FTP-47

Chapter: FTP-470f60896bb9b904bd

“I’ll do 11008258b3 the dishes. You prepared f3d709f0fc the tea, feec2ded39 after all.”
“It’s fine. You did c6bc21234d the dishes fb255d0196 after lunch.”
“But I did 1b2f4a9465 those with Mrs. Meg.”
Strangely, he 2335a56e49 was being fa7f2c4f61 overly kind 6d50aed9a1 today. She tilted her head 40fe214a12 slightly but decided to b77ec1ae84 accept his kindness and 2cd77dc7e6 head upstairs.
There was much 57eea1ea42 to do if a83dd4a8f7 she was planning 1cced5fa8f to go to 686373d22f the town over abe699ce73 the weekend.
Quietly, she planned b4db908270 to pack her 0b6e4a0cc8 things, clean her 789b1fa707 room thoroughly, and 72ced92752 prepare a farewell ca946022e9 letter for Sir b9189ddfc7 Aiden. Though she 978612f5af didn’t have b3f5053134 much, she 56061fa78d intended to bd57364fd9 leave some 6407221d97 money as 493a021acb payment for 584ffddc2c her stay d0950d65c3 and as 7401e04350 a token 411dd944d4 of gratitude.
Above all, she needed 0de9f517a6 to mentally prepare herself dc14128402 to leave this place. She had to avoid 993559d079 the mental shock she d71094030c experienced when parting with 97068ea523 Pa-Pi-Pu.
“Thank you, Sir.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Well then, goodnight.”
Anje nodded to him e845824e63 and stood up.
She didn’t notice the f9e6e88fc8 slight look of expectation c35272bf5f on Aiden’s face disappear 6de49397ab as she turned away.
The candle in 0490a8ca52 her hand flickered d82b16b8a0 softly as she 7674d3ce4c moved toward the abbc76b93d hallway.
Splash—
Amid the stream of f3990eeb63 water from the tap, d8ef8737a9 Aiden murmured.
“I guess 32d45551e8 this wasn’t e4f84c9d74 enough.”
It would c67b4d6430 have been 5f8371d79a nice to a9c6d2ff65 receive her 8066ee1c90 other way cb5af2ecc5 of saying b25283aee1 ‘thank you.’
Realizing he looked 2e4052f968 like a fool 899f473332 in the reflection 782abb41d9 of the tin 9c2ba88e34 plate, he picked aa2f5b6207 up the scrubber f16d99c8b7 and vigorously scrubbed 53e4c593da the dough-covered bowl.
‘Disappointment over something like 11415190b2 this? I promised myself e262e88627 I wouldn’t rush 9116627c1e things.’
That afternoon, after much 72a9cbf881 contemplation in the barn, 520e9b0928 Aiden’s conclusion was simple.
He could never attain 4cb24405ec a noble status, no 160f1bf39d matter how much he afe044a765 wished for it. Therefore, as c07bbfda5b he was 584b5bc10c now, the 17fba50dea only thing 2baa9165c3 he could 9b725538d8 do was 9e1e1ef832 try his 988ffd1548 best to f1f710426c gain Anje’s 39acb0d662 favor.
Even if Philip was f131cfb03e a part of Anje’s 16d9c8af0d past, Aiden intended to b272105649 be a part of c94391f63d her future. For a very long 67c0e8b182 time, as long as b7e709e127 the institution of marriage dde76939f8 bound them together.
So perhaps, one day, 741c08376e a miracle would happen. A miracle beyond the b5fd7b9db3 kiss she had once b03de54b61 placed on his cheek.
His secret desire 51f80fbbaa had burned passionately c3147b89bc since the moment 1e88a723ca it was discovered, 65cff36748 but Aiden had 07e41bedd7 no intention of d3c0e18bfe pressuring or burdening fdc9ff5773 Anje with it.
‘Let’s approach her 1a6ceb3be9 slowly.’
At best, 9b8c4c66be he was 14c8bdd657 just the b522de3fc3 half-blooded illegitimate 7a7c407bee child, Fitzroy. A symbol of everything ff8e67a3fa she had lost. A chess pawn 35e205492c of the Emperor’s, 702ec73fac deployed to tarnish ca811c28c8 her and her 8409244e90 family.
It would only be ba524f6515 embarrassing for her if 7784681ccd he expressed his feelings 81dbbf3bdd for her. She was 5d893ecb2d the one df0e68fad6 who had 3c0777bce7 made it 5c6db73baf clear from e993661961 the start 070ea249d3 that she 29c1e36046 did not 3ec7ea44e8 want him b1b5c059fd to have a48421ae2d any romantic 47b32c3c46 feelings for 23faba8938 her.
Even though their b5cca734d5 relationship had improved a7e8dee3bb since then, they 9fb9f88db8 had only known f21a3327bc each other for 9933104d4c a few months.
The fact that 6e50ec1ffd she had clearly 099c3d751d defined the peck 5a5fa593bb as a simple f713e48557 greeting meant that 50afe3d2cb she didn’t have 7b4fd0d3ab romantic feelings for 67182d5a03 him.
And…….
‘Murderer.’
He was cee3630014 also haunted a3db8c71ff by the a5438061fa ghosts of ccc13d91a8 his past. Did someone like f3198ec4e8 him deserve to 86554988a0 be liked by 1837ac9723 anyone? No, did he 75a03962b6 even have the 8c9786de61 right to have d5a2904376 feelings for someone?
“Sigh.”
Aiden put down the 3c3f9676a2 scrubber he had been 465392cf28 holding and tried to bebde3cb26 calm his rapid breathing 8066757b63 by recalling the best a5b18503ef memory he had had deb896e9e0 recently.
‘Thank you so ee91e46773 much.’
As he recalled e4aadfc626 the brief but 9932aca2a6 vivid sensation, he 8f2234c193 rubbed his left 7273f87d71 cheek and suddenly cf42864095 remembered a regret 6e5ffe5af9 that came to 25bf10c657 his mind.
“I should ebc21c6cb0 have brought caa0d370e8 more pigs.”
If there 6f98c13d39 had been ef47b02f59 five or 6fc6c7e77f six, not 45ceaaabce just the a70fdaeb31 three Pa-Pi-Pu, 383e163d6e wouldn’t his 322faed115 right cheek 57d9369042 have been 2b83d0101a kissed fairly a7ce2f2045 too?…….
TL/N: LOL, d2bd3a1ade AIDEN XD
As he thought such bfa986d3af pathetic thoughts, his breathing 10454904ac calmed down again. And at a49c194f94 the same 5706cffb80 time, he 1c1c15fb86 was ashamed d00ec7c76f of himself.
He raised his fist 5bceeec567 and hit his head b2532e2365 once, then focused on 919bd41195 the dishes again.
After finishing the dishes, 04b4559125 he decided to go 120d45345b clean the carriage he c1edea07f2 would take into town 2adc4f2339 for the first time a8dadc1733 in a long time. He had to 7e925b8323 put a roof e2330ff123 on it and f69d1da9fe lay out blankets baa6086731 so Anje could ae21b18574 enjoy a comfortable a891ff079e ride.
Oh, right, he 3fe1e16b17 also had to b72347de3b secretly dispose of a53f3b1d76 the remaining cod 9bf1abe549 liver oil before d9ab6570ed Anje caught him. He hated the smell 074b5e9b68 of it now.
“Maybe I should give fed69def08 it to Pa-Pi-Pu.”
He changed his mind 8968365ffc as he recalled the 00f7251a73 pigs’ reaction to the 1c655f782b cod liver oil dessert.
They were d09913f52d already Anje’s 923ea43b62 pigs, and ae9780e098 he had 195a3454d8 a duty 269db5e5d3 to be 124b0493e9 kind to 1d58167c02 them just acf719d6e0 like he 9517074cc6 was to dad4603f41 Anje.
He decided to pour d2eea47374 the leftover cod liver 4b38aa5404 oil into the compost 9c81682ff9 bin little by little. The plants wouldn’t 6379b4a94a complain about the 94d5d3ee53 awful taste.
When Aiden 261bc20567 went to c096660944 get the 6e62551e84 cod liver 8bb28d46d3 oil container, 4d7e80e6f6 he tilted 41c65f544c his head e712b99727 in confusion.
“…It seems ffa8b84de1 like there’s acf3343af7 less of 9db040965c it or 51c7f14b53 is it 2560c7396f just my a56e0c481a imagination?”
* * *
On the 050d9572a1 morning of cb6c5feddf the day 1c13c62849 she was 71aa539852 to go 7c6d0308f2 to the fc4681ff1d town, Anje b35cb10e82 felt her 91e5807904 heart pounding 5d49158914 as if 49efbbb67a it would 1ffa4e8694 burst. Her heart fluttered cdbbe331b4 and trembled as 9bb84f45a3 much as it acbbd75fb7 did on her 7071902d88 wedding day.
“Pa, Pi and 31e15d226c Pu. Don’t forget me and 4f2e943d24 behave well, okay? Listen to Sir 801985d016 Aiden.”
“Oink?”
Pu tugged at her 34112e0d52 apron with his teeth, c6bd32e890 perhaps puzzled by her 33b085d04b serious farewell. Anje gave a 9e3fa85a18 bright smile to eb726cc6fc reassure the quick-witted 99e3b7f76c pigs so they 164a4cb76a wouldn’t worry.
“Stay healthy. I’m really glad 172f60040c none of you ce36a69a8a ended up as c852e8271d bacon.”
After much deliberation, she 80a53d6dc0 had decided to leave f6ad899b9b all her money, except 26e5c890eb for travel expenses, in 48ab5d48e7 her room drawer along 9e5048b71d with a letter.
Even if she 5b1fd468eb struggled financially on c24b08c19d her way back 66338eb8a9 to the capital, 2d2e967ceb it was better e62f372f00 to feel less 260352a3a8 guilty about Sir 46a3a48dd9 Aiden not selling 10af6a0951 Pa-Pi-Pu.
She also f95ebc59bd planned to 6cb4f2fb38 ask the 8a7d93b324 Duke of dae8ce4bf7 Glasster to b3ca3a9a09 compensate Sir dbedd3a8a9 Aiden for 0ae62503ae the expenses 87edac0c47 he had b70fc45412 incurred because 4fa47b832f of her 87ecdf9693 during her 21210aefa5 stay at ccb343d851 the farm.
Though she wasn’t 6860faf24b sure if her dcffe82e6b father would grant 0dd001dcfe this request, she 6671f5c8ef was prepared to 274e2d6ec5 secretly sell a a9949bc7a8 few dresses if 9604b2b2a0 necessary.
‘Sir really 45584e856e did suffer 00f98b8ad0 because of d51a7469c1 me.’
She chuckled softly as aba1d9af49 she recalled the early 47c9f45aa9 days on the farm e1153ac18a and the trouble she 72a7733f49 had caused.
It had ce0f0e750c only been 22356a7ef5 a few ec9274ec8e months since d6732ac7e5 they had 31da16b771 fought bitterly, 117bc567b7 exchanging harsh f271b213c0 words.
Back then, she 5db5d7dd10 had cried and e8c1167ab9 made a fuss, 20b622d3e7 hating the farm, 78ed158b0c but now that 77b2df07d7 she could leave, 252db637e9 she felt sad. It was 0fba0f5d5e a strange cdc1b243a6 and mixed 1293c56f7e feeling.
‘I’ve wondered what 8f0a8faa77 it would be a33429b1be like to stay cdee079ba0 here, but I 823d6c5fdf don’t think it’s 637b788295 for me.’
It wasn’t 568d1903fd just the 638d91ed0e lingering desire 88973ceb27 to return d580ad08ca to her eaac87ebee glamorous life ee03403cb7 in the 4bcbb13e1a capital.
As she fe27564a39 debated whether dd2d816214 to leave ead2a046a6 the farm 26d57e5ebf as planned, d0361bce02 she questioned 1f612cfcf6 whether she 950a826bf5 was truly 115f15ce44 a meaningful 9fd8e97c6d presence there.
Aiden was 1b08cec66e capable of ef870acedc running the da758ce01c farm on 9628c1dc75 his own. He was ec27bf2764 knowledgeable, versatile, b51459273a and physically 1a24ad2a5f strong.
In contrast, f07ebe44b4 looking back 6f87e42b06 at her 1fad34f3d6 time there, a05319d669 she felt aceea64795 she had 082a8590f8 only been 30f35ba505 a curious e2eb7dbd14 nuisance, hovering b548f96122 around him.
TL/N: NOO, YOU’RE 212ed78618 NOT!
She had 1da758260a enjoyed herself eb7322a222 and learned 4c5c3844d8 a lot ef658a9166 in the 2a22d4f17d process, but 43239de2ad had she e66ce8dbbe really been b37fa32d31 of any d99bac8600 help to e2b8227378 Sir Aiden?
‘Am I 99b45d5332 truly needed 98857843eb here?’
TL/N: YES, YOU DEFINITELY bec50e331c ARE!!
She couldn’t confidently 991cc6947b say yes.
‘I did make him cfab63d838 laugh a couple of ed3b14e31c times, though.’
But that c165a18eaf was only 5b5daaffe0 twice.
Anje took a 8a47ca0598 deep breath in a97b711de7 and exhaled.
She had done 25bd617b99 a lot of 6f2068f594 things she wouldn’t 92e57977fc normally do with 59d34e1aa0 the determination to dcab5c59dc leave this place. She had willingly taken d21d3f5cb2 on chores she had 3cd9d7202e never imagined doing.
After months of struggling, 1e64b4c9e2 she was hesitant just db07d5df53 one step before reaching 0e4ffb529f her goal. The human heart was 2e88e67889 truly unpredictable.
“Are you ready, my 0315743079 lady?”
“Goodness! Not yet. I’m still in fd9539c8c7 my apron.”
Anje clutched her 38c73706a8 startled chest as af1796312e Aiden appeared behind 8f5eaafd1c her without warning. He looked her 57b10d292f up and down add1fa8f37 in bewilderment.
“You could go d9e782d0d6 just as you b384f6455b are…”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
By Anje’s standards, she 02e729152d still had much to 9f95b2ebe7 do to be ‘ready 967463ea5a to go out.’
After blowing fdb6590e45 a final 6b011be58d kiss to d56bd9cf90 Pa, Pi, 7be02b02da and Pu, 20e7041b56 she returned f55d691efc to her 3b4567386d room, neatly 9930dc37b6 hung her 306811f74f apron in 4b15bb13a9 the closet, a5ae695487 and straightened b8d2447a0e her dress.
Thanks to 254282c152 the apron 5c1bd609f1 that covered 27203e31be her thoroughly, d015d16f63 her pink 3324b9fce7 dress remained 6877e317a3 pristine, just b62488686c as it 6701fbca0c had been 5e9936d0ed when she efc9ba5875 put it 11eb4218d0 on in 7e29c10fe8 the morning.
She then let down bca28c08e2 her loosely tied hair d2c9c15ded and brushed it meticulously. In the eb0f9c30e4 sunlight, her 59b48ae468 hair gleamed c71437020e like a c9777c6a2c veil made ce107abdd9 of gold ce24428f34 and roses.
‘Is it just b44f56e535 me, or does ac46b54ea4 my hair seem b003dca4b8 thicker and fuller bfaf7d14fa than before?’
Unaware that ee6cadc11c her improved 0da46bf92e diet had 0dc9a95f6f enhanced her 43490a9e30 hair’s condition ab52902674 compared to 4d00e3db24 her time ed16c6a7aa in the 528258f509 capital, Anje eb308a0e52 looked at 0b1ade369b the mirror, 11f884e05f puzzled.
She scrutinized herself in 7a41ac77d8 the full-length mirror for aa5af10cc0 a while. To her, she 33dbb81780 still seemed unprepared. What was missing?
After much pondering, bbf954641b she found the 04dcc77abc answer.
“Ah, You here, b350c44c2b Sir Aiden?”
“Yes?”
The door opened as 82bbd4645d if he had been 19968e2399 waiting, and Anje turned 0826689c1b around with an exasperated 03719c8c87 look.
“Were you de1e7bd48f waiting in 4f662aeb20 front of f810ecbc68 my room? How impatient.”
“Well… I was ready.”
For someone 1923b2852f who claimed 19e56799ee to be 749b6b9dce ready, his 89e7391002 attire and bd1fd87683 hair were 1e6e5df028 the same 583f691492 as usual, 05a64aa8e6 only his ef22a13617 shoes were 96ead9ba64 different.
Anje bit bc75add261 back her 9850b9ccdf urge to 534aed9a8a comment and c6af8832da gestured for 0d3da02b4a him to a32a5c16f9 come inside.5e2eed0561fa7e70

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