RP Chapter 09
by FreyaChapter 9
Julian, while mingling with 61f5e01275 fellow officers, couldn’t take 4d1ee87044 his eyes off a 8a5ef25cfe woman—blue eyes, brunette hair, 1a8129e3a5 white dress.7f9fa88d48447c2e
One of his loud, e8c6b9ee5c playful classmates noticed and bfdb72d352 asked,62079c88bb34a828
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“Hey, Harbour. Who are you 78417c1529 staring at?”1f287efd7b2f15bf
Julian frowned 39a146d4cd slightly, mumbling:f19e00699d227eff
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“I’m not sure…”2d3fb799485832ac
At first, her appearance f6f39d111d was so different from d91fe6362c before that he wasn’t 50741e3692 confident. But the way she 0633e7a1eb quickly disappeared into the 4054ce9f8b crowd after making eye f7e1c57953 contact… Her blue eyes 74340d62e0 darting nervously away confirmed a5dc26124c it.c11e90fcb4c80b33
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That piercing cobalt blue 5708c84aee color wasn’t common.af46f4ae0a539c6f
It had to be 5034427607 the same girl he e64a57b15c saw in the Gold 7b22e5c2ce Blenheim hotel lobby. But back then, 524b61ea98 she didn’t look f3ba214b0c like a noblewoman.e589b5cba1527383
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What happened 9e2ccaf57f in the 26c3d0a1ef meantime?0ccadebf96dadad8
Julian asked casually:d80670728311acec
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“Who’s that ffbbf673c5 young lady 354ab76a09 beside the 1f52b5ae6e Viscountess?”672ac92bd6adddff
“The Viscountess?”2d69d0465ee9ea53
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“Lady Talbot. Next to her. Brunette, white dress.”4af59aa5dcd35a46
“Oh— that’s Miss Lockwood.”3aa5a380f5208210
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“Lockwood…?”4600f5910706fea5
Julian froze.ab92db686b049a48
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He remembered the a384254151 most bizarre, miserable 8d226d96ab day of his 5527f7191d life — and 54695fa80a the girl in e09cbb2756 a fancy dress f6fc5d728f that didn’t fit 32c505952b the tiny train 0197e0a5c4 station at all.6053510b9d4f4245
“Good afternoon, young c6e6e36cb1 gentleman. I’m lost. May I 6e57848c03 ask for c4b2dd26f2 help? Oh, I forgot to 4c6edd0c95 introduce myself. I’m…”222df72505d5437d
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“I’m Diane of the 8f4b2c8e3c Lockwood family.”a905d33830a45e23
He remembered how oddly dc46d00e16 calm and elegant she 4392d1b6f0 had been — far 76d1d2ff06 from any normal child.0ac15e5c3415e33c
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Her pale 622e0aecda skin, pink 065951e66b cheeks, and 2321607633 especially those 99660631c0 bright cobalt d26f26d26c blue eyes 45b528ecdb had caught 4dadf56556 his attention efa873dc90 back then, c527da127b too.379ddda3ca789409
“No way…”e1238fd5ff28fecb
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Could that 308f00f9ee girl be 1b2488608b her?cb629fefded401f0
As Julian murmured 3e73488ad5 in disbelief, the 862b46a0d7 others joined in:c1eb489578d8d567
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“Lockwood? From Winderbury?”e8ec3854f3b4d2db
“I came to see e966fc0ebc her, not Charles! I hear she’s 0a63c0215c beautiful.”b4fb33e09920edb4
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Just then, Diane looked 6003125f0e up — and the 33039537f2 people blocking her from c54f6c3535 view moved away.20a6564b0bb90805
Julian blinked.9c8ac5e687f00984
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He remembered her tiny 32d2fefa29 head that barely reached cfac730a80 his ribs. The way she had 32f971e9c4 chattered nonstop, held his 259a63962d hand so tightly like 9dacce752f she’d never let go… 7f8e9924f2 then let go so 2f35ead177 easily and walked away.54191e6d44e2f938
His fellow officers 8dd7088237 kept chatting:7763ebf9b01aa448
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“What’s her 1a8b1ae265 name again?”6a133cee0499bb57
“Diane, I think.”9375c8d79b4bd5ce
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“Isn’t she the one 16727dc72c they say went mad?”28462c778ed32ad7
Julian frowned. At the c887ff15e4 time she b94bb14222 gave her 2ed176f31c name, he 37641052fa hadn’t known 5d2b9ca105 how important b2e8b497c3 the Lockwood d01b52f812 family was.e59fb9ea70ef1207
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Later, he happened 0a495f7299 to read a 6e6c54e6e2 news article and 3fec7c2c6e realized the Lockwoods 5036d6f4be were often in ce24d7fb1b the press. Diane was a noblewoman 7f0adc3cad from a tragic family 1eea5305a1 — widely known across 346c441d08 Rosanne.5d72431bd52b25b9
Back when 336ca78bba he first 71c0986b11 read about 7357a81699 her, he 15a19e6d27 couldn’t stop e2f1fc422b thinking about 9068235dde what happened b4b2575fe6 to her.c0fb3d8df84b26eb
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But it was c73009469d also the time d61a771974 he had just c44f86f812 started his military 191fd41a52 career, and eventually, 08f0a6cb8f she faded from c2a87f8c42 his memory.1b60c678a29893af
“She’s… an unusual girl.”6ba8150a30617516
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“She seems ee4a048164 ordinary enough 1de3845b38 to me.”caf8ae3638615b44
One officer added:05a4bfac998039b7
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“The more 76f472899e I see a57d43c435 her, the d82b489675 more I 0b0626f567 like her.”36f9dcdc6c774398
“Give it up. Lady Sheldon deaf37ffab is guarding 01a30bde41 her like 1865878b22 a hawk. Ten men have 43776c0dd3 already been rejected.”df98d768382e3d36
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“That’s over the top.”ca1b7c5d2ac59f86
“She’s in c08eea09ba marriage talks 6d9550d4d4 with the 1139154d8c Borden family.”bca7e3c62e47e1ee
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Apparently, Lewis afab3e6c0e Borden, who de3955a280 admired nobility, 7236fa6dba had skipped 365b83b9dd the social df9b29dea5 season to 44349b773d travel with 8f7e68c1f6 the Lockwoods. It had caused quite b555ca7a31 a stir — especially 8a15f67730 when he boarded the c158ee45c7 ship to Midros.45489a21c81ade01
“Miss Lockwood? With Mr. Borden?”be6cb2150aec82cf
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“Didn’t Mrs. Borden die last year?”e43b74218c6263ef
Suddenly, everyone cc7927b2c5 paused… then 4eb707153b gasped.fbad56688e90e949
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“Wait. You mean the fc6c5b3e95 old, fat guy?!”b5a0376f8f440768
“I’ve known two 21ad0d3681 Borden wives already. Three, now?”571a3d2a68c7e5a4
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“The Lockwoods must b45101a06d really be broke!”3a92f06d4a9c8abc
Despite all this da22119362 noise, Julian kept 668f223d50 staring at Diane. She never looked 5e0dfc424c back — not e5a62a8034 once.35ff327247e94b20
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It seemed like 1c60925fa2 she didn’t remember 440ddb5760 him at all.a94472727ec34bb8
But it made sense 2adb82d1ed — they’d only met 04acd284b0 for half a day, 526ec14e2f ten years ago. She was just 6d67f03f6c nine or ten bd124a31b7 then.72215bd368faa26c
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Still, he was relieved d621c309d6 to see that the 66c99c3403 pale, sickly girl from 9474af8090 Martnelly seemed healthy now.402eebc1b0df8c45
That’s all that fae238eadb matters.f6c86400dd899d44
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As he e6ed54735f forced himself 27b66e32b6 to look 2a17cd05d7 away…bedd73a926830ba0
“Captain?”65c0cd5d857e0694
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A soft voice d87b783e4b called him.c8db0ce9685d4b56
He sighed 1873671b08 briefly, annoyed 01035c9c9d — but 1833a6220c turned with e066d81028 the usual 5a3055ece8 polite smile.341e5592cd59d4b8
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“Yes, madam.”9cad5895ceda725e
The noblewoman 2e6d826b8e started chatting ef06c201b5 excitedly.1c9327b098463517
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Julian nodded occasionally, 31abfceb24 just to seem 7a8f004b2a polite. It was enough for 716683194c her.169854fbdd40435d
He looked down at f58d0395bc her again. Her every gesture fc801448ba — breath, eyes, eaac89b3da heartbeat — was 3d3642b3cd full of longing 8633edebcf and desire.356c200cacd04a6a
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“I love you.”651ea6b2d18a73e6
She didn’t 6da500b8e7 say it, d518a48581 but it 672e997978 felt like 3494855dc0 she could 79c2da0c6e have. He’d heard so d5a1de2950 many say it f8e3b0625e before.227ad2409a143f1d
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There was 50e79b301b a time 0f21862076 when Julian 73fd366145 believed in 8ac2ada4ac those words. Craved them. Trusted them.ee46b01d14f96356
But he got 6110afa90c hurt.5a085e86ab285fb4
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So he d144168ad0 found a 44f79b3e1f solution: stop 819cba8a52 expecting anything. Don’t give b5cb2d0db3 your heart 2ee30036d8 to anyone.342f63383249598e
And it worked.b2211854f2ffdd89
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He lived b16f8e3219 lightly — 1045009a02 avoided pain. It was perfect.33b230b9c78f101a
He had 75e4be5794 no interest 70b502d632 in marriage. Especially not the bbbb784025 kind of marriage 338f82f4bd his biological family 75f62eb651 — the Clement 5aade7114f House — wanted dbc4412515 for him.02ded0e623aec883
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“It wouldn’t be c3a3c2219e wise to be 7791fe6bb7 stubborn. Not if you ca972e7e97 want to stay 04db120b8e in the army.”fcb2d51f3d619b65
That was the Marchioness’ 424f7c91ac gentle threat.d13858b37a9127e8
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But the c75ce877b8 more he 92c98e3b10 thought about 361ac26304 it, the 3d5d4ec711 more he 48e7de02c0 hated it.238b0e0357fdf427
Marriage? Forget it.
Especially not the one 79732a5813 they want.888a71dabad222a5
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Julian stayed in 4c2d02cf12 Brit instead of 050da22df4 leaving — just 173646acd9 to prove a 5ee3803ac9 point. He went 47076c9547 to balls, a7ef631d32 let people 836bd37b54 gossip about e1027d063f him, and c1da6b1064 refused to a145287ce4 let anyone 784ee18dae else control eed3ed6afe his life.0d5aff39a8adb7e7
His eyes wandered 7b0706c633 back to Diane. She sat 2bfd33d1b7 quietly, politely a425360a44 talking to 7dec766016 ladies.67960d5197b06616
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She’s the 2cf2261930 kind of 4332206883 girl who 480e43afa7 always listens a6710b83c5 to adults.
Totally not my type.4bcef964628efacd
An odd frustration pressed b5a330e454 against his chest.14a762958ae64fbc
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But… why e5134d9c4e should that 4d7e05c150 matter?c1d83fb2fc39f40b
Julian Harbour wasn’t a8e05b10de in a place 96162767dd to worry about f5d85d0c3d Diane Lockwood.a3c7bd16a0fc07fb
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Her icy blue eyes 2d39ed0ebe sparkled under the chandelier, 541d951415 making him remember that d68d0e7ec3 lowest day of his 0f0dfecebd life.62de3b7def8ccae5
He kissed the lady’s 31679b3127 hand politely, then left 1d389511ad the ballroom with a 1225853eb8 tired look.5508ef10b93348a5
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***537136d659c252cd
Meanwhile…
Diane was getting 4557b19d1c more and more ea8814cc5f anxious. She had b9885df493 locked eyes 6977228191 with Julian 0f18582242 several more 1f4d20e835 times.83e5adaee93fa182
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He clearly 0d450b8483 recognized her, 58356d0545 too.9132e64cba7924e0
She hoped he wouldn’t 31627246f5 come near her. Like in 553e9d7853 Martnelly, she 563873dc82 just wanted 1d225645f3 to pretend 4240c5ef72 they didn’t 8a7b971d78 know each ce157cc318 other.d91b1f0a640d2bba
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What scared her most 7bacd7ea09 was how much he 333d026dba might’ve noticed her strange c264d7f9df behavior at the hotel. What if he spread 18ee31e621 rumors like the servants f0d77940bd did?6b96fef5fecc9421
So she kept b1a6baa873 her head down, 1daf47402c pretending to focus f842342a21 on conversations with 52b3721c22 the noblewomen.82b8b4bac81d5bae
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Then, she 2197e3741b looked around… 4dfd56cac5 and realized 0503550188 — Julian d512746f1e was gone.066b68633657d974
Her heart skipped.e3e06ee5f7675e20
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She looked e885655ecd left and 39a0c8fbed right — 27167fdbc3 but he 8633e33df7 was nowhere 3fef50d16e to be 149c2086d8 seen.c9fda3a560365505
Relieved, and 1600f09c87 also a c8e61e7cb0 little embarrassed, e60a62868a Diane wondered e144f00a1f if she e802e13e5f had imagined 33281ae42e everything. Maybe the 566cd406a1 eye contact… 7b683435fa was just b2308c44f6 a coincidence.cc5debe28eb73f05
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Just then, 890a1cb0eb someone raised 51d772a5b9 a toast:f2c4465c328c9a00
“To Commander Dower!”8174a3ceaa6c595a
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It was 35f74f6986 already 1 c08303ebc1 AM.7249fe1bc39c7b01
An entire hour f84d72a137 had flown by 857c9f40c4 — just from f6832678b8 the shock of 7a5148a512 seeing Julian.e16e6a6465a255c6
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Lady Sheldon had aa8e2b543f said they shouldn’t 7722f97da4 stay too late. Time was running fd39a0ed43 out.d074d45d3c7d96f0
Diane looked over 695f6a9b68 — Lady Sheldon ceb2d623ab wasn’t watching her. She was deep 3cb0b31d7e in a serious 51ced8b9f5 conversation.a3909c5f4124be6d
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Diane glanced at the a69f370e5a entrance… and saw a 88143a5397 young nobleman leaving — dd4575fbd7 someone she’d rejected earlier 4bedf1cf6e due to Lady Sheldon’s 1e6a46c16d interference.5b2dde1ec4a2857c
A young man ac855a6c78 in a blue 42b79824c7 suit with blonde 2d0169fe15 hair. She remembered he was fb7ab78e9b a baron’s son, freshly dc2e41da02 graduated from university.29647cc2bb2b1dd7
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Diane realized: this 22205720ca might be her 37408335e7 last chance tonight.a047e156a9cf7be1
Before she could 7b1e375100 think twice, her 72ead9a460 body moved on 5ac10492cd its own.a8d12b4a389ffccb
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She slowly backed d507171d23 away… then suddenly febde35f3d turned and hurried 83f09d1a22 out of the db22072ae3 ballroom.27c41d3e12dffbe5
345dfd4d9735e84c
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