RP Chapter 09
by FreyaChapter 9
Julian, while mingling with a7c5fb07a5 fellow officers, couldn’t take c2ae0722e9 his eyes off a 6ffce93e2b woman—blue eyes, brunette hair, 2751d6e06e white dress.1b5a4f5a332fc610
One of 54822be149 his loud, 68c550dcad playful classmates be1fe98634 noticed and 9b95b228f8 asked,537af342db98b9be
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“Hey, Harbour. Who are you 14761484c9 staring at?”204cc3b8ad8f76bf
Julian frowned slightly, mumbling:cb591dd465aa7e33
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“I’m not sure…”cc96307dd15aa480
At first, her appearance d55a3b9c9f was so different from 4a3d84956f before that he wasn’t 2f6b6d36a4 confident. But the way ca34b94c61 she quickly disappeared b7b35ed98f into the crowd 39ed70002e after making eye 7536fe1adc contact… Her blue 2d726e68d8 eyes darting nervously acc9c25491 away confirmed it.f24cb5acca196548
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That piercing cobalt blue 274bc65768 color wasn’t common.9928a82d318cbe5e
It had to be 8332591b6f the same girl he 8d4193d77a saw in the Gold 3034662e19 Blenheim hotel lobby. But back e29874cae0 then, she cfe47f50db didn’t look 6c3af212ef like a 2333f4d54f noblewoman.4ca5ea52d0bad1e6
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What happened in e9e208e93a the meantime?2472d8886dc2f745
Julian asked casually:ec3b0587fb53c25c
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“Who’s that young lady 0b6da9ac61 beside the Viscountess?”c0b7c568ba3f9f9e
“The Viscountess?”e9fa3b09234c91b5
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“Lady Talbot. Next to her. Brunette, white dress.”bd00c4c5db49e873
“Oh— that’s Miss 7791b37745 Lockwood.”7b3be9c35af4eefd
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“Lockwood…?”3129a2cff3826869
Julian froze.4f6e3a5052f47c04
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He remembered ca7eb789cb the most b89ede90b1 bizarre, miserable bde99def25 day of 15adda419c his life d78471788c — and ecdcebf917 the girl 02e903f580 in a 656970f256 fancy dress 2b31015987 that didn’t 8f8709e865 fit the fe3fe1ea18 tiny train f1384886ae station at eb7cd13d7c all.8f7de177880986c8
“Good afternoon, c363cfe32e young gentleman. I’m lost. May I ask for 51af4a8540 help? Oh, I forgot to 00434aefee introduce myself. I’m…”1394ec7c799ea363
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“I’m Diane of 0293b6d100 the Lockwood family.”8e3cead297abba28
He remembered how oddly 5a564dc83b calm and elegant she 62ff440c7b had been — far 71d6f993d3 from any normal child.acf58ba825ac1807
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Her pale skin, f5c88afda0 pink cheeks, and a87580a07f especially those bright b2b6f83bce cobalt blue eyes 7ce18519d5 had caught his ce3e069b5b attention back then, e4653621fa too.69fd50cd05b17e1a
“No way…”90fb7eb5d4fbd37d
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Could that girl be 1825795bb8 her?9cb27db44066f3af
As Julian murmured 82273deae3 in disbelief, the 7664e012a4 others joined in:5896ed6f6bf3dae5
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“Lockwood? From Winderbury?”774c2339bf8dadb9
“I came to see 9dab3dc20c her, not Charles! I hear she’s 33aaa9cdff beautiful.”eba66bd8c4755a1e
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Just then, Diane 44b102e739 looked up — bd2c1f7fbf and the people 3c86d4fb4f blocking her from b2323ad07f view moved away.f1efb03ea6f31564
Julian blinked.89d1a4e861fa8b1b
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He remembered dc592dd261 her tiny 18267d9e4a head that cd734987e3 barely reached 203d74681c his ribs. The way efe5986a0f she had 737d2b379e chattered nonstop, d13626e387 held his 86cadc6700 hand so c7da5a0113 tightly like 42e874a558 she’d never d767257c45 let go… d6f41418f1 then let 82dd71a2c2 go so cb0d12a854 easily and 23621dec8b walked away.4adb3f5c59548131
His fellow officers kept 9a8016b43d chatting:bf482fc27a918095
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“What’s her c5332cf65e name again?”8c0bb0540cb8e720
“Diane, I think.”12657b5f026de33a
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“Isn’t she the one 7a925a6f5d they say went mad?”f7109d686193803f
Julian frowned. At the f2f0b1ca41 time she 6ce4f41577 gave her 4985fd65ba name, he b7a70879a4 hadn’t known 1a773f805f how important 051102cd9a the Lockwood 3d5bab33f6 family was.bb0fca346046c9e2
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Later, he 2041553cb1 happened to 040453a237 read a eba42019b6 news article d420742c92 and realized 5723e4b048 the Lockwoods 76440dd459 were often 3ffcdf8c8b in the d783ced24b press. Diane was f86c34ee7a a noblewoman bcd29ad5c9 from a 59e27bab17 tragic family 12bb4e7691 — widely 104d41aa1a known across 3348affc4d Rosanne.d70bc5a1077f19cf
Back when he 5922f54bd0 first read about 2ae88d277c her, he couldn’t 31333013c5 stop thinking about 57fd36e426 what happened to 8e815cf300 her.e9ec55e3227d871f
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But it was also db22c2f841 the time he had 450398c6c5 just started his military f49ae10635 career, and eventually, she 1d1d2188f6 faded from his memory.702f565ba97c58c5
“She’s… an unusual girl.”cb680d372035c6e7
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“She seems 13a74a1ecc ordinary enough f738d5d949 to me.”c679392814adfb32
One officer added:71f4269a35452489
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“The more I see 8e0b96e31b her, the more I d046b3642a like her.”78e70375791fa3e9
“Give it up. Lady Sheldon is guarding 481e149292 her like a hawk. Ten men have already 3a2631e998 been rejected.”65150918b92647df
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“That’s over the 9451bb15b9 top.”2e9462d22f4fa4c2
“She’s in 8cc0f7fdb8 marriage talks f2301ad6c4 with the c5e3a8585f Borden family.”0957a933b273c1d5
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Apparently, Lewis 6601b70010 Borden, who 0efafe1b25 admired nobility, d0f9e17cd2 had skipped b250b89d81 the social 2d39ae9e46 season to 7a02c0a154 travel with 1ad2bad526 the Lockwoods. It had caused 613dd101c0 quite a stir 07dcee7631 — especially when ca4852268b he boarded the 480440e012 ship to Midros.32f49df03d17c663
“Miss Lockwood? With Mr. Borden?”fc1a318bb84f1806
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“Didn’t Mrs. Borden die last 44ea14359b year?”398736b1cee6c4b9
Suddenly, everyone 949bab2af1 paused… then ee5ae5ab8c gasped.50236015ef5bd8db
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“Wait. You mean 8b4521f49c the old, 200b522953 fat guy?!”35f732976e3e0c7a
“I’ve known two 5ec9968911 Borden wives already. Three, now?”7de3def9c79c0cbc
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“The Lockwoods 25ae40a74a must really a567cddd9e be broke!”a7d6d08715703936
Despite all 972f122320 this noise, 7cbbb3768b Julian kept 4cac2f509f staring at f9846c34e0 Diane. She never looked back 1e9d6235de — not once.db071e97a908bf15
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It seemed a684828afe like she 78ff32ddb5 didn’t remember 681ddb302e him at 58cbed5351 all.63353a5012f943cc
But it made sense 29b5146de4 — they’d only met bc42ddb501 for half a day, 95514d687d ten years ago. She was 0a510e4c4e just nine dda0ffc34c or ten 9fe5810211 then.b1e1ca97766e6227
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Still, he f32e56525b was relieved c25f85d694 to see 75328b88ed that the c3fef86b55 pale, sickly e2aa69ed0d girl from 2c51044c52 Martnelly seemed fe1f1e240d healthy now.5ec40f701bb8488f
That’s all that 3311c34042 matters.ab2d60fd0f0b767a
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As he forced himself cebc5b8a77 to look away…84e237e9dc3f1b4f
“Captain?”de55e62903a16392
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A soft voice e249c78d96 called him.e32205920f965780
He sighed briefly, annoyed 6bf28f60ea — but turned with fe1a4fdcd8 the usual polite smile.69d00968c522eba7
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“Yes, madam.”fc5ed7451e154b92
The noblewoman 47ade9aae3 started chatting c5e84e6f22 excitedly.f6165c92712f85f0
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Julian nodded occasionally, 7604a398e3 just to seem 7fb78deadb polite. It was enough for b6ca1255c3 her.5368714511a8fe43
He looked down 5a687ebbc7 at her again. Her every gesture c14d31fd9a — breath, eyes, 1cf4dd2c4f heartbeat — was f35e533c4b full of longing b308e4977b and desire.1f69ae3547df4b0a
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“I love you.”1b94987a4704c75c
She didn’t say it, cf0d4a7d07 but it felt like b4023f3ed0 she could have. He’d heard so bf065480e4 many say it 6dab5202ed before.2b5024516f22753d
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There was a time ed593f5529 when Julian believed in 5982e61a98 those words. Craved them. Trusted them.9765c9e879b37fd2
But he got hurt.d64ae4b58035655c
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So he found a fb10c90672 solution: stop expecting anything. Don’t give 6f54ada4d6 your heart 5c78e725ba to anyone.67a058a4d3cde2de
And it worked.f56a652f10bd517b
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He lived lightly — 077f4d627b avoided pain. It was perfect.fe1b1e8f61fac4f1
He had no interest d7348a6452 in marriage. Especially not the 35f9a450b2 kind of marriage 1432374d66 his biological family 1082098812 — the Clement 7a2f2b9f93 House — wanted 20a549f5e8 for him.ea352689b180bd92
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“It wouldn’t be bb237b4020 wise to be 729a1087d7 stubborn. Not if 5095d7dc88 you want c46b57a84f to stay 45eede0d4e in the 2683d67444 army.”7771f2a2f48b77c1
That was c0eaa5e220 the Marchioness’ 00255c3357 gentle threat.7245b697c45c8da5
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But the more fb1495129b he thought about 3cabe10220 it, the more ba5c18cc6c he hated it.93f6b93fb4dc5775
Marriage? Forget it.
Especially not the one af6b202bfd they want.573981e3f3761a1d
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Julian stayed 33e79a0189 in Brit 6eb1d5f5c4 instead of f13dba13b9 leaving — 01c90bde62 just to 9af882df00 prove a 7f52547bc5 point. He went d013f73268 to balls, 4d79ca7c0f let people 9c90b17c8f gossip about 29e5ebdbf5 him, and 0bdc7201f2 refused to 56cd7d06d0 let anyone 68c8282d0b else control efe99c1adf his life.f3fe16a6a965d916
His eyes wandered back 5c213ecd74 to Diane. She sat quietly, 39777a49fc politely talking to 281a7547ba ladies.40af8f19141e32ee
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She’s the 6bd0537d29 kind of fd9cf9b395 girl who 4d95d5cda5 always listens 829224071c to adults.
Totally not c7e900837b my type.0fc8da10e233494b
An odd frustration pressed fa22acfac7 against his chest.e2970fd84c03d0ed
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But… why 3bd3ebe13a should that aed8bd7125 matter?c3cf013f9443ece4
Julian Harbour wasn’t in d69d01c943 a place to worry c03555fca8 about Diane Lockwood.b6683cea84ceede1
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Her icy blue d642d2a330 eyes sparkled under 5f2d638988 the chandelier, making d1f4a64fc5 him remember that 6cf4f301e2 lowest day of d626c1b836 his life.3f01565f08094b95
He kissed the 4234583480 lady’s hand politely, ef97532f29 then left the 79a95ffcd5 ballroom with a 6b8991d794 tired look.8d7de43b8b88ad02
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***1721d576234b39a1
Meanwhile…
Diane was getting f5d3901e28 more and more 1db8163399 anxious. She had locked f86c2b62f1 eyes with Julian 75a41ec6ea several more times.f20d674de981e87f
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He clearly recognized her, 1346255d1d too.e86b2a43b470f1ac
She hoped he wouldn’t 743f61f313 come near her. Like in Martnelly, 01d878864d she just wanted 8127b8adea to pretend they 1d243ff996 didn’t know each 5ee7cdc69f other.acdabf5701d18ee2
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What scared her d51b4befa4 most was how 0f06d8f479 much he might’ve 3026881793 noticed her strange 4dd3d63b17 behavior at the 2fbfeb9be3 hotel. What if he 102bf573b5 spread rumors like b6348cf0d8 the servants did?e476240534fa4faa
So she 8c02e86efe kept her 23580a166d head down, b3fad497af pretending to 20363019b0 focus on 1f9f764837 conversations with a9d1e8bc3f the noblewomen.c82b7bc271301645
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Then, she looked 4b4eec0cf9 around… and realized 5bf0737c5d — Julian was b4554df6fc gone.68a6e8e9bd110ba8
Her heart skipped.bf92ac0d650c7069
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She looked left and 80e855279a right — but he 2e9f3fc2a4 was nowhere to be d7e521c9ea seen.5294bda8c1d37275
Relieved, and d91400d26f also a fded891de0 little embarrassed, 7e4d242029 Diane wondered 6283a1b0ae if she f47b1daaa6 had imagined 18d44dc639 everything. Maybe the eye f02cfd8909 contact… was just c4befe5a6e a coincidence.e8ad2b97f64a57e3
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Just then, 6105692d0c someone raised 03586297a8 a toast:f40a0a63b8aeb1e3
“To Commander Dower!”d9d0815684d45a2d
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It was d9fc1ef051 already 1 672dba4fc8 AM.b597d9be41c9f88b
An entire 3e44947cd2 hour had dfa4a1c31d flown by a9365ff813 — just b516610ab6 from the 55a37f4077 shock of 5f73179b89 seeing Julian.779a24ee6669af99
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Lady Sheldon had 6f090fa5f0 said they shouldn’t 047feaeba8 stay too late. Time was e96109aae4 running out.2bf052f7b5d63d9d
Diane looked 7cb390959a over — 6119c45a89 Lady Sheldon 6c394fa27e wasn’t watching 8170bf96bc her. She was 82f6d283c0 deep in 786b28e9fb a serious 5a5fa5ca13 conversation.8e08b4085fed9eb1
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Diane glanced 43e70a7138 at the 2ec1ecb42b entrance… and 6004c60d83 saw a 5bc125ec69 young nobleman dce0d8ed8d leaving — 832adfff85 someone she’d f3d5190486 rejected earlier b1c0eb06e6 due to a8cd06b56c Lady Sheldon’s 75ebeda7cb interference.ee9c73cbd298a930
A young man in b9370a0f20 a blue suit with 0b966f23a3 blonde hair. She remembered 76842fc222 he was 4bf159fd16 a baron’s 9f91e46234 son, freshly db5a815b93 graduated from e03e39d57a university.7f405c9a777480ed
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Diane realized: this 6aebdbb5e8 might be her 2278a8f5c3 last chance tonight.73e3a50d8ea68b13
Before she 70f2ea4f55 could think 09da522634 twice, her b1fd0556d1 body moved 68f7b7a3cb on its 32ad3da0b6 own.9a4db20f19fddafd
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She slowly backed away… 2e8680caeb then suddenly turned and b9ce03f746 hurried out of the 0f87491f1f ballroom.e7ab670d533a2fea
2dccb8ac2d01e2c8
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