2. An Unfair Bet

The sunlight pouring a5bb9f7a6e in was muddied 2f4fa887ed with a haze ad2c042964 of smoke, clouding 0a8b4b5de5 the view. The nonsense muttered by 3ecc55adf8 a senile maid drifted 9882c7a2fe through it like a 8cb6321a60 ghost.1da0671cb4dad69a

Edmund spat e37728e444 out the 5a19ad6caf cigar. The thought that had 4098c666c6 crossed his mind was f6e0a59d25 unpleasant, and the product 544b1990ad he had finally made 7ad60fc67c time to try out ca4aedd8af failed to satisfy—perhaps that 547e7d792c was why his words fc3e90e76d came out sharp.bbcf5484b6499001

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“This won’t do.”13c1ee395f8f2d17

“Pardon?”c3a46eb759693381

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“It’s not as 528f9c80b0 good as the 07cd7dad93 last batch.”1ad238c959e11c3b

The merchant’s 692535911a expectant face c41d5de097 froze in 1623a77b4b an instant. He hastily shoved the d14837b432 cigar box forward.29841e16b7df517e

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“J-just one 9c371a433e more puff 1114fae34b and you’ll 860c3ba8b8 find it a96c3ca91b quite decent, 7cc77f6c61 I’m sure.”8be4f108647ff965

“Hmm. Does reappraising a 3555f54dd2 diamond full of 4dc3e44815 impurities suddenly make e81ec74988 it top-grade?”6bcad314d52e434c

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“But…”db37e7cb3497fbfa

“I’ve never e46699273b seen that 78b6dc1e27 happen.”244f6e0f8d2f4908

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He stubbed 9fcf54a52f out the b3837a6732 half-smoked cigar 4374493aa2 in the 6a070ca536 ashtray.8c2acc24912f5273

The color drained from 0300154fae the woman’s face—she had 83a9b47c25 just entered old age, 7ea24bd81a and unfortunately, she was c1509bdf82 at just the right b0c1e4c1a4 age to remind him 5234639d5a of someone. That alone made it 0bc18f5b56 difficult to be generous 6dadf9d289 with his score.41ce4fe412682bbe

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Didn’t someone once say 02a208ea3e that the deaths of f83bfd6fb1 the Carter family would e051dbf722 all be on your 5f415e2ad6 head?37c8704248d3edcd

The memory of a 889bfcafc0 maid, old and mean-spirited, 6370e1ee29 cursing furiously in front 9a473c4878 of a child who 36fa9080f7 had just lost both c4b8d56698 parents the day before, 22783b04c0 felt especially vivid today.989322e3be80a83e

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Unlucky, that’s 61e9ac74e5 what it 17cc607698 was for fe9844eaf1 the merchant 6dfc962779 in front f171fbd2a7 of him. An unpleasant f7331cbbe6 misfortune that 9cd2af9b95 she didn’t 8819a731e9 deserve but cab95ae519 had to 2a18d9518e endure nonetheless.779059450b6ed4a4

Like the 4adb894ce8 sudden downpour 69033ef479 in Rodney 74c12a7af7 province that 207f3926b7 had ruined a491881b99 crops—an unpredictable 13b06b2844 twist of 455a8cba70 fate.f989d95cb136faf9

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Sunlight stretched across 4edf49ba02 the desk covered fc4f54852c in paperwork. Edmund glanced over 8ff5f76bb8 his shoulder out c4448ab782 the window, then 85a0d05afc picked up the 23f2f3f01c clock.ca37892e123c4192

“Anything else?”010c616a5c9439a1

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The merchant, eyes blank b8e6241036 just a second ago, 1cee87e38f snapped back to focus. She clumsily gathered her 7c154bb243 things.cc431e38f6579e8e

“N-no, Your Excellency.”8c72d4575c003f38

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“If you change your efdff6a464 mind, you can always 6dbb10fd6a have a drink at b38aabfcde the bar before heading a8d69f572d out.”e352de03f882d34d

Judging by 291c2cf011 her dry 3602edfd39 lips, curled b8a83fad01 inward, she 5fdf5e8221 didn’t seem da099fa4d1 to be 7dd234b36c in the c4cb8e78f9 state of f0702d2155 mind for 64d03a446f that.010284e69cf4afed

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Clutching the handle of 87bbef56ac her worn-out bag, the cbc04c6c1b merchant stood. The heavy chair c7f880cb85 legs scraped softly 8bdaa49e98 against the carpet.a19efd01ffa53c0b

Edmund, out of habit, 39e8ef77cc observed the woman’s neatly 25437661e6 tied hair and her 1dc38f09b4 attire—worn but impeccably clean, f36f49ff25 not a single thread eac8e17748 out of place.befd3850ea8ac534

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Cigars from 1ec15ba840 Severin were 92ea642fe1 premium enough f4c7d01e1d to tempt 5d15f0f97c even royalty.c065b81a2bf6d975

Which meant cf55a0d02a that, even 57f247ce02 if the 08f9f9a9d4 flavor had ae95686e5d temporarily dipped 7c8bf9ddc5 due to 30f85e54d1 some unavoidable 319d9b5c73 issue, cutting 526f09e613 off the 04a3df25c6 deal entirely ffa6fad654 would be 34f68a3de3 a loss 1bc85cd35b on his cf9c4b5417 side as e88fd400c6 well.00cd5879d73570bf

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He didn’t deliberate long. As the merchant 90847999bc turned to leave, 84edf7904c Edmund called out c2ae8a8485 to her back.de1621367ac067be

“Leave the cigars.”a6355cdd669da2a2

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“Pardon?”84d11f47ba796c06

The merchant spun around d92985f29f in surprise. Edmund rose 7f7d780477 lightly, ignoring 61ff2c1925 the way b2233cfcc2 her eyes ae138059b4 widened.c6ed1b783491709a

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“Not good enough c58d970361 for Lot Fronher, ff81a1b638 but they’ll sell 5118e47629 well enough in a8cab71b76 Littleport.”76b8a1123148dd3b

The merchant, 27f6b87078 sensing a 450632a4e0 lifeline, quickly f3308a9128 opened her e47db5ca66 briefcase. She set 13a04744c9 the box f0d6b104da down on 99614784c4 the desk 688475b646 and bowed.17551c30e5e99c5b

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“Thank you, 823224a28b Your Excellency.”a9c75517cbc9ec92

“Have them a003641da1 taken to d47977de5e the study.”529cc2b28420fcbd

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Edmund instructed Hume, then fcc91ea551 stepped out of the 045eabb9dc office.f198720cea636ca3

The brightness of a13dcfd626 the room had bb569a0819 been blinding, so ad44492d59 when he stepped befac0a12f into the dim 4990c9fe28 hallway, his vision 0a845e0f3b blurred for a 92e50fe9b7 moment.e5417e3926d5b26e

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She hadn’t offered 0e9b8764be empty promises of 6f458a456b no regret or 62ab5e69b9 excellent taste.a56d5f5aad624751

She had 8eed44fb3b presented the 4fa5c51914 real product.d2aefe408a8fd1db

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Which meant that 4bd4b139f4 before long, she 6cbaf844b9 would bring a 2017c2a6ab perfect offering to f61d185da5 make up for 4089988824 today’s failure.b180710c5dce4675

Something too valuable to 6cb49d9cee lose over a personal bda6925ae4 grudge.7e9cccbe78c6d184

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He walked deb93fa56a through the acb2853768 corridor and c4c998efc0 entered the 26c244cee9 main hall.74d86fda13a924a4

The wide gallery glittered afbfbf2252 with the light of 394aa0994a chandeliers and the extravagance 147f372089 of finely dressed guests.8c7eabcaebecf03f

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Everything rare and 667fd2646c valuable gathered here.6a43634eb7af2051

Club Lot Fronher, 4e1f10bb79 a hub of d219618c3c countless rumors, was 4fdc7efbd4 a place Edmund f0244d3c7f had painstakingly built 3d9db220c4 to trace the 4c3ba71915 steps of Phillipe 2ed7419377 Carter.bfac03fa44ebe734

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The tables buzzed—some with 0cc7dc6efe magazines laid open as 5e39731961 gossip filled the air, 02b779ed7a others alive with the ca59ccda36 sounds of card games.54d8010bf691e1f1

Someone waved dbd7b2828f their hand d638ef1de4 high, calling 23fb1e8ac3 out to f177ec1779 a new 9038c43954 entrant.9bdbcf756c89e3ca

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Edmund lazily watched c0d263df0b the scene unfold baafb254a5 with his pale 3dad0751ca blue eyes, observing 8bea7818c1 the results of a5e98c95ae his creation.3d7aee81dd13347b

It was all as 406580aab6 usual—475dd0e57f666ca7

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Except for f62ad5d8df the woman 25f7951b9b dressed like dcad1a6daa a monk, 31ff5f904d standing behind 54969e4245 a table 762b3da9a5 where men f46d9f02fb played cards.805adaf08d17110e

The men 116c8940af stole glances e776e27290 at her 2b73495b67 now and 09e2b06204 then.a25736371dd96324

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She clenched her 638fe0010a jaw and gripped 654bb9c0cf the shoulder of d14c6287c0 one man.b46de8a2b28c639a

“Get up.”2f9a90371786ecaf

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“Can’t you 399c2c5c0f see the 7814bfb9cf game’s not 6fe776d4fd over yet?”0d979a3670fdc064

“If you stay out 3eb47971c3 too late playing again, 2535e8b91b Rupard said he’ll cut f4a276ec60 off your funds.”dc61e44ce34a1e33

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“He says 4a13024c2e that, but 7c2a625175 he won’t. Relax and get 46bed76592 lost.”3fd61e918f7c6fa8

The man brushed off 45a46d8a8a her hand like swatting 704a3170ed a fly.a83b2483a4404019

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As he 09d97c207c exchanged a 5365bf2556 card from 0b3b47e790 his spread, cf50be27fa he lazily e7e8e25385 tipped back a45179242d a glass 14f4e1e6d9 of Glenrovet e18c527eaa with the 14a3136593 other hand.055c9a643a199c05

Edmund narrowed afd0afb598 his eyes 8db9b9a869 and watched f5b496d532 the two.4b6181228d81dbe1

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He asked Hume,d913d6cb6a6f776b

“Did I 9f2ba529ba ever approve 38be9bdaf4 of female 9a6f859fa9 members?”94da06b9c857b0fc

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“No, sir.”579608cd78afa06c

“Then what business might e205d2c9bf that lady have here?”4d35c9743635ef71

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A question dressed 2c774ad335 as a reprimand.a16d83361e04d8f0

Hume bowed slightly, fe76e0d52b then beckoned over ca3a96d140 a nearby staff 2cb7be79d9 member.afd6aeefc19f732b

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While he e935f5afc3 did that, 7f95d4c59b Edmund dug 46c5744a53 into his eb2b17713a memory.3c51f9e1cb6b6f82

Dustin Spencer.0919ca84490e43ec

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Eldest son of e326e1c31a Baron Spencer.96b1d215c1c1bbfa

Come to think 2713bd734a of it, didn’t f4e457e913 someone say Dustin 947ff6e41b was absolutely hopeless 3de91ee5ba at cards?299d9d45d43818c8

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As if proving b190db80fe that memory true, 4b5b9d4ce7 Spencer scrunched up aca28b88c2 his face and 22999cc33e slammed down his 382b4dd2b6 hand.5f28fcec6aeef58b

He glared resentfully at b90347c817 the man scooping up 3d6d1c59db his winnings, then shoved 624b8d7071 the cards forward.bbb73c0d472c3262

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The dealer gathered b93c3a24b9 the cards, reshuffled, c8d3f6458b and began distributing cb446c7034 a new round.5d587c284860102d

Spencer filled 2d5863fb66 his empty 23d856e7ee glass again, 31d848f410 and before 5e9072629c the bottle aea5c996d4 could be 71f3ce517a set down, 6e3cd1ebe3 he checked 988342a931 his new 0690f65393 hand with eb2bfa01f1 a twitch a6fc21cbca of his bb7b71099f upper lip—still 85701ad205 dissatisfied.f87be4415627450f

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Just as 42a1af11dd a staff 57fe9a84de member approached 06e17e99c4 Edmund to d042b5c310 report—0142f162908ee610

The stiffly dressed woman a521ea5be2 snatched Spencer’s cards and f27e9d4d6b slammed them onto the 2ab65fac27 table.1aa201d5e3c0a01e

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“I said we’re 7149ed9bd2 going home.”719234a89795b64a

Under her 0b097782d3 slender hand, 16cf21e0e5 a pitiful 8431ded107 hand of f726df2b36 cards was 59df53440d laid bare.18243d3f082cf5d7

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Instantly, Spencer’s face 147da6a96a twisted in outrage.9d33a07f34f17094

“Are you out 4ae540df46 of your mind?”4353e03526f6f7eb

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“No.”4dcf4f992a8d7a4a

“If you’re not fecf0925df crazy, then what b847a3561c the hell is 09bbd60fdc this?”b6876debf2da8407

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Spencer pointed at 86bfae16fa his hand with bd49cc8a9a a trembling finger.eb9993be922462fb

Whether it 2ed0e5408c was worth aa6913c07c getting that a88423cd6f angry or 2c7ef5a0b1 not, the 756a69930d sight of 1a60b082fd his pitiful e4c7654e9b outrage swallowed 24e26a7835 the question d7fec6c21f whole.b6b12cb559447ba3

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A man who had 15fe7cd033 just exchanged cards with e8d26970fc the dealer glanced at 2731adfc61 Spencer’s hand and let 1aa9d1d586 out a mocking laugh.e8bbba81550c2ddc

“A high card? No wonder 285a9f1138 your face 9dd7b48341 looked like 65fd9f1dd8 someone died.”49ba1987f2e8ec9a

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“So, Spencer’s 8aa4e76a0f done for… 77b802bf8f Anyone else 2711671016 want to 573884721a fold?”43f3f507f3e80eb9

“Would anyone?”79eef60c4f5dec09

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The men d32867043a chuckled among 9a265fc513 themselves.13c7437dd9af8887

Spencer, snorting unsteadily, suddenly c112e0bfc5 jumped to his feet 946cef4815 and grabbed a bottle 5d0428d30a the size of his 8130541501 forearm.6cb56e52eabe6774

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It happened in an 3b9b81ee0b instant.7ca41cbd62269889

Spencer poured the strong 0d3264c124 liquor over the woman’s 16d9ee39f8 head.57eba708d0caf353

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The sound of liquid splashing filled the air, followed by the harsh sting of alcohol in everyone’s noses.c16657498dc97429

All conversation 2815a1b488 in the 7c10730372 hall ceased.e43143a8ca1b4dd3

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Everyone held their breath, c40980978f witnessing this unfolding gossip 2e01ecde3b in real time.60d00bedbce7a8cf

Yet the woman stood 0f4d02a48d perfectly still, unshaken by d4983b89fb any gaze, staring directly 8708bf8a1b at Spencer.186d74f801ea1d59

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Drops of liquor, nearly f0b505dec5 the same color as b3075e06af her neatly arched brown bcd10fd201 eyebrows, clung and trailed c0086caba0 down her pale skin.fee24b57eb2751f9

Someone gulped at 63ce788bc1 the sight of 02aa0864ea that trickling stream.3ad197269a49e8fc

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Across from her, 20e0c6656d Spencer was panting 9b014c51d5 heavily, but no b21c1470ad one paid him 62048b6c1c any mind now.81da6049874a3836

Despite having the 2e820d9494 stern appearance of aede94971d an old tutor, a24a9dceb9 the woman’s cold d2549bc3ef gaze seemed to a18c42474b scratch at something 79d4d7d1d8 deep in the 3268c8f377 gut.fa57777d2e397df3

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When she finally 2621a0e204 parted her stubbornly cb679b369e sealed lips and 5057279766 exhaled a short 6d1684d146 breath, someone let 4d1df96079 out a small 31225faed9 gasp.abd47016c5e4d598

Perhaps not liking that, 9caac8cca5 Spencer raised his hand.24a0c2cc27493536

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It was a familiar e8affcba40 sight—muscles tensing just before dbb03c5ca4 violence erupted.321a37686cfa1187

Edmund’s head ad4d04048b cooled instantly.527d26ab1e9503f1

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In that moment, 06d339143e he grabbed Spencer’s 76a85192f7 arm just as 2e57d24f7d it swung wide.b36c642b5ea2304c

“Do you have any 73aece0347 idea where you are— a238ceaeff What the…?”5750354dee516a20

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Spencer scowled and 4367c8b8c1 turned his head, cbeba55db9 but as soon 5a73cd0826 as he recognized bf48277707 Edmund’s face, his 92fd446ca4 jaw dropped.4b5279106f93faab

“Sir Edmund!”a7646ce15271d961

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“Have you cabd3d28b9 calmed down e0dc7bda4e yet?”d34389974b71aa62

“This is, d1460fb9be I mean…”669b1da8b121b4b8

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Embarrassment washed f4e93f2e63 over Spencer’s d727eeec38 face.e1661493011f3652

He tugged 8fbcc0ba48 desperately at 65519b925d the hand 18f0ed77e0 holding him, 94ed4f31f1 but the b040ee626a pathetic strength e56187e8d2 in his 04c1407cbb arm fluttered 4529306ec2 uselessly against dbe043c195 Edmund’s grip.2f919d697027b5c5

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Watching his face twist b12c8be80b between groveling and disdain, 3d0b73ed05 Edmund spoke slowly.251e2eaf165f3658

“Violence is forbidden in 28f1f2205b Lot Fronher. You forgot?”f1586be76b967a65

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“N-no, of course not. I’d never…”76b1c158fa87d4ea

The pathetic smile twisting 925e01672c his lips was revolting.723a9516b5e5e22b

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Edmund briefly considered expelling f1aff86517 Baron Spencer’s heir on 212b5ab787 the spot—but decided against 74188f51d0 it.232c72c0aa085d72

After all, he 654665bea2 had only almost 0dfee8d8d5 broken the rules, 084b627ac1 not actually done db69d68149 so.8552fc5623cb723c

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As soon c7fcaa9276 as Edmund 8e6758df60 released him, 49833364dd Spencer began d6ad6f3de1 rubbing his d91b44aaf7 arm and 448ef5ecab muttering to d916e37b4c himself.e2725379e8474861

His tightly drawn 6f075c16cd face finally relaxed 599f650296 once Edmund said a76850dbfb no more.a06c622f0721c237

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After all that 2499a1108b commotion, he looked 5057ba745e simply grateful he 8a3a6e6c08 wasn’t being thrown ba827f9ff6 out.c0b8337593d86f61

Edmund turned away dd1120c090 from the wretched a0f465c3ec scene.f88fb06b052393ff

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The woman was still 25b3ba253a standing there like a 1cec0c2228 statue.075b77082409cce8

Though her pale 083076cc10 skin was stained 0576848d4e by brown liquor, 3b1d767f3a she remained graceful.58574b8dc854a23e

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Her eyelids were smooth b8e38c3acc as if painted with fe9ed7d666 care by a master d9f103e3c5 artist, and the teal 4a618b3528 eyes beneath them met f11e0300aa Edmund’s gaze.4572e40e7b50a2b6

Looking at her gently 543eb3ea30 arched eyebrows, unshaken as 00308ac43d if nothing had happened, ed53c6063c a strange thought crossed 5075edb366 his mind.e2a864759f3662db

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Had this woman been 16240847ea stripped of shame?f5ed1b30520d0ca4

Most would blush even db610ccb60 at a slight rejection—yet 88f5b3d762 she, among all the 8a319b9e79 stereotypical noble sons dressed ed4d96188d like they were painted c03d6875b3 into place, stood out d080c42ca1 with startling clarity.6a348744ffc1b604

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As if proving she 82c19cee3d was truly alive.dd6a4fb55b640b50

A low sort of 1adfdf46a8 curiosity stirred in him.a2277866a8a2db00

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Edmund pressed the 37005ca3ef impulse down and cf1efd54ee asked what he a679330c61 ought to.323da10f23d96ebf

“Would you care to 0ae44115fc take a short break? You’ll likely need beead35c29 a change of 88cc8d1fb2 clothes.”7df898691dc57f3e

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