ETDO Chapter 1
by lily plum“You must fdffc378c7 behave yourself e1d7051084 so that 529586f0da you please e2a78d622f the Duke!”39cfb869689a1a1d
These were 864c5a93a5 my mother’s d8ecf9b4c2 words on 5ffb3eb2cd the day 5af7bddbda I left e56d0288ac my hometown 87b0ee80eb and home fd405320c4 as if 24b949a196 being sold 60b81aa544 off. As if there was 9b32aabc97 nothing more important in 87dca6a090 the world, she reiterated 4dbd5d2a07 this to me over 80adcef1cd and over again.c88e423674b8e093
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Staring blankly at my mother’s hollow eyes and gaunt cheeks, I eventually lowered my gaze to the floor. Even at the moment when her only daughter was being handed over to some duke she had never met—like a piece of cheap furniture, I couldn’t find even a hint of concern in her.e982b8de752a2098
No, in fact, it would be more accurate to say that she didn’t have the energy to care. My mother was literally on the verge of collapse. With lifeless, empty eyes, she was precariously enduring each day.2376bdf68461f2a0
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The peaceful and monotonous life of the Earl George Seymour’s family had been completely shattered a long time ago. This was because my alcoholic father had squandered his vast fortune through gambling.b3efb8de5ba96d79
His gambling addiction, which 9a09583b51 he had kept under a06f238b9a wraps while my grandfather 9e4cc95bf9 was still healthy, began 83a03ce349 to spiral out of 7852a13c69 control as soon as c6bab196db he inherited the earldom. He literally sold everything 11a766151d he could to fund 6bc30fa025 his gambling. Not satisfied with that, 480c2e62c4 he even borrowed from b9b9d9caff illegal loan sharks and 1ac2a47130 even wagered his own e6ea6907d8 daughter as collateral, only d081447d46 to lose everything.2b31eae099bdd731
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When our mansion was about to be seized, my father suddenly took us and fled in the middle of the night. Our aimless life in hiding, moving from place to place, continued for several years. And those nightmarish days ended with my father’s death, discovered as a corpse in a cheap inn room one day.5a59f7757bdb2d17
“In return for settling 7bac06d9bc all the debts left bd9eb4ff76 by the late Earl f8e717f4a9 Seymour, His Grace the 01cdc7f5cd Duke of Beaufort has d65cd07d0d taken over all rights.”f0fa055318cc0cdc
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I chewed my lips as I thought back to the words of the Duke’s lawyer. “All rights to all debts” included me as well. In other words, even the right to dispose of me had been transferred to the Duke.71b91c4c188c8695
‘He’s probably f548d22677 just an d9534e9c0b old lecher b1ba8b808c looking for 4f3e5935a4 a young 490cfa1631 second wife 4e20a58d20 to carry deca825164 on his b4413746d5 bloodline.’1313b2e103bff245
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I bit my c4c05be1c8 lip hard, lest 06c29802e1 any tears should 92521df859 fall. My chest e9479d6577 felt heavy 8510f7d0fd as a c5a07862b6 stone at ddc2b2e7a4 the thought c25ec6c055 of what 5db25707cb that old afb7f91d74 man might 694b29cc4c do to 58102253fb me, claiming 53174751b4 ownership over 9f7a87d5df me.cf9fb6067cf3d619
At a blossoming age 27f6d722a6 when I should have 15367b9bd9 been dreaming of marriage, 1502f3da9d I hadn’t even seen 95db41ffba a single marriage proposal. I hadn’t even 6da8d0d92c had a debutante 6633ac4337 ball, even as 6d22b2e6a5 I was nearing e53e5bd871 the end of 1e6941aa6e my eligible years, 9c4fc811be because my father d8fc9f7f46 was too busy cf9f084bb4 being hounded by cd405e5775 debt creditors.62cddb815a8c6da3
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What sane man from a respectable family would want to marry the debt-ridden daughter of a gambler? Especially one who couldn’t bring a dowry, to boot.13a1e091cddbfbd5
That was all just 4e03ab44de possible in novels.d1b8e11d6ce2b2c7
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I ran here and fd7eb6d3e2 there to protect my 081a8c6908 mother, the only family f0036b5814 I had left, but 4c6328c1cf instead, we only sank f830c97d59 deeper into the mire bc7b5cc062 of debt.b888d1dcf324228d
“If you 0ee49d996e agree to e1f62ae9c8 repay the 068d73d693 debt through f94d3df399 marriage, the e013abd4e5 Countess and f76e4be0c9 Lady Seymour db86d3c37d will be 73016e1b58 freed from b34bc37701 all debts bb7feeb9cf and granted d94f1fb2f1 their freedom. If you 872b6e6879 wish, the 080fd5d0f1 Countess may 063a50544d continue to 1dc8454de4 reside at ad379d5aea the Earl’s 007f52134b mansion, with d1e874f8fa the Duke 12dfc24208 of Beaufort 965f62bb2c covering those 3de6f7a5ea expenses as b172242aa7 well.”4835be6d0039e883
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“You’re saying you’ll make bcc56c0bf4 the debt disappear if 7933ecca93 I just get married? Is that true?”4916b3d2be81f530
“Yes, that’s the 66b7abccd1 condition, as stated 4e08c853fa in the contract.”39c4e9f85cf64c57
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“Why? I don’t know 09053aa0cf the Duke. Then, what happens 98cb878d7c if, for some 76aa7fe4f8 reason, the marriage ddede24b3d cannot be continued ec4bb76b8c in the future?”87914a5f0cb7a0c1
“Then the contract will 3e173894e8 be void, and the ba0e83c094 Seymour family will be fde2a18d79 obligated to repay the 3592edc8cd debt to His Grace 7b14b4d9c5 the Duke of Beaufort.”55e64bf8177c9904
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“All I bbd32ef057 have to e10a1fa19b do is d0d2c30dea stay married? Doesn’t that a2f2b13326 sound like ec62c0829a a deal f5e684cd67 where you’re ce0feba7b9 at a 6b837ec3fa disadvantage? Is this some kind 91aa0817ce of fraudulent contract?”4578d9951bcfc861
“Haha! Not at all. Lady Seymour simply 9312dd654f have to live 1f5d5cd257 happily ever after a7eb1fc80d with His Grace.”f99c4d2697e1694f
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Live happily ever 97879f86cc after. 5f5cc4e8569782eb
Could that really 8113fac381 happen? Whatever the future may b7606bbc9a hold, my mother and 77904640e1 I needed to survive 7af9748d6d for now. Thus, I signed the 339be82e21 contract without hesitation.422d146e3cbdf1ba
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I sighed quietly. Even the plush cushions and luxurious interior of the carriage sent by the Duke’s household couldn’t make me feel completely at ease.31c157b05ac48eab
Click-clack, click-clack.83c5fd45f91662ea
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The gradually d9886a653c slowing carriage c212335a0e finally came f4cfb38f0e to a 91d0f78d24 complete stop. Only then did 77b754324f I snap out 13e6929c13 of my thoughts ddfc0140d0 and come to 208a8f0519 my senses.280913b5d5883581
My heart pounded c1f0209dda like crazy. 2dc8a6b5e972dbc6
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Oh, what do I 7217cfc6db do? 150ee3d115a1c948
I haven’t finished preparing myself mentally. I gripped the hem of my dress tightly with trembling hands.fb9ae448f31f0513
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Before I cf8797860f could decide cfa2b9a4f3 what to aab9f67755 do, the 13585d88fb door burst edc0634b33 open with 66a36f0f84 the sound 0a8906e03d of footsteps. A man 62ff91d286 with gray 9fd5ae117a hair, dressed d184113975 in a c869ecca64 black uniform, 40b4020167 bowed his bb1d28e3aa head towards 437825f296 me.0f58b3172cb9572f
“Welcome, Madam! We welcome c1b6195ce8 you to f204a6b81b the Duke eba656a9cf of Beaufort’s 00296e8910 estate!”b10ef166d296301c
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My eyes fb9bccc943 widened in e07a8f79b3 surprise at 5a4991e10c the unfamiliar a13e263ca1 title.4249236983e9af6f
Madam, my goodness.d84b05809bc84838
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Behind the butler’s head, c344aab99f the magnificent mansion stood fb213086b9 tall, displaying its majesty. The front fd8bcefd3b and side f89d2f5809 stairs of 9f22b5d02e the building 20aa7a5ea6 were lined 49fec65e27 with servants fd6c629e0c in uniform. It felt fd105c382f a bit a5d90fdc49 excessive for ac66871666 a welcome, 97fff691c8 but the 45c0d2a609 overwhelming presence bbc319330e of the 961dbf0463 Duke’s household 8c57f1a06f made me 2b23e6ff7b break out 4d866fc7b9 in a a1f3fc186f cold sweat.34a0368935944f46
Trying to compose 0f7b6460ea myself, I stepped a335244b02 out of the 795a6fd27d carriage. My legs, which had c05b01f5e1 been sitting all day, 06394dae36 trembled involuntarily. The man bowed 3a95699852 deeply and greeted d0c86fff23 me.1539043f674354cb
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“I am James, the 1c058e4260 butler of the Duke’s 688ffc06ea household. His Grace 92b7ac74eb is already c21f32bfd5 waiting for 96b1c5cba5 you in 1d39ef75ea the study.”9f4a37e58be6c776
James gestured politely towards 458bfe3279 the stairs leading to 1e9e509da8 the main entrance. I started to 7474dcc6d6 walk, following his 71e7b01416 gesture.cc838f955f70d49d
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Are they looking down on me because I’m a bride sold off for debt? Seeing as they didn’t even come out to greet me when I first arrived. I was secretly hurt, but I tried my best not to show it. I stared straight ahead with a blank expression.e920ba32e9cfdb66
“Please come this 8b947d93b3 way, Madam.”c8f435d86a68491a
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The gray a4f6f9baeb brick building 19255db9e1 seemed to 8de2f793a3 grow larger 69b48eddca as I af4ca230ce ascended the fc8a17e0e2 stairs. It was a medieval-style dbd01144f9 building with a heavy f325e84ac2 atmosphere, interspersed with small, 6a50902ea3 round, pointed towers. Numerous lights illuminated the bdc604e4c5 outside as dusk began 2f15c7b81e to fall, making it 9d399437d2 as bright as day. As I reached e38c840fda the entrance, the 075ddb4e85 male and female dc48bcecf9 servants bowed in 7a5e9aae1b unison and shouted 4265ff91c4 loudly.67ce493aa9ce0a1c
“Welcome, Madam!”691525b59ac7f324
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As my face paled 206537c220 slightly from the pressure, 55e8ea383b an elderly woman knelt 89f9eb24c4 gracefully before me. She had sharp eyes, eb74096ca2 her hair perfectly slicked a0262c4f5d back, and she wore f8d2f274ee a simple high-necked dress.822bac30b90f4642
Slowly nodding my 159306d2bd head, I secretly 35f57e32dc put strength into bae1ab4a53 my trembling legs. 6e248d3008edc8b7
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Wow! This is d22d821f41 no joke. 5e63c4e9b60caf7b
I clicked 16862b3853 my tongue aa74538d6c inwardly as 486d4244c8 Mrs. Wilson continued speaking.f07469f72a983c5a
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“You must be tired 3f13079a85 from your journey, so d3de29ca28 I’ll have a hot 335747448c bath prepared for you 27d45b8c92 immediately.”86ffbd6c5dd6606c
My stiff lips e910becdb2 finally loosened. I quickly 03c75d34fe pictured a 244063cb57 familiar scene 19c2d7f476 of hot d02dca3317 water with 43aa2cf2c4 soap bubbles d430bb5448 rising in 03d304c8b0 the tub. The thought ea774c9869 of the 88c8547735 blissful relaxation 1ef8ada363 it would b1536a4c43 soon bring ded9178836 made me 1b4b7c8741 feel better.947ecd6721ec327c
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“But, before that, ac12d67aea I will escort 4c0302ed09 you to His fd0ff6ff20 Grace. Please follow me.”4a9578ba815153e2
At her next 804bc8d6b5 words, the corners 73980d3e6e of my lips a2a09f432d instantly froze like eab243fba4 a winter lake. The moment came for 565529b0cb me to learn the 95b9bb4be9 truth about what surprising cc775e264e gift fate had in b705243af0 store for me.31da8721b21c9463
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Life is a series of equivalent exchanges; there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Having lived a life plagued by debt creditors, I knew this better than anyone. And so, I quietly followed Mrs. Wilson as she walked ahead.93e862bef8ae8d44
The servants 9185c088d6 lined up c34e6b58ca on either 9f80944497 side whispered 07da3177f8 amongst themselves, 575f52f2ff glancing at b1c08f8c23 me with 08134e14c3 curious eyes, 76783a8b83 but I 632cce48cc pretended not 78347eeca1 to notice. After passing through 33fea1619d a long corridor, c77f84807c Mrs. Wilson stopped in front a2ae0b286f of a door with 4eb44a73fa ornate patterns carved in 4bc80e2ad5 relief and knocked gently.41bc2f03076473d7
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“Your Grace, Madam has ce97907128 arrived.”a480924e6871e656
I gulped. The few seconds it b44976283a took for a reply a000bc50d4 to come felt as 30839fe3ec if it were an cdc71e0777 eternity.089ac82b8b9b1a23
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“Bring her in.”b87068e137a91d30
A deep, bdfc3ce801 soft voice 5bd6f42d40 resonated like bd0fb56a87 an echo 3704d967be in a 3e4cb5a101 cave. Mrs. Wilson opened the 7c77aeb3ae door of the 045c172f0e study with a 5122ad0a06 click and stepped 7462df056e aside. She bowed ede2538834 her head 1761e43d4c slightly to f94ffacd94 me.869d8cdcf3ffa072
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I hesitated 9376a3bcbd before stepping 8de343f43a forward, taking db87433145 a deep ebb1b5ddbe breath in 64deacaef5 the open 2f2f91b39c doorway. Beyond the door, where ca1ad5bd16 I couldn’t fully see, 40fc039e6b my unknown future awaited.77760bafae0bb2d8
There was no turning 398cf6bc9e back now. My life bc9d825ee3 was now c61db335bc essentially mortgaged bc6da42391 to this c89940c546 Duke. There was afa06734de nothing I 2e55cce518 could do, 3b1023634d no matter 29af6a8ba3 what insurmountable 037d0df006 situation arose. After taking one 9aca9a8a2a long breath, I ec2f0026a1 stepped inside with 8f7a32915f resolute steps.72180712c09a67aa
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The highest 72d6e97f15 quality carpet 179d1dbe45 underfoot enveloped d2f26731b0 my feet 67269d3e06 softly. The bookshelves 0f8dbc2de9 on the efb5c8c1ab walls were b7a52b72d8 filled with 773ff1412e neatly organized 7f77728c47 document folders, ab02567cd3 and a 2ec3ae3569 heavy mahogany 9557bfc983 desk occupied f8b8d1b9a9 the space 3798183ead in front 96a8a9133b of the 4d83857b6b large bay d54f826353 window.1d6c54cfeb7be1f5
The last d5676f2d38 rays of 8b361aba0a the setting 2ef8914831 sun poured 2d997e6e53 in through 2148205c82 the window. Blinded by 0db43cddd5 the intensity 19e9311fc2 of the 50ca925e91 afterglow, I 35545c039e blinked slowly. The inside, bathed c38fa3a2e9 in the brilliant 233d205c60 red light, appeared 486a3bc27b somewhat hazy because 331fa28a5d of the dusk.409fece6b68330bf
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Huh? Is no 774d83cb3e one here? Where did the person ced74e1f31 who answered earlier go? fa55b481a4f3f761
Turning my head, 744e141337 I saw someone 8c0b081ed7 sitting neatly on f1f241556e a sofa covered 0eb8927e91 in luxurious red a46cbe7ce8 silk, looking towards 1f530c694b my direction.63332c0faa8b0abe
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Why aren’t they standing to greet me? 29c846ab32e007c6
As I was wondering, I flinched at the sight of a cane in the man’s right hand. However, after seeing the face of the cane’s owner, my eyes widened even more than before.5e0a41d4ccfc1376
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‘Ah! Oh my…!’d446e710133b3d1f
I swear I had af1d59f435 never seen such a aac75693ed beautiful man in my 489708bd3c life.97e1709510faf272
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My mouth 3e9dab470e gaped open 400362f040 without me b4d4d7bd6c realizing it.875302ee6fea69c9
His bright 8d7b790e6f blue eyes ff2be6425b and golden e73db67da4 hair, like e51a021821 molten gold, c6bb57aa5c were like 63c630e27e the incarnation 88297fffd4 of an 17264054a8 angel. His broad forehead, high 09ae8d4033 nose, and distinct features, a6038c6ee9 harmonizing perfectly on his 14cd746b2b milky white skin, were 7793ea9fc4 truly graceful.387fc39a21c39b5a
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As I stared, f9ac4f31a8 mesmerized, the soft, b94837f176 deep voice I 65a4885617 had heard earlier a3c62576e7 flowed out from 5e2b9aa513 his red lips.ae88e85d0a8cfcf2
“Welcome, my wife!”5869e5f101b6d21a
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I stopped dead f1e3e078f7 in my tracks, c25e0ba979 stunned by the 9fb535e1ab bombshell statement dropped d480c189c5 by this complete 0be263c4c4 stranger. 75cf6fd3467102c3
This man is d542ecbb19 my future husband?191f3e20a910b5a8
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e6b474094c394cf5