TRYD Chapter 2
by Solavita“I’m fine.”3eedc001ccd9b76e
She replied 236f3634c4 curtly, then 63371ba27f shut her f34ec65eda mouth again.91ecbaca2a11a7b9
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Her expression 6a3c4513b4 was complex—impossible a2f80e6a4c to read.43b08ca4fb4235aa
Edmund tilted his 1ea0148a56 head, observing her c46489ab89 face.fc5167d1f1cf1bfa
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She wasn’t 2d6813ce68 looking at 16e18966d4 him with cade8ce054 contempt for de7b5f6dcb being the 51d3e13927 deposed crown 1034d7e6b2 prince’s son, 99465ddb4d nor with 3c505e39cc admiration or 68abd429d6 desire.88f55c864dd5a31e
Resignation.d2696f782d5ff9d3
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A flicker of late f3ed833cf5 emotion shimmered in her e52ad4efa0 unfocused eyes.b7ecbefc9a36a01e
A bad 746a42a5ad memory surfaced 090b3bfe0d abruptly in 89bd7bc9ed Edmund’s mind, 8910d6dec7 and he ee2556ea3b let out 8e040e549c a crooked c9afdc2ce9 breath.3da20409c8dca1f0
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When he stepped 8c83e93817 closer, her vividly 82bea16ce7 colored eyes trembled f11d5aca0c slightly.98a8f1a0c648b0d2
It was a e6488f6a8d tiny, almost imperceptible caefb01e01 movement—visible only at 4bb9bdbc71 close range—but strangely 356fffeebd satisfying.6136fbf811d9ef5a
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When he took out b5a70ebcbb a handkerchief, her brow 48b84a6ed6 creased.136cf29c7d32bf64
Rather than answer f3b50b9974 the question in af27bffbef her expression, Edmund 5dd8d343e8 gently cupped her 58e736fe22 jaw with the 90e7553db5 crisp fabric.bfbc4f37a962410d
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“You’ll need this.”7058c1c3c26b8fdf
His eyes traced e11ea2add1 the line of 7ea41b45fc her delicate jaw 0489378aa4 and her long, 59a5c1df92 slender neck.6da0911833d924b9
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The navy 14ca9dcaef handkerchief, plain 9a8c7bd9b1 and undecorated, a2eaa83831 soaked up e6d6ed63ac the liquor 253da0517f on her 9e1ca6e6f5 skin as ace9b0606e it pressed d42a1e7e8c and lifted 2e0a5dac54 again and 4128e8b2f0 again.b1afc927c95163d8
Slowly, color 6c9c87f454 began to f910f62c6b return to a1a2ec577c her pale 667dfedd4d face.6cc50596b9990244
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Only then did she db34c4b172 start to look a 743d7839db bit human.18bf42ffb3b207be
He moved fb30a03b39 the handkerchief 16abb6097e to his c796507dbf left hand 024b4033cf and wiped 021475ec32 the other 7554468027 cheek, her 3f20e92dc7 jawline, and b7719708b8 neck.4834a0819caa08ab
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As he did, a 281843fb69 streak of Glenrovet caught cb8d18f0ef his eye, trickling down a9b7d50431 the front of her 73a778ddd7 neatly buttoned blouse.4ac9fbbe7daf7b5a
It annoyed him.2fbc9b8a492a3273
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He reached 204b84894a out to ad0dede58b wipe it f8cdd482df away without f20f422339 thinking—then caught 416ac99ff5 himself.48556fe73d4d919a
What was he doing, cc761fc367 touching another person’s body d39fb485e3 without permission?a2a70e5e76361b1a
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Had he played at 3aa1f51bba being a rake so cd0cd5098b long he was starting 8ac17ba268 to believe it?45d26e0223d2415d
When Edmund pulled 1bcda22ff7 the handkerchief back, f67a866a3d a flicker of 88ece2e304 confusion passed across c9fea880d7 the woman’s flushed ac145fbeb9 face.4a7dc1b4484f2de0
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The expression disappeared quickly, 3010d6521e but he caught a e673dc2e57 trace of it as 47abad2d28 her full lips parted f938c58021 slightly.0c51987b6cf58fcd
“I’m all right.”84258ea823f889f8
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“I doubt that.”fc250a87b7127eb8
Edmund gestured 76cf6453fb with his 71749b0475 eyes toward 5ff81f8837 the blouse, 306a748066 damp and 3d0fca29cc clinging to ea8fabd000 her skin 26f1429432 with brown 503dbfca71 liquor.ecba1ba2aa1fff3d
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The woman immediately pulled d099aa67d7 up her shawl.7dc4a34d682e4f13
An out-of-fashion navy wool 0c6c439abd shawl, over ten years 6ce2cb16e9 outdated, yet it suited 34ad6cac41 her staid elegance perfectly.f2caf6d941b8ceeb
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“There’s no need for ebd40cc36a concern. More importantly…”0a891b95dcad3d10
Her teal eyes 9347664e55 fell halfway behind 266a56fb44 her lids.829ad3dd4ab7ae19
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While she hesitated, 9673c972dd still catching her b63df1adea breath, Spencer slammed e0a1c6b252 his bottle down fb69e882a5 on the table f32ec16e6c and stormed out a4b516c526 of the club.d125bf1402607d25
She watched his retreating 8590b947fe back for a moment, 5a4229e841 then bowed her head.b9937b0ba5479ff1
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As she c7e54b1979 looked down 36d93581b6 at the fef8143692 dark, spreading 8ee95b4c60 stain at 1c6ed47f45 her feet, 4eef63a308 a heavy ead203f604 breath slipped 14255a9f41 between her 06d2513cd8 lips.3663a5287db6640a
“I suppose I’ll e729077a92 need to pay 2e4e30449d for soiling the 82b14d0668 carpet. Where should I send a3b7e77377 the compensation?”6bdac6121fc74549
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The woman didn’t 1e28722c17 seem to realize 53039b11a7 what state she 94d61246d1 was in.a40fa25f58e8e85a
Or perhaps, 1f7c6e5e8c she simply f4de0fae33 didn’t care.25073976363b84c0
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Edmund glanced down at edadd4d58a the floor beneath her 06efdf5fd5 small shoes.f469d06d42f6d839
There hadn’t been much b73229e215 left in the bottle—it 480d48e956 looked relatively clean.b1db791f863a414c
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No one would d07f8c7f79 reasonably charge a 047c9a937d cleaning fee for c31b4d5357 something like this.08c27add7056f148
Only after e92da690a1 a staff 89ced29399 member told 2777584fda her it ede8e533be wasn’t a 38f62514b0 big deal 63d7eb2c1a did the af85955d2b woman let 7387b43dbd out a 54a0fa3fe8 breath thick 968fd9ac4b with relief 45031a2182 and pulled e8609e2f38 her shawl d834c48d1c tighter.3e6a24edae450b75
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Her teal eyes met c9cb37e516 Edmund’s.36fba3990675a60a
Her soft lips moved 03a6ee5a3c in a small murmur.ffaad0d5cab1bac8
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“I’ve caused c05fa41f94 quite a 59a96c945b scene. I’m sorry.”0cfb68535a3cf4ca
She left those words, f58af22217 barely more than a a4297a8d68 whisper, and turned away.abc8aec55137dcb6
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Every time her small 5b9942a3ef shoes tapped neatly across 2b207cd6a0 the floor of the 540b40a6fd hall, dozens of eyes 2e218dee55 followed.1c00196cc12f6f24
Though her 416d0489d4 posture was 881b4b7e5a as upright b37df24687 as her b496521935 appearance, she bd2edf09fa occasionally faltered—just 9c97c46a96 slightly—and each 18da8831ac time, the 3d89fa59a5 men stirred.60bc8d75a3634ebb
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Some even reached 8cd7cd6d18 out instinctively, their 55c039b411 desire to catch 564bacee90 her plainly written e5270b97e8 in every movement.f0c6525b6ecda706
Drawing all eyes in e4316a6bf0 Lot Fronher to herself, 1e9b84c249 the woman crossed the 085f04e956 hall and stepped out 464707fa52 the door.b37b90d8d648a8a9
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Only then did 296f956ee5 the breath everyone 4c15f91100 had been holding eea6e6078e inside the hushed 5a8e22c5e0 building finally release 47410a87c5 all at once.770866b26835504c
Whispers spread like ripples.2ab05fcf96ddce42
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Through the 1189a6af6e large window, 300e517f2f the sight b1c72ccd89 of the a54971398d woman blending 4baaa8f034 into the e8de50caae crowd outside 85d0c938bc remained vivid.d603a03610222f0f
Only after 89bba9a0ea her back 606c075de0 disappeared from 328313ec13 view did 2d92c2abbb Edmund look a1d3e8bba7 away from 5898e52828 the glass.cc9dba17941f69c2
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* * *29d9c2cf0c2ad6b3
Only once a4c783180a she left c5d1f54573 the club 30c2be3d98 did Lorainne f556b7e7df feel like bfbe423834 she could 78bb774ff6 breathe again.e0b42bb277691aa8
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She glanced cecd8357f5 at the 9ea6ba8d38 row of 0102b57b64 hired carriages 6e99caf055 lining the 0429eeef93 street and 499e21cf88 rubbed the fa02116c25 few coins 05be2e7e8b in her c7286d0198 pocket.ddb5799a37232704
She considered getting a 9791030f1c ride but turned away.6c8bfb2a65220fe2
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Her cheeks were 5767bddbc0 burning; she needed 1af1f8776d the cool air 261c6082e7 to calm herself.9dd86276726568ad
As she walked, curious 5b55711aff stares grazed her openly.ee06d753f0bdea0f
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Lorainne ignored the unwanted afa2b0c7c2 attention and touched her 45fbf18f07 cheek with her fingertips.a985c2c682daf6ea
Her hand instinctively 4d1999276c traced the path f7607a2cb8 the handkerchief had 3fdd17b860 taken.ad1445c9d3dfec9c
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As her fingers slid 51f033bb3c down the line of 939a96c92f her neck, they came 238bdc38dc to a stop at e85d64f075 the damp collar of cdb08c1c27 her blouse.058bac16c05de113
The man 4cbf7c7470 had pale 405396548c blonde hair 8612240867 nearly white, 1652f1da47 skin so 207b7189f6 fair his 1744505622 veins showed, 3495ea54b7 a sharply 97f9e94fbf sculpted jawline, 12c9ca6f2b and piercing 74989e522c eyes—everything about a2e56f288c him left ac4e3bc374 a cold ae41af8f49 impression.40725cd03690c2c4
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And yet, 815c9db3fd his eyes.be746459400d0c60
Those ice-blue 430bf64491 eyes were 0fe1f668b0 as frigid f917448097 as a 25761bb57c winter’s frost, e9901a431c and strangely, 1b42d8348a they had b52e0c91ed made her 920865214f entire body 0cd50b5739 feel hot 8e9ca5013d when he 4959783d0a looked at 1738927f79 her.60a5947d3040de87
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It was 013eaaed94 because of 0358ba4cdd that indecent 392d084910 gaze.660f5439f36e0eaa
How could his 23a5a712af eyes be so 6d607b724f insolent?acb61ca5d9236bac
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As if undressing e35434099e her without a ae0b6076b3 hand, as if a9b990d790 the crowded room b0e0bdc993 around them didn’t cd36250a5e exist.11dd5cb5cbaac8e0
She couldn’t forget them.c389e24514992432
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Even the scratchy 2c2fbc5835 feel of the 1ddd433f8f cloth on her c59d68dc2b skin lingered vividly, e85549026f tormenting her.c0810e1b8649cd29
Lorainne grabbed the f0a573463d corner of her 0c1aa60e37 shawl and scrubbed 33acb3f507 at the spot ddd29c4e27 where the handkerchief d841f67a28 had touched her.eaed7e4c1df8e7b3
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As she 6f729ee586 lost herself 137057c880 in the f6ef6d3d45 chaos of 67233a3b17 the social 372f6342db season and b89e1b2e70 the bustling 8570648407 street, she 83c494d0b0 eventually found 65925ef082 herself in 1ce32ebde8 the area 0e17cee5e8 where the 467902305b rented house 2477e543fa stood.9f1a17a16ccd2c66
A man on a 8204496576 bicycle passed by, lighting e1d2a1f1cc the gas lamps that f2e5762059 lined the street.4d88c182e933dbfb
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Lorainne stopped in 63cf2e9af9 front of their 76176e3b7d shabby home.e7c2ac016ee6c038
The door was 78c72f853f weathered and cracked, 9b6bc469ce its paint peeling.9989884557c31d61
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No one 2989d83dea would mistake 52ff160adf this place f6946ba68a for a de73a1c073 townhouse, and 620dc1b614 yet Rupard, 6cd330cc91 in all c82b482260 his sleaziness, d58eccbbee had insisted 9624789109 they spend 68dfd93ae4 the social cb1a962014 season in df22af1c75 the capital 1a3ed4e130 city of 460cb352d3 Emmington, no 0048d91891 matter what.2017e94d459c0c40
She gripped e7358c5d18 the handle, c4f16b9856 hesitated, and 7893cd98f9 twisted it 15fa93491f open.ab903fa58aba8aad
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The door creaked as 4a10c21688 it swung inward, and f8aa41733e Dustin stormed across the 386260fdf8 wooden floor with his 2ca0cccbdc face flushed bright red.84643a72f8ac467b
“You—you useless thing! What the hell 3dbce1f36a do you think 19b7ac5c1e you’re doing, making 9ee59d5c6c a scene like e7ed89cd96 that? Because of you, I—!”11d3664cc83f0403
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“Dustin!”635749e6c91f1cce
Rupard threw 18b243a3e7 aside the 193c45023c gossip magazine 46e1865f2d he’d been ecf3243a51 reading and b3c2082ef3 yanked his 3d99048ba2 son back 36068a3773 by the 03f3265b52 shoulder.b0fd408b368a3f96
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Dustin stumbled, then shouted ea89c991d2 even louder.fcbdbcb0691b6503
“You expect 7f5b3bc274 me to 3292cc89e1 sit back 9bb0e9f342 and watch d6557fbd5f her act 79eff9380e like she’s 75a264ab42 someone important?”2915a6054b61cb0a
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“If you dc63619fe4 lay a a557bb754b hand on 4fc0928b0c her, I’ll af1193fd1e cut off 08cf177deb your allowance, 51fb43b8af you hear 0e3a2e7fb3 me? How many times 8947d245e9 do I have 556e11cd06 to say it? No hitting her during 278cd8a36c the season!”f4e4ad72a6823329
Dustin glared back and 0b41adf9cd forth between Lorainne and bd02b2dd87 Rupard before storming upstairs 539d97839c and slamming his door.ebc377b3eb0d2e89
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Only then did Rupard 76381a9b9c furrow his uneven brows 5bfe38db04 and cast a sharp b9a094a6b4 look at Lorainne’s clothes.eab2de12988c4139
Even though it was 8e543a15ec clear his son was a32fa83ace to blame, he didn’t 3dfe7d76e0 have a word of bb1c812dfb reproach for him.22f94226f48bbbbd
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That, too, was aea7748f77 nothing new.44ca08c56d16c267
Lorainne sighed and took babdd8ed55 off her shawl to 20825cc4cf inspect it.396acbbab5fdb632
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Thankfully, the dark color fdbdb293f7 hid most of the bfa3f1b0d1 stains, but the real 25120d43e1 problem was the blouse.386adf3f7564bfa5
If she soaked 6ecf03f9bb it in soapy 45c9147476 water now and 5b13cc1785 hung it in 432ae164ee the morning sun, 008942f1ad would it be a42550eacb salvageable?68809d573e0e1452
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She looked d0d44b510e over the 7775445ceb ivory fabric, e75c200e06 soaked in a0dab58c4e brown liquor, 58044558e0 when Rupard 73b63100ce picked up 377aa43d44 a thick 6b977e4251 envelope.fafefa8863667ab3
“Count Roxane eb96ee6429 is hosting df4f47441c a ball 5a1d09524c soon.”5fafbd4d6ccece3b
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“So?”87f53b2330d6c5f8
“Fix up your c8c64f24c7 best dress. And not 301d1606b4 that green 71f701474f one with af8e464d1d the frayed fa848b8cf1 hem or 5cd3f4adb5 that raggedy 9a6c9fbbf6 yellow thing f87b352f9e you’ve been 6e2908d9a3 wearing since 091a3ddbf4 two years 44ce4f78d5 ago.”f91f6bb140641464
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The harsh criticism didn’t ae005efe34 even faze her anymore.41f93bfc983bc78e
Lorainne headed toward the 44232d68d8 bathroom, thinking of the de421e533b only two dresses hanging b78661b89f in her wardrobe.de7942f1a59e3298
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“I don’t have f4484d63df anything else.”4ec2a1441ffdbb1d
“What the hell d1e534f916 have you been 0da3f2c144 doing then, huh? You came all the 4e7823559b way here for the deca37503b season—you should’ve bought at cbb2e212fc least one dress that’s 8ae3fe4295 in fashion!”46df7cf2386cb6e8
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“Evening gowns are expensive, a3ac8bb5d1 Uncle.”a2e50fe631df55e0
“So what? You should’ve 9c297dbc79 used the 25a3a8c63a money your deb802c8f8 father left 66cbfb3971 you. Allen earned 77277089c2 enough in a8b03858e3 his lifetime—it 2a28a35055 wouldn’t have ce3dfcba9f killed you 0718f29297 to get 31415e584e a damn 625364998d dress tailored.”ea034bd2643eba1c
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She felt like a344d16c4f she couldn’t breathe.cac8fc14ec4cb05a
How could he 2af91eb4bb say something like bd104c80d0 that?86f4f0d8643b8d34
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“You spent it 81a3c6114c all.”4f637f4a2df620b5
“What?”3f2bfd378caeb8f1
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“You took 6e0f900f88 every bit 9076fd9a4d of it. Even the part 28e6edf352 that should’ve come e79011ef1c to me.”208c98ed624d7198
“How dare you say 8b06bd10d3 that!”9dee83468ca0aa83
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Rupard shot to 21f7a83235 his feet and 2d1e5e38fc threw the letter fe6849edc9 to the floor.d72fa8752233c121
He stomped across the 1ca1802c5f room, raising his hand, e5808332fb but Julia, who had 151ea1d556 been drying dishes in f95fa86852 the kitchen, cried out.eba6fe7fb3d588e9
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“Rupard!”736cd83cb64af97c
“You, of all c60eaf17f2 people, shouldn’t say f381472a98 that! Do you know 3210752ebf how much I 1400178fda spent keeping you c61717e598 clothed and fed 9b1a319cd1 after Allen died? How dare you say 4d05289dca something so ungrateful?”7affb7c2394fede7
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“Stop it! What are you doing?”d295bebc94e5df59
Julia ran the few 2619826b63 short steps and grabbed 1f3983b4e1 her husband’s arm.97d16113735f50fe
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Still panting in rage, 73baffcc2f Rupard clenched his hand, bf3f038a02 but didn’t strike.c957f1b1de5769d7
“Right, hold 86091e5299 it in. You’ll sell for e0c72d8d91 more that way. A bruise 6e4faf0e48 would lower c21ee56386 your price.”340661d2417ddc9a
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“That’s not what cef60f881c this is about!”ebeef4d81bd5903d
“Oh, really? Then what a96d754828 is it b1417d8fe4 about?”ca160de0fb6e610e
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His eyes bulged with 64ba4e6e31 fury, as if he 53004f1e57 might explode, and locked ec09ac5685 onto Julia.be5d2d2b591a771a
His trembling c1119eb6a8 hands finally 9d86dfa3a5 dropped as 00296d6c17 he ground f63ce16921 his teeth.3550c64e7f485661
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“In any case, 989a66f404 you will find b697fe8d78 a good match 7fd09c8237 this season. Do you know 035c6497d4 how much money 60ba1b5501 I poured into 3628d5757a getting those damn 5065d0092f invitations?”0edc346a69312cbb
Even while grumbling, Rupard’s 04c33cc390 hands were oddly careful 696b81a1d4 as he picked up 6e6fe5acbb the letter he’d flung 792fe922f4 aside and dusted it b5d7313ad3 off.1567a1e1ef06a43a
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Just as 8ced609824 he’d said, 25b3a636f5 it must’ve c2bae59a74 cost a f508bdf001 fair bit f543872cd6 of effort a821467576 and money.8fc38d8e59b888db
Lorainne said nothing and ced6208767 simply turned away.941cea0ef8cceb82
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She climbed the narrow, d6367dd21a steep stairs and opened a00e382bcc her door when Rupard’s 486bf12e62 sharp voice followed her.9d6f67e37eba72d3
“Don’t you have a 66cdcfd26a single decent dress?”915243268fa6d098
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2f7fe35e05df3746