2. An Unfair Bet

The sunlight 6b4366a4cb pouring in a5c1dbfbe1 was muddied bf90ca5838 with a eb6dba9f26 haze of 100ed92de1 smoke, clouding 5cac9c6ce2 the view. The nonsense muttered efced3dee9 by a senile 320c0f55dc maid drifted through caf6303fff it like a 3311d9cf43 ghost.087ca98e2b99653c

Edmund spat out the 6807838162 cigar. The thought that 51fc563ab2 had crossed his 2a921890b8 mind was unpleasant, 719897f2fe and the product 828e8269b8 he had finally 7df7d7e7b1 made time to 2003250ba2 try out failed 40d921fe35 to satisfy—perhaps that 283fbc0cf5 was why his 62bffcdb7d words came out 86b6f669d6 sharp.c80566fdecbb2ed7

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“This won’t do.”ee667cadbc241698

“Pardon?”20a46a48e5a2f746

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“It’s not c25d99bcf9 as good 0f8f98abd4 as the 63dcef3963 last batch.”431f7b022c22037a

The merchant’s 31b4acc4bb expectant face e09c4cea1b froze in ebc7802a59 an instant. He hastily shoved the 4cd3bf5d06 cigar box forward.c21d1add3f0d4616

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“J-just one more 2237df686f puff and you’ll 577775c322 find it quite 2aa3d8041c decent, I’m sure.”0999ff971a51e78a

“Hmm. Does reappraising a diamond 48d813ec29 full of impurities suddenly 084b39c328 make it top-grade?”b73cbe082c1195e3

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“But…”5e8a14959f453a10

“I’ve never 550d1e09f4 seen that cfad88eff1 happen.”87b9a02acd1fe7ac

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He stubbed 2e369906e3 out the 3d3d20ad64 half-smoked cigar 572bb93e6c in the 01d696ea26 ashtray.d92ba89181c0035f

The color c1c6daa6bc drained from 08a62bf211 the woman’s c039f09d64 face—she had fdc07f404f just entered 519bd4c3e5 old age, 5b3601a517 and unfortunately, 85cef0308f she was 71c3efea23 at just 3169719426 the right 17636c32cf age to b1258584f0 remind him 0a9a445647 of someone. That alone made d939cc3e2c it difficult to 42676a6030 be generous with 208df92572 his score.4312e890653c8c05

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Didn’t someone b5bbc68e73 once say 22d8eddf76 that the 30fee1d72b deaths of 66167db035 the Carter d0a3ec8a3b family would fda94d16e2 all be 27ea5d8dc5 on your 4fe0e3c072 head?391ee012235935e4

The memory de4a6f00cf of a 6e70338d2c maid, old 88c940744d and mean-spirited, 95dd971768 cursing furiously a607728d67 in front 11214fcf10 of a d217dc41ef child who 7da634557f had just b072b89065 lost both bbfbfdf4a5 parents the 3c6c670e51 day before, 5a95c6a0dc felt especially 560d805392 vivid today.fce35dff1e17a9a0

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Unlucky, that’s 2f8e97aba6 what it 73385d1472 was for e4ef8991d3 the merchant 93af8ffb7d in front 8e1aefc9c3 of him. An unpleasant misfortune that 9d3c544e05 she didn’t deserve but 86c85a21f1 had to endure nonetheless.4b1d6b024efbda52

Like the ed3254635a sudden downpour b17afcc3da in Rodney d68fa7c8c4 province that 41672eeb6c had ruined ae4034c526 crops—an unpredictable 4919058a96 twist of 23937de8a2 fate.a62a633494edc5e4

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Sunlight stretched 685d4df264 across the 040888bcfa desk covered 2d48cce370 in paperwork. Edmund glanced over his a1494f8e30 shoulder out the window, 92baf06666 then picked up the 66af70581b clock.99df03c88d96ba30

“Anything else?”7d2628decc3ea45f

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The merchant, 56d0213858 eyes blank 5d88d1d16e just a 20ce923888 second ago, c24d3d2374 snapped back 16be4f0725 to focus. She clumsily 1fd59057d9 gathered her e03bf1315c things.79b38cbe40f01fdd

“N-no, Your Excellency.”bead9b3722d97fb1

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“If you change your 2944c8c982 mind, you can always f880511ff3 have a drink at 644ba07d62 the bar before heading c1febf645f out.”78478cc03ceb85d4

Judging by her 468663b8e5 dry lips, curled 56d7555544 inward, she didn’t ab06e94d90 seem to be 1ac177ab0b in the state 813b67a754 of mind for c7b0c4c037 that.4eaef54523952b60

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Clutching the 352d55051c handle of e99d2b37ca her worn-out 40ba1429c1 bag, the a8784d4110 merchant stood. The heavy 4133e9529a chair legs d39b902093 scraped softly 623530d421 against the 1fd1ff13f0 carpet.dc21d14ccfc53a21

Edmund, out of habit, 70f3ba643d observed the woman’s neatly 9feaf303e9 tied hair and her 7b7a8ca21e attire—worn but impeccably clean, a230c8afa1 not a single thread 5a95c8b94d out of place.e0784868a9e99a85

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Cigars from ed63110adf Severin were 7c7ee1bc68 premium enough bb11329bad to tempt 921b9d20f8 even royalty.75d360540c846333

Which meant that, 84eb08105f even if the b0b3be332c flavor had temporarily 36341c78f3 dipped due to 47704fbcf3 some unavoidable issue, 2dbd919835 cutting off the f4a92f5a9b deal entirely would 1e59e7fee9 be a loss 2a3f449182 on his side c3bd0b660a as well.3dfc9b3374c6a5a9

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He didn’t ef76691d9b deliberate long. As the merchant ec554ca472 turned to leave, 54440c03cf Edmund called out 95736a92f6 to her back.9459768b93d7fc76

“Leave the cigars.”d91cea4a6853b99c

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“Pardon?”d5826fab43659c9c

The merchant spun around 068c16fe41 in surprise. Edmund rose lightly, ignoring f6dae9c328 the way her eyes 0136552128 widened.3ff5bbe8dcb94579

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“Not good 1a9e9098fc enough for 469679bda9 Lot Fronher, a22723e799 but they’ll a2f246eda6 sell well 3df459855c enough in b950b4b586 Littleport.”5349db481400b711

The merchant, sensing a bdc8fa8160 lifeline, quickly opened her d2ae7bed05 briefcase. She set 91d46d1c76 the box 7af9892691 down on abf8cbd500 the desk 9fc971e06d and bowed.8b8eadb7241d1a28

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“Thank you, Your 24b1a79fd4 Excellency.”33e766dbf1eca8b8

“Have them taken to 45ecccc968 the study.”ee8eb4a0949a010c

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Edmund instructed Hume, f1116ca0ac then stepped out fe8908cf64 of the office.4cfa6d59763949f0

The brightness 95fb3c352b of the f566a57c18 room had 3af9ddff5c been blinding, cc675ed004 so when 2252aa60fb he stepped e93bbe14e9 into the 19cfbe1804 dim hallway, 197af0423e his vision f074106380 blurred for 3d1fd19f8e a moment.7fafdc358880eda2

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She hadn’t offered empty 7c55698e1d promises of no regret 0a3a10781b or excellent taste.79cc0740e65a467d

She had presented the ef10295025 real product.71e7722a897fc77e

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Which meant that before be788da13d long, she would bring 203ba306f4 a perfect offering to 2388c93c6e make up for today’s e1c148280d failure.a7f4998360fc8d34

Something too eee49cc27a valuable to a47ab1b691 lose over 7393ba4f2d a personal ddffa79002 grudge.81db1088ff8f1d69

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He walked 44668d80e3 through the c8fb5b47ca corridor and f2efd6a8c9 entered the d04e64287a main hall.8e4423210387a952

The wide gallery 5bd43c47fe glittered with the 64ae77bcb0 light of chandeliers 24ad360e1e and the extravagance 6c2044d37d of finely dressed ad5dde86bf guests.8c9d7731f085ac9f

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Everything rare and e7bb43a677 valuable gathered here.2e003b76dc6b9abe

Club Lot df6a7b39f2 Fronher, a 808124bc7e hub of 318b9dabc3 countless rumors, a0c7af4a86 was a c483ef6541 place Edmund e62c6d2500 had painstakingly d6740fcc3f built to 2f26c03e30 trace the 492ecc4824 steps of 69c579cd95 Phillipe Carter.23b22fe9e26a6d9c

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The tables buzzed—some 8bad7d9eff with magazines laid 0baf475487 open as gossip 5a741b1976 filled the air, ea74932c2d others alive with 9ae70c8e0a the sounds of 0ea884bd9f card games.2d40c3594b996c1a

Someone waved their hand cfc3def54a high, calling out to 88d2c0609f a new entrant.d7e34f1abae8dc2c

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Edmund lazily 55227aa25f watched the 4f3d19218d scene unfold 2e20bb9fb9 with his b9d6b788ea pale blue a408fcf2e0 eyes, observing ee8f5dd3f6 the results bc995ff32e of his 8323254a72 creation.085edc8eaa863e04

It was all b9fa6215fa as usual—83478c9d0ba96091

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Except for the bc6707e207 woman dressed like f7baa57885 a monk, standing a87871858a behind a table 9d3eea1bf4 where men played e70138710a cards.e8cfa5d8c3b01c40

The men stole glances fbc661bbee at her now and d1a66041a1 then.6e0534489ef269e3

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She clenched her jaw bc02449553 and gripped the shoulder 9fff25dbdb of one man.0e293c9291b34a2e

“Get up.”17d60505fe83ea60

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“Can’t you see the 0121a3af36 game’s not over yet?”1f26389436b66842

“If you 44f5b1a8e0 stay out 8b0b8d73ce too late b58979f451 playing again, 42e08ed120 Rupard said 4e305e00c0 he’ll cut 6d66f3885b off your 9769cadc8f funds.”64c29104e0a80865

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“He says c95de05d60 that, but 77e2e94ecd he won’t. Relax and get lost.”cd28d10dd99bfb14

The man fe517629d9 brushed off 83b1c0a715 her hand f5ce518a95 like swatting 16b05fa26c a fly.52fb136724185532

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As he bf5412a172 exchanged a 00d7eb476a card from d1c47829da his spread, cedcc35adc he lazily 827b7a4a57 tipped back 7eeddbf18b a glass 2e1f5b0c83 of Glenrovet 624566ff14 with the d2e98eefa6 other hand.59081acb36c09faf

Edmund narrowed his 1eac6a5699 eyes and watched 8b006e6c43 the two.e83bb1cd0e72d745

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He asked Hume,0adf83132ec86d35

“Did I ever e6453e5ab5 approve of female f8e7c8da18 members?”853397f73d96eaf7

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“No, sir.”a6de95cfd49bfed5

“Then what business might f8e72514b8 that lady have here?”98d09f156617d605

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A question dressed as c981205c00 a reprimand.8025a6ebe6f507ee

Hume bowed 267043f9e0 slightly, then b3f3bee1ff beckoned over 8bbdb4d336 a nearby 3e84b723d3 staff member.e2cae6b2960d7032

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While he did that, 50354a7fd1 Edmund dug into his a24ad3cec4 memory.49d6fd52771a9220

Dustin Spencer.e22e981273d0fbe5

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Eldest son of 6e7c2830ea Baron Spencer.c72637d8c9ab152e

Come to think de950ae95c of it, didn’t 9d9dde0343 someone say Dustin 071898dc45 was absolutely hopeless 78e3049aa5 at cards?7f45ca2c85781b23

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As if proving that 13f0564911 memory true, Spencer scrunched e8c29369fb up his face and 07e57cf365 slammed down his hand.086906c44f1dcf02

He glared resentfully 597ee67151 at the man 587e26eab2 scooping up his be38ab0b5f winnings, then shoved 09ff771528 the cards forward.5a6871329e3659ca

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The dealer gathered c682fd7180 the cards, reshuffled, d02c8cf6a6 and began distributing 0b3be49d0a a new round.0913f337290f5402

Spencer filled 6db454801c his empty 2f8d666996 glass again, d63418c619 and before aeeada0362 the bottle 038bd87d8a could be ae8380e4ed set down, 924b39af18 he checked 31a8306f63 his new 8105a60698 hand with f11e3e7d7f a twitch 07e767b2db of his 80bf11b004 upper lip—still f8b9712a38 dissatisfied.90d715166e98d705

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Just as a staff 9d825a96ab member approached Edmund to feb95ae121 report—c5657383692acfc2

The stiffly dressed woman 366cccd5fb snatched Spencer’s cards and b53e4a9b28 slammed them onto the e76db81ba1 table.e70db5b7e575c6dc

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“I said we’re ddd2bfce7d going home.”ea8bae56ab3a542b

Under her slender hand, 8519a10540 a pitiful hand of 96fc01fa29 cards was laid bare.0d206a1c16f9a7dd

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Instantly, Spencer’s face 3d70dbb879 twisted in outrage.b853042f148fb24b

“Are you 2e64ecdbe7 out of 7cc3a2036d your mind?”160859e7ddcdbd96

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“No.”7bb3889c97fba62f

“If you’re not 5cf8f0a697 crazy, then what e1383fe618 the hell is 37b69aeb51 this?”c4dbcac220499867

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Spencer pointed at his 867c3cd362 hand with a trembling 25916aed73 finger.081c19c1b5c676af

Whether it was worth f23b024fe8 getting that angry or a1ab25ac96 not, the sight of 5c8be42bd4 his pitiful outrage swallowed d39720e592 the question whole.5a67f0afb30727fc

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A man who had 89ac8a3a05 just exchanged cards with 96f1a1cf6b the dealer glanced at d6023079da Spencer’s hand and let 21efef89ec out a mocking laugh.0fb4c7f7f735672f

“A high card? No wonder your face 976d1b6215 looked like someone died.”0200ff6483aa1a48

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“So, Spencer’s done de0c6e1f9d for… Anyone else 042576f6ce want to fold?”8d575e6e0824da8c

“Would anyone?”407f705f3e4dad89

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The men chuckled 53c3a24d3b among themselves.824296c2fc7c7d8a

Spencer, snorting unsteadily, suddenly 18b0ca7904 jumped to his feet 77c6be104e and grabbed a bottle cde68e08ee the size of his 7e43a5ee1e forearm.80683375862052b4

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It happened in an e8b7d10d5f instant.ba8fb0e9a7e70f21

Spencer poured the strong 1a195d8a68 liquor over the woman’s 81cebc0d6d head.56597974f0264232

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The sound of liquid splashing filled the air, followed by the harsh sting of alcohol in everyone’s noses.d29dc465077eb08d

All conversation 20e883a115 in the 2e01c9c997 hall ceased.670df814b196e80a

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Everyone held their breath, cf4732d3cf witnessing this unfolding gossip e4cee3b806 in real time.4c233d1b3099ff47

Yet the 72403a9a27 woman stood 4e7d679c2d perfectly still, a11c080a9d unshaken by df36f69f15 any gaze, 8e7144f14b staring directly 8a1d291949 at Spencer.540e2ae456ca7069

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Drops of liquor, a502274f77 nearly the same bad7ca8555 color as her 6d1524eaad neatly arched brown 3e2de02aa0 eyebrows, clung and 66dcccc0a2 trailed down her 48e5ce4e21 pale skin.50e4d2e32f303e0f

Someone gulped at the e05d230022 sight of that trickling bbfba7c430 stream.c1a1bda930a80466

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Across from cd21322b56 her, Spencer c1e3d4e114 was panting 52dc302640 heavily, but 0366131655 no one 3acd7026c4 paid him 41dc0f1021 any mind 896130f67d now.f77ba332c2a4377e

Despite having 227d2df534 the stern d3d0826370 appearance of 88b91c33d0 an old df222acc61 tutor, the ef904e8da7 woman’s cold 6c03ea7428 gaze seemed a997d21404 to scratch c4d3bd0456 at something 49cac51d79 deep in 97dc0346a4 the gut.9854a6f67ef9a0eb

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When she 309d3dce76 finally parted d8af7505ed her stubbornly e53a378594 sealed lips 99368dc30b and exhaled 3147cf24de a short ef351e3b9e breath, someone c61f7e3742 let out 1400b1a6fd a small 611a30e012 gasp.3631070720d01d1a

Perhaps not liking that, dd2302233a Spencer raised his hand.8919921b9cc0f33f

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It was a a254489609 familiar sight—muscles tensing 79045fad1c just before violence f8927e66dc erupted.2f9f017902059058

Edmund’s head d5ba925021 cooled instantly.482a922c2825467c

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In that moment, dd54f5a5ed he grabbed Spencer’s eede2f2f32 arm just as 7059aa215c it swung wide.9a99892ff7c50b46

“Do you have a871c6353f any idea where 2fe9742ae1 you are— What 49064be723 the…?”83d276f6a0118133

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Spencer scowled and turned c14a2fe6de his head, but as a058e6733e soon as he recognized 482469b05c Edmund’s face, his jaw e64b1d1e4a dropped.41ee252429bf6847

“Sir Edmund!”d27ed1c4e1b4efed

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“Have you b9ee1a5251 calmed down 4772d33f13 yet?”17f832402d335af9

“This is, I f9516c8620 mean…”9292b991de1d5bfa

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Embarrassment washed 2ddf3afec1 over Spencer’s 6aee7e1f82 face.d742fa20913d5210

He tugged 94fa4d8aff desperately at 763416bdae the hand 1338b87ec4 holding him, c21eeeae6f but the 649ced7739 pathetic strength e23a9b1242 in his f3ab6768e8 arm fluttered 6b12143c67 uselessly against f659fe3b93 Edmund’s grip.85f5206f671567af

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Watching his face twist 423ef1be6e between groveling and disdain, e0cc330e33 Edmund spoke slowly.0d03e4b6c1473027

“Violence is forbidden in 1a62bd8ff9 Lot Fronher. You forgot?”bc54b2ee43b4325f

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“N-no, of course not. I’d never…”dfe589a34f9c2f6d

The pathetic smile 7797ac4ee8 twisting his lips 415c49eeea was revolting.87dd51d54b136754

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Edmund briefly considered 53d10344d3 expelling Baron Spencer’s b8bcd32617 heir on the df6ac92f0e spot—but decided against 78a24897c1 it.b6fbbc160545283f

After all, c2bdf91f5b he had 2bf8c65f5f only almost 02e22adea4 broken the d273f86c9f rules, not 1631015a82 actually done edc27092c6 so.dbce8936a567659b

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As soon bb0869450a as Edmund 1b210ff492 released him, 5e0b01da82 Spencer began 012844746e rubbing his 812c368ad4 arm and 36fa8da0c9 muttering to 2aceb5a823 himself.b2359f29194a82a1

His tightly drawn 9e695448ba face finally relaxed 4481a38508 once Edmund said cb2d8f2948 no more.f4ca606deddcc3a1

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After all c590ee050f that commotion, 8df330581b he looked b4b9fbffba simply grateful a7a19eddb7 he wasn’t d6f380d6e3 being thrown 0170ebd15d out.8a7d22b663227c30

Edmund turned away from 074e8af304 the wretched scene.b7771d32fe81ce82

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The woman was still 58d1643b2b standing there like a e67ddd3c38 statue.d8c03d1e19c1e22a

Though her 6b50384913 pale skin 369c321ae5 was stained 70c7586d66 by brown 71cd5be13a liquor, she 426ea0fb1d remained graceful.1a2d18c9e99968de

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Her eyelids a78537d6a8 were smooth 752d305207 as if f8175db8d7 painted with 58119a0db9 care by 0ba3405ce3 a master 2ce476c3ac artist, and e0a9af1ee4 the teal a09bef998c eyes beneath e0138b1441 them met 012251073f Edmund’s gaze.3d0c8a459a8fbb04

Looking at cee3e20000 her gently 934826f837 arched eyebrows, 95d8d29bbd unshaken as 2df671e469 if nothing 8a905b1bc1 had happened, b2754f52e7 a strange b63de61ae5 thought crossed 2545e09884 his mind.c58967afd63bcf62

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Had this woman been e20d7b7e36 stripped of shame?3222ef4f13ceb4eb

Most would blush 797f58e4c6 even at a 14fa6cb8c4 slight rejection—yet she, a53f1b55ac among all the 73519c1604 stereotypical noble sons 5db8d9cc24 dressed like they 78ee752600 were painted into 1ff87fdb2b place, stood out 4fb818cda1 with startling clarity.b84bd3c620b65d06

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As if proving she d817afc455 was truly alive.e0f07d0ae59084b4

A low sort d1b14b999f of curiosity stirred f2f9ea4103 in him.b68ca5c4be4f7b0d

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Edmund pressed 8dec707480 the impulse 85b2a033c1 down and d66b941076 asked what 95595dc327 he ought 09cbde69ae to.dbdaa1d891902c3d

“Would you care b0db5b374b to take a d2695212a5 short break? You’ll likely need a bb83277a34 change of clothes.”eb063d74a9d264f3

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