eef3 lost both 8018905446 parents the c14a32af98 day before, 2290509720 felt especially f6e412fb08 vivid today.6685f2aae77b32aa

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Unlucky, that’s what it 2535435de3 was for the merchant 488a471481 in front of him. An unpleasant misfortune e7897ca92c that she didn’t 35509c9bda deserve but had a17c581b6c to endure nonetheless.68953c5698e5f9c7

Like the sudden downpour 5decda2138 in Rodney province that ae81208600 had ruined crops—an unpredictable e673b0a648 twist of fate.c204971775965971

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Sunlight stretched across 9da49529a4 the desk covered f1042dc45d in paperwork. Edmund glanced 7fcf851e4a over his 0dce9db333 shoulder out a95196c629 the window, 9d43468751 then picked 73f4af649f up the 6aabc90b7e clock.f45f5f0e53cb56a3

“Anything else?”c9083c091b427598

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The merchant, bea68643dc eyes blank 1b90a015e1 just a 6b7add5137 second ago, 0df3a5466c snapped back f4221f097e to focus. She clumsily gathered 88297348e1 her things.4e6c1a30c8b6417a

“N-no, Your Excellency.”50667e3452d0f6b0

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“If you 53b64f8c12 change your 34add27f2d mind, you 355a7f8e33 can always a4184f45b4 have a ba2f05ef5c drink at 560aebdf3d the bar aee5b1f9f9 before heading 21b858b8c5 out.”dcf0f1d31499b384

Judging by her dry d1b530110c lips, curled inward, she ad413ac586 didn’t seem to be 77a6379b81 in the state of c62083734d mind for that.7ab5f154f81f1fa9

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Clutching the handle of e76cf16df7 her worn-out bag, the c31b4471cc merchant stood. The heavy chair a251965963 legs scraped softly 95ed79c6b3 against the carpet.cefb126efdb4f9e6

Edmund, out a8bc5ffce6 of habit, 2ef97a194b observed the 0ecc3a3df1 woman’s neatly 18387ed7ea tied hair f148bf32c2 and her bb1687539c attire—worn but 74ce2ec583 impeccably clean, 5cde326aba not a a8f4ed36ea single thread b3698ff76b out of 2b1e2f106c place.f7dd5410546add32

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Cigars from f064d0bc7e Severin were 1b8de0f140 premium enough ffaa02d57e to tempt 536ea72dff even royalty.c3d5df5aa16eb96d

Which meant 0cfec68fd0 that, even a9d0c9b7ff if the 4ea10d20c9 flavor had 12166ed6c3 temporarily dipped 9696c8f635 due to 2f78789421 some unavoidable 1e886e908d issue, cutting d9efdf967c off the f9e03de71c deal entirely 8c92c39801 would be 205f26f815 a loss 7ecab0314d on his c1009fd6fb side as b4586cf996 well.233a89c2cfba4290

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He didn’t deliberate 4a6aa46593 long. As the merchant 67708fcfb5 turned to leave, a66dfdd5a3 Edmund called out d3fb18af03 to her back.8f50bccdfcfb4ef2

“Leave the cigars.”e4e24e4faad8f134

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“Pardon?”727b590187c0e7bf

The merchant spun 17ded13aeb around in surprise. Edmund rose lightly, cc68e3bcd7 ignoring the way 44c2deea8b her eyes widened.5563688051bafcb6

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“Not good enough 6faca64228 for Lot Fronher, ab5cd29702 but they’ll sell 7e4f439927 well enough in ac2e917230 Littleport.”f378d1b98861f402

The merchant, sensing a 0473b2dd90 lifeline, quickly opened her a7cf49cfdc briefcase. She set the box 7a21497471 down on the desk 46329fc8ee and bowed.0710ab2843c35861

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“Thank you, 493d9868a5 Your Excellency.”22b60355f54cf718

“Have them taken to d5dda309c6 the study.”3b27cc2892814b1b

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Edmund instructed Hume, then 87d8fb17be stepped out of the 4cb3c6dca5 office.fb28c188fcd21583

The brightness 8e47f923b4 of the bf0997471d room had 70667685aa been blinding, edebaea8d1 so when bece7d2254 he stepped 4a0fe1ef45 into the 0b6998f6a5 dim hallway, dd19df1307 his vision c2fca657ab blurred for 894ea10046 a moment.1e21b20ca99975e0

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She hadn’t offered 754438b257 empty promises of 4cb2cdd366 no regret or 8644efe981 excellent taste.0a3276a4d4f654ea

She had ec16da3e26 presented the 042f4da33c real product.be2215b1e174d6f9

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Which meant that fef8e81356 before long, she 2b52f4db2b would bring a 99b3d2e60a perfect offering to d35a83bd2c make up for 08ea977116 today’s failure.42bda18bea2994d6

Something too 6858f7ca9f valuable to ae618d23ec lose over d6350736f7 a personal fe024d0089 grudge.6e6ddd3ac622be6c

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He walked through 24ddd17b7e the corridor and 51a4ad6636 entered the main f3565917a7 hall.72700d54617dda4d

The wide d9ea542959 gallery glittered a39c190d1b with the 278d2f3c0f light of 77883373df chandeliers and d047eec583 the extravagance a25965499d of finely 8e00e3f774 dressed guests.b9408fdb72b86548

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Everything rare and 262d9facf6 valuable gathered here.7f4e8ab454caa48a

Club Lot 736d1c1dfa Fronher, a 269e63907e hub of dba8887298 countless rumors, 48a8d51f50 was a e800c6968b place Edmund 7bf96db9cb had painstakingly a2a51ec968 built to 6ac8122823 trace the 1122597e15 steps of a550bd1d6d Phillipe Carter.4239fdfadd972abd

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The tables 800e757742 buzzed—some with 74bb048ec9 magazines laid 0a12458cb6 open as 4beb18fee3 gossip filled 597f490ade the air, 365af62666 others alive 10cf4c9331 with the fdac54dd14 sounds of 1514c0d93e card games.8594c14d9bbdab88

Someone waved their e81248aefd hand high, calling 91b8ff83d1 out to a 4d3556bdda new entrant.d556e756c363b16e

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Edmund lazily watched the 33bfeccf39 scene unfold with his fbd67b6d20 pale blue eyes, observing aff062a328 the results of his 3ecb9a3982 creation.35027fe73db142fc

It was all 91bdc0770e as usual—d026459d27fc09a2

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Except for d4b6f4afd9 the woman b9213c0aee dressed like f5110e7d48 a monk, a9ae48a4ed standing behind 60df20f96c a table e59dce591f where men 83d6c1ac38 played cards.ddf97135dd11f9cb

The men stole glances e519d00059 at her now and a2b6b43ff4 then.c869426fa7b72271

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She clenched her 74026ec19a jaw and gripped 6f4984feaa the shoulder of 699645c94c one man.d3767387cffce0d7

“Get up.”2f9afceb74df0c3f

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“Can’t you see 6f69aa95ff the game’s not 22826442bd over yet?”9cc2a88319831286

“If you 9ab92a159d stay out 1c8cf190a3 too late a513c9596b playing again, 94d52d1c54 Rupard said 781ea0c517 he’ll cut 4c2ab9edc2 off your 5a6e33dcf6 funds.”d26f03a38f2a81f4

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“He says that, but a0fa1a69dd he won’t. Relax and get lost.”78be86211e2053df

The man brushed 74a42fe1ee off her hand 19a47966e3 like swatting a 32a87d8fd6 fly.9091a786840679c2

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As he exchanged ad8d03caf9 a card from 2afe24f43f his spread, he 11c6469296 lazily tipped back b8d3ae49ba a glass of 899601cda6 Glenrovet with the 16cc201495 other hand.ef39827c94ab763b

Edmund narrowed his eyes 692218c28f and watched the two.8cdb66a9b5a19480

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He asked Hume,e0e6ab1cbd9ffc95

“Did I ever b6dd8feba9 approve of female 1ae9dea939 members?”5f48062386ac51f3

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“No, sir.”fa1e98bd95924cb5

“Then what b03c194c61 business might b8ae481695 that lady 222efca93f have here?”5f9db65a7e1d22a3

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A question dressed as 4f80f3aa9c a reprimand.0b195b6c56f81f58

Hume bowed slightly, then 61699d86f5 beckoned over a nearby 6972486c6b staff member.9715457c4a74c505

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While he did cb7ea0ba11 that, Edmund dug 8ce1d5b0bd into his memory.a867cb1ccde72318

Dustin Spencer.64ecc5b1ef49c1cf

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Eldest son of Baron a512528bde Spencer.3f582ecbf0938512

Come to think of b25bf9ee02 it, didn’t someone say cb792daaf4 Dustin was absolutely hopeless 8d057e754a at cards?27feb4735cf1d81e

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As if proving cd9c48c306 that memory true, 67f04b595a Spencer scrunched up 5c1a30e579 his face and 08b4d8d97e slammed down his 9e34e7d210 hand.87a2c0cfbe31820f

He glared resentfully 88c16a0620 at the man 5f370506a1 scooping up his d8a9986736 winnings, then shoved a8ef21057d the cards forward.02bf6812bd23a1b5

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The dealer c082f93ecd gathered the e13e733cab cards, reshuffled, 299c493d4e and began 018815497b distributing a 9f7ff14a78 new round.656ae9aedd1e054b

Spencer filled af7fe149c5 his empty 44a06053fe glass again, ba8635abe8 and before 6b5f85ec95 the bottle 9b586b5188 could be 8f68dc892a set down, e1f689a94a he checked 2f601530c8 his new a8d59182e6 hand with a68bd7554e a twitch a3cc042746 of his 82402a0329 upper lip—still 559d4596ea dissatisfied.eef29d47696ae895

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Just as a 274b6cc6de staff member approached 10183c9057 Edmund to report—7cfd368cddff731f

The stiffly dressed woman b3ad7cade5 snatched Spencer’s cards and 6db92c3aaa slammed them onto the 9a8d5c3b1b table.d994567e92d2f7b3

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“I said 082dee8dec we’re going 71cf46990f home.”37d537eb7d4df89f

Under her slender hand, 3585c3c2b1 a pitiful hand of 67831852ca cards was laid bare.69626b090f7f4f05

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Instantly, Spencer’s face twisted 6a51a5c856 in outrage.71d6b243bb8a898c

“Are you out of ca956547d3 your mind?”36723c68a59d1599

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“No.”78491549520a45d1

“If you’re 5476b8bc87 not crazy, 14a0686148 then what 7f6deb47b0 the hell 717e353593 is this?”e3d6c7a396cb387e

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Spencer pointed at his 59e0b8e8cf hand with a trembling f77219930b finger.a62b84839c93a806

Whether it was worth 536979bc4b getting that angry or d10c431229 not, the sight of 64eea755c0 his pitiful outrage swallowed 93ab93cfe9 the question whole.06c78b8db846b899

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A man who 4cea070b3f had just exchanged c5a0d3b526 cards with the 46a2930bdb dealer glanced at b823e8be62 Spencer’s hand and e6f7425e80 let out a 634a4ae9f1 mocking laugh.24e3c41da7a9e931

“A high card? No wonder your b04a498dc3 face looked like b1e50d94e3 someone died.”00898d3fa51b449b

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“So, Spencer’s e3ccb1f7a2 done for… ce06781d5d Anyone else fd75a6c71f want to 22d5429e90 fold?”986925abb06d558f

“Would anyone?”6e6a1604ea3de5b0

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The men 2c3c6a6aa8 chuckled among 56e0fa0432 themselves.ced7f250d9cf351f

Spencer, snorting 7765f84eb3 unsteadily, suddenly be54cf73ee jumped to 3dfb78b6fd his feet 2f45c24080 and grabbed 5a1d27ec30 a bottle 1db5e2e1c1 the size 7af4ddd4dc of his 4df158672a forearm.71b23689564c65b6

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It happened in an 322e59732e instant.6eb4430966990c8d

Spencer poured the cc5a871c5a strong liquor over 866648d19b the woman’s head.078aaf062808f408

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The sound of liquid splashing filled the air, followed by the harsh sting of alcohol in everyone’s noses.672a1d5477063337

All conversation in 140ce73fce the hall ceased.b4b3059f1b72a072

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Everyone held their 20905772ae breath, witnessing this 1fc9da33b6 unfolding gossip in 1b8352db49 real time.a8da691bd3ccc008

Yet the woman stood 1952e8440e perfectly still, unshaken by 15ac97a215 any gaze, staring directly ecf56ff103 at Spencer.bae1b9c57fccdc86

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Drops of liquor, nearly a0651d50db the same color as faa0828d9c her neatly arched brown fecd2d64a3 eyebrows, clung and trailed d56bffd564 down her pale skin.96a684442b2b9dab

Someone gulped at 073149cc80 the sight of a83297297c that trickling stream.245f09c7c4a591bd

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Across from her, 1b511cc86c Spencer was panting b5d409a916 heavily, but no 71be9f375f one paid him 2d94f81d7b any mind now.bbc61cdcea7bf804

Despite having the 2cebeafea5 stern appearance of afcc8f53b6 an old tutor, 4b0b517c10 the woman’s cold c8215e6760 gaze seemed to 90b7295ba0 scratch at something ccc9f92f2b deep in the e6ca7bbcfb gut.39720d2fa99d2055

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When she 2e0a6a3b47 finally parted f982fc36bc her stubbornly 8d83369769 sealed lips ed15290bfe and exhaled f1f72d6b47 a short 09770ddc43 breath, someone 53ce5bf78b let out 7343ab3490 a small f684153124 gasp.f6f1f69c97f1e04a

Perhaps not liking 492ca67ce7 that, Spencer raised ed45ffe48a his hand.f09a3dd48d0148e7

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It was a familiar 51cadba421 sight—muscles tensing just before 7e609db1d0 violence erupted.738307e09e95ea92

Edmund’s head cooled instantly.0ff036bf8a69cb53

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In that moment, 4b03fceb2c he grabbed Spencer’s 1f64ae24af arm just as a3cf0f7b7a it swung wide.1688018fc316bef5

“Do you have 1a4c865ed9 any idea where e26a1d6767 you are— What d6f3bb7d3f the…?”e8ba27030584ee50

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Spencer scowled and turned 8c3f10fb0f his head, but as 29696f1ecd soon as he recognized 627e919620 Edmund’s face, his jaw d80cab0421 dropped.df283ecdf5abf508

“Sir Edmund!”1704e26383ff9ecb

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“Have you calmed 7ec5fd2d79 down yet?”6cefc7de3e0c0854

“This is, I 14443c5a56 mean…”966d92f927864b63

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Embarrassment washed 63699f8aa7 over Spencer’s f8b79c1354 face.f7e83fcff55368ef

He tugged eb5df8b4c5 desperately at 5efa96e77a the hand e7cc94b427 holding him, bf5c5b55cf but the aaf6362f49 pathetic strength ac82438897 in his cd96387f40 arm fluttered c308c3cc84 uselessly against 7fa7bf4eaa Edmund’s grip.40556b2d25ad41d4

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Watching his 1716bde417 face twist 7598e261f7 between groveling aaa5f7555a and disdain, c1d6486da4 Edmund spoke de6f951a2e slowly.1df4042954bebb3c

“Violence is ca6bdc1ccc forbidden in 401e345bbb Lot Fronher. You forgot?”cfced5cbaaff9166

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“N-no, of course not. I’d never…”b0e21459192c0714

The pathetic fff2bf1104 smile twisting 03d564edcc his lips d155a72b10 was revolting.15a941dac27a33cc

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Edmund briefly f24a23050c considered expelling 11ce53f35e Baron Spencer’s 7b64416595 heir on b119955049 the spot—but 82c4fbb7ee decided against 84089e928f it.8254a598d69854a9

After all, 900ebc9b64 he had d2e28385d4 only almost 7ced010730 broken the 4e0d085166 rules, not 3bc6da4714 actually done dea288ff4e so.86a0cc5e3794bec9

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As soon eab6437bf8 as Edmund fce996137f released him, 4066b13d6e Spencer began 8bfa33b1f1 rubbing his 8cc276ed70 arm and 71e55ec8d2 muttering to 81e790c2d5 himself.61bd11501c0632be

His tightly drawn 38179f25c6 face finally relaxed bd2f9d8744 once Edmund said 4c174474ec no more.c80fc1d2c8493ab7

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After all b47d105c01 that commotion, e528176632 he looked 26d751aa93 simply grateful d8ba5bb208 he wasn’t 53cc13831b being thrown 5afb2521d9 out.52ee2827d66bdc47

Edmund turned 4878118b58 away from 51c8f0f24b the wretched 36e87fabaf scene.b19cec5e08797c5a

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The woman was still fcee2ca5b0 standing there like a a14f614d2c statue.b7e48c48442741ba

Though her pale b3a9aac9ef skin was stained d918f85c30 by brown liquor, 317d118fa5 she remained graceful.55275e9b372bce75

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Her eyelids were 49c4bc04b9 smooth as if a7a8a67500 painted with care 8569fea98d by a master 46eede2e9d artist, and the 3177beae35 teal eyes beneath 615beb6f31 them met Edmund’s 64331105d3 gaze.41e0f4a033d008ba

Looking at her gently 6c37cbd5a6 arched eyebrows, unshaken as 189ac12b2a if nothing had happened, 59b9608a3a a strange thought crossed 0b2454d471 his mind.d1346c08ed90faf0

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Had this woman aa2b302f09 been stripped of 7f908d598f shame?63f6fbf91def5aa6

Most would blush even acebeb59fb at a slight rejection—yet 98f40ed489 she, among all the 56830a5f22 stereotypical noble sons dressed 0e94a82c86 like they were painted 173af1038e into place, stood out a87d501813 with startling clarity.53220981bdcc9623

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As if 421adc5649 proving she e45e8f12bf was truly 2a23bd53e7 alive.d4674df331c08e43

A low sort c6267fa283 of curiosity stirred 1e4d9f342d in him.404996f70ad4aee3

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Edmund pressed d03dc54134 the impulse 7a3088a08d down and e27a10e277 asked what 3b398e438a he ought 95d841a5c3 to.72ec7900db3966be

“Would you 26fd422a3f care to 9a88506c85 take a 560411f506 short break? You’ll likely c642539dc9 need a d819172e63 change of b834c52e22 clothes.”d74cc105b5a3469a

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