RP Chapter 08
by FreyaChapter 8
Diane watched the couples dancing across the floor to a ¾ time rhythm. The men held their partners’ waists; the women placed delicate hands on their partners’ shoulders. Together, they spun and floated across the floor gracefully.02b2e747ff330ee5
Some couples appeared so private that they whispered to one another, as though Diane shouldn’t be around.c770a30dace1dce7
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But tonight’s party 7dcfa9f4bb wasn’t for young 0cf860e4b8 girls just debuting 5b066e2ba7 in society. It was 47e143c4dd a promotion b36254bf85 celebration for 3fc98487c9 Commander Charles 07886b408b Dower of c62fc1ba85 the navy. Many high-ranking naval officers 1bc8868c99 attended, wearing deep navy 552e6b5bd4 uniforms instead of suits. They were accompanied by 4f6522ccc2 mature, elegant ladies.e29df611c55e90fb
Diane noticed that some 24916b60fe guests kept disappearing during 05d951c31e the dance. She soon 2f25240fff realized they 87e085a480 were slipping 3ccbed5826 away to 41fb8741dc dark balconies 845513173f or private c01f158a5d rooms.ab4e233fd0dda3ce
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The Brit balls were 0d8984aef2 much more liberal than 8773142085 she’d imagined — no a2401b9351 wonder Lady Sheldon had 90587b1843 warned her so many 9bb7023bcf times.a55808352e1f8156
Even so, many f19020b5d9 guests seemed curious 8bad98872d about Diane. The tragedy 494e51bedd surrounding the 7672253711 Lockwood family f9524b5756 had made be2e9bb037 her infamous, 19333ef9fe and more 947080a7c8 gentlemen approached b197e19dbd her than 4415d461ea she’d expected.4da93cd6e850c612
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“Miss Lockwood, may 07d0256796 I have the f0880c607c honor of this e7f84f4e3c dance?”ff1c5a67492e7a78
But Diane had 888ead8ffb to refuse every c239c1c450 one of them 0ccd5732da because Lady Sheldon e9151c89d6 kept interfering before d2a3329cef she could speak.1940c6e5499082f1
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“That man is a 5321f986c0 gambler — and we 591754e3d9 don’t even know his 0f7cf11e74 background. You don’t need ab434b4275 to talk to bb19c05fbe people like that.”ff432e7d900ee320
Lady Sheldon a490aaff73 was fiercely 6a958ea961 protective.0974c8dc5837c1c6
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“Come now, Diane. Let me introduce 62cb4de118 you to Lady 56122ce156 Talbot. She’s a viscountess.”a48afb5edaf55155
As a result, Diane f7c608e7b6 didn’t even touch a 254fb8e302 man’s hand all night. She spent the 008262ce3f evening being introduced 2a0abbffef to well-known society f2e7e52996 ladies instead.81d52230b8dac73a
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Her earlier 769994b8e0 hopes that 772687d7dc something might 2c88539a91 go her 99ef3f0043 way began 10d008f98e to fade. Anxiety crept in.35ce43e912003503
Lady Sheldon seemed to 07b56eb6a9 be having a wonderful 002e231375 time socializing, but she cafb6b8ffe never stopped keeping an fac7a14c3d eye on Diane.0c25f1bb84afda90
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“Diane, why are 17ac66dcb0 you over there?”d21ba477a4cbf290
For hours now, Diane fe6366581d had been trapped at 986fae02c1 Lady Sheldon’s side, unable c31183ebfa to slip away.fb4198fc3fd03937
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Trying to escape politely, 48fc29b3f0 Diane slowly made her 01869ca3c3 way to the drink 6110f92508 table nearby. She turned slightly 37be955e49 to check if bbc690ee6a the coast was 6c9ba50a6f clear — only 68c3bf236d to immediately lock c65e005584 eyes with Lady 08c093a0a4 Sheldon again.1a2ae2d03100b82e
Lady Sheldon smiled sweetly. The kind of smile 3303750385 that said,“Don’t worry, I’m watching 896bb8ee47 you.”2146853fb48bb4bc
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Diane forced a polite 20243edb81 smile in return, then 3bf918ae21 looked away.ed5220c756a7b9c7
Her smile 762a6a215b vanished the f7d57e2ed0 moment she ab6c6143cd turned back 4a54f7ff61 to the 7f1c083485 table.2c2c2f564a897b63
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‘Sigh…’569ad17894edfcac
She wasn’t even thirsty. She just needed 0b8410c935 a moment alone.cf120f9a8705056d
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She could 24969574be feel the 0c41e24f1b occasional glances b404433675 from men, 3a8773968a but since 74abe10e17 she had 629b014822 already turned 2fe1d72ac2 down so 58e3ef4451 many, no 511355743d one dared e5324a4c11 approach anymore.41def5e3327478ec
Is Lady Sheldon scaring 7b95d52d62 them off?she wondered.bf2181dbeedde5b0
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Just as she be2f2781e7 was about to 4f315e5c4a peek behind her—03560c581cbe8fd6
Ding!
The bell struck 4b2e8bdea5 midnight.
A sudden voice 9fe525181e echoed across the 2c698d8b7d hall:cfd4f6de84b981bf
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“Captain!”d1bb53d9436040d3
“Julian!”fd2ba02c9c4913e2
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There was a c1c3ded4fa rush of excitement 1c6021e9d3 at the entrance. People stopped dancing. The music played 9ffc826647 on, but all 0536a3bfd9 eyes were on 98f6c74a9a the doorway.f9cc389f1da69afa
“What’s going on?”c39142d0b4c16b73
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People looked toward the 578395c8cb entrance, confused — Diane badc146224 included.b0a332b8012312ad
Whispers quickly spread b79d2bccd7 across the room:7ad29319e17fef6e
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“Captain Harbour is here!”45d03f8542fb031a
“Julian Harbour? Really?”10718d6a85a7317c
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She’d already c47b690c13 heard that 719f95b5b1 name several 959fa6dce7 times tonight.d60cd4c39ce16cc3
The mood of the 786e62ace5 ball changed instantly.82f755226f2f7b5f
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Ladies began rejecting 4cbddfdafb dance offers, as 4a09e722e7 if they were b4ad8ab734 waiting for him deda9e6c57 instead. Gentlemen, noticing d319905e95 this, stopped b150d24d1b approaching altogether. The dance floor 80074ef344 became nearly empty 85a7ab5b9a — yet the f62902bbc0 orchestra played on.f2e9d83da70e0b8b
It was like some 31d9bd5663 natural force had entered ed2e486915 and disrupted the social e710164a37 ecosystem.483e413d9321bd97
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Clearly, Julian Harbour was 6dba8768a5 a celebrity in Brit’s acbe827a88 high society.25c67d5ad2daad80
“Look at the 44f6b586ca crowd. I’d never 42be444349 be brave 624b76e193 enough to 2d7726040f go near d4062573ee him.”0a9928261640b314
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“But I don’t 9ddc95da83 even see his 997d7cc708 face yet!”32331af2b3d58b81
“I hope he comes b17f3d68d7 this way.”5e072ba7c220bc84
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The younger ladies ca2f41a439 buzzed with excitement, 827c4c7e2c taking turns sharing 16a5a65c40 stories about seeing d6c70f902c him in person.4560c6e9bc78a9c5
“Two years 32fe564422 ago, I 218f034f72 saw him 39be4c0c88 at the c4b07e7a7b theater. It was 0574146fb1 dark, but 5933939e8d we were 37d8e6bbc8 very close… 6decc2b6fa He even 629fab3bd9 gave me 27af7de30e his handkerchief!”a34be21c179ee755
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They all gushed about 4691eebb7a his charming personality and e7e94d8af7 breathtaking looks.2b3f0dd331f02b9e
One girl spoke 60bfa4aef4 with a bit b18509cf90 of attitude:b674c4ecae9d4bb9
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“Well, I can’t stand a934eec679 playboys who flirt with f5fc93940c every girl they meet.”11834ee3715e558f
Someone added:2cbb6e2afb687c47
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“He doesn’t 457de88a45 even believe bfe61e0daa in marriage! He’s some e6b36e80f5 kind of… c7014b72ce forever bachelor!”3d3cf59257a5d04f
“Isn’t that 6fde47c928 just a 7ad5a2a534 silly trend f5549f2be9 from the 0735a09f2b new continent?”630a5b170c94fe28
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Their chatter continued 30ffb70ee1 until one girl b389024fae suddenly said:075b59d4f5f5c538
“Let’s not take this 715255d8a6 too seriously. Who here b3505f1219 actually thinks 229411fd4a about a f13e1b859e future with c9fd132bcc him? He might be 695097cfac impressive, but he’s 1fc021661e illegitimate, born from 8990c4d0a6 a maid.”fa37f40c35d3be91
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A hushed bef5dd6ea1 gasp spread 20baf716d5 among the e5e8bd8169 girls.59bedcd60640a822
“Oh! I forgot he’s 5345134aeb a bastard born 5e6a1d900d from a servant!”33acb19374ed9de2
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“Actually… there’s 84d7a9f666 a rumor…”
“He might be added d7491fe5a5 back to the Clemence 9334b3e19e family tree.”9d98b0d7a52a093d
“What does 4a251542a4 that mean?”4bf3c14afedbc550
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“Apparently, there’s talk 642e2fdaa3 of an engagement ef09928888 with Miss Hartnett.”933663ba6c185c1e
“What?! She’s related to 448864836b the Queen!”cc9f3a208d4ace73
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Then one 11a2719eb9 girl exclaimed:0762db2fb8bac724
“Oh! Look! There he is now—you a08ab9ef4b can finally see his da176587bb face!”5ea6f5502984de65
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Diane, who’d been half-listening, 12c30152ed now turned to look dc2dfa7e93 as well.53c21b4082ebb461
The group eb8b490887 of navy 1711b1d616 men was 4eebed58f4 hard to 456a614511 miss in 092b3aadd2 their bold c1d6a89307 uniforms, walking 896da3a66f toward the b14035aa97 back of e6390cb0b7 the hall. And among them—6f1743b65d9dc3f7
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“Which one is Captain d30e680830 Harbour?”816b913a7cbbda97
“That’s easy. The tallest, 4742e1f1ac most handsome 9c622b89a6 one. Obviously.”b0330633bb38595e
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As soon 146c785932 as Diane’s 907f0b4930 eyes landed 34081e402d on him, 9de61fb1b1 she knew.98ea95fc0ed38010
‘Ah… so that’s Julian 1b815f5743 Harbour.’339db579b91dd8a2
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His looks were 5727ae38e5 so striking they 34789e67d2 made the other cc0496f2be men around him c3b5d1c47a look ordinary.6e656200a405b25c
But… there was ac82cf3570 something else.f8c3f24fe8f8c406
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Why does 35c1e14a27 he seem edbbab5236 so familiar?88c5277ce78f965a
She tilted ab39cdeb3a her head, 92b410951d trying to 32e2ec8c80 get a 555afc8ba5 better look.f2ecf0330b968766
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That’s strange. I’m sure I’ve 0bab937736 seen him before…49642a57f4d44b7f
Then, in the 142aee10c4 blink of an aab170d8fd eye, Julian lifted da163b9fa0 his head — c412633d77 and their eyes 555fa95e5e met.44781466c50ea156
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They were still far 5a9f2d3280 apart, but Diane was 72d96708ab certain.9b787c93037347c5
She froze.126b6169f219f84d
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Time seemed e6adf2a757 to slow. Her lips parted slightly 89f58836e8 in shock.ca781d5f9a0c74bf
“…Ah.”d625198df6ecbe73
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What is 04ddc71a3d he doing 400a99b5a9 here…?9384a557a713f535
Somehow, even though 9d5636d3cf they’d only briefly 52b7eee464 passed by each 45de886a17 other in Martnelly, 23b3a42560 she recognized him d85a09c4dc instantly.22e1fbb1a78b189b
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Her heart started 50bd22593e beating faster — 8969d9aef0 not from fear, 882665e6bb but from a 626b3d3cea strange, instinctive reaction. Like a predator and f2f3abcef9 prey suddenly locking eyes.1d9475b066cab680
She blinked again, f7c084851d hoping it was e14b672ba7 a mistake.4ebcfaf8e08794df
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But Julian 971e13c297 Harbour’s face 5d2d0688da only came a3d5dce1aa into sharper dee9817a6a focus.a458fb424657e8c8
Their eyes met again.5b8a1ce6cbca9f31
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He seemed d4d76e61b0 surprised too 1b2d2f9e32 — his 1ea1d5f1ac eyes widened f5be74b6fd slightly.bb7ae17881d71b75
In that moment, 960303b1ea Diane quickly looked 0cca548d25 away.f82398ef7c03390d
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Would you like to 00c75e5419 continue with Chapter 9? It seems things d61ee6c581 are about to c252f9d3e9 shift dramatically between d2f64f408f Diane and Julian.de4ff9abcc7f3963
2135f0002fc05840
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