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“I’m here…” Marc sneaked a look at Margaery. In the end, he decided to withhold the truth before the decree was announced publicly. “I’m here to bring Margaery shopping.”
Lady Sutherland clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Margaery is Dashnell’s beloved. You should stop thinking about her, young man.”
Marc blushed furiously. “I wouldn’t dare, my lady.”
“Mother, please don’t meddle in this matter.” Christina was also blushing furiously as she tugged at Lady Sutherland’s arm. “Can I go out with Margaery later and keep her company while she shops?”
When her mother kept quiet, Christina tugged at her arm again. “Look at her! She doesn’t have any family. She’s all alone and so pitiful. If I don’t accompany her, who will?”
Lady Sutherland could not resist her daughter’s plaintive pleading.
“Alright, alright. Make sure you dress warmly when you go out.” She then smiled at Margaery. “Margaery, it will be the New Year soon. When all of you go shopping later, buy yourself some new clothes. Here, take this money.
“This gift may lack refinement, but it’s practical.”
She then smiled and patted Margaery’s hand warmly. “You can buy me something after you have money saved up.”
Christina took after her mother where temperament was concerned.
Both were warm and sincere, and their kind gestures were hard to refuse.
“Then I shall accept your kindness without shame,” Margaery replied.
Some favors simply could not be refused, if only for the sake of maintaining the friendship in the long run.
Margaery accepted the money pouch she was given.
“That’s my good child.” Lady Sutherland was not stingy with her wealth, and she was happy to see Margaery accepting her gift without any fuss. “It’s winter now, and the days are short. If all of you wish to go out, do so quickly so that you can return before dark.”
“Then we’ll be off!” Christina blurted out excitedly.
She had liked Marc for a long time. Now, she finally had the perfect excuse to interact with him up close.
Such an opportunity was too good to pass up.
“Then I shall take my leave, my lady.” Marc rose and bowed to Lady Sutherland.
With that, the three young people left together.
Christina held Margaery’s hand tightly. Though it was the middle of winter, her palm was sweaty with nervousness. She kept saying she liked Marc, yet she did not dare to even glance at him now.
Even Margaery could hear the rapid thumping of her heart.
She felt somewhat helpless.
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She could not simply open her mouth and tell Marc that Christina liked him, could she?
But she found it delightful watching the subtle unfolding of this mini spectacle…
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Eventually, it was Margaery who spoke first. “Marc, we still have to pay a visit to the Eames family. I must thank Phillipa for helping me earlier at the Hadley family’s residence.”
She then added a lame excuse. “I want to go to the apothecary across the street to buy something. Why don’t you keep Christina company?”
After speaking, she quickly scampered across the street into the apothecary.
Marc was puzzled. ‘What’s she up to?‘
He was at a loss for a while. After that, he was about to follow Margaery, but when he turned his head, he saw Christina’s face had turned bright red. Her whole demeanor did not look right somehow.
Marc was taken aback and could not help but ask, “Miss Christina, your face is so red. Are you feeling unwell? If you have caught a cold, you should not stay outside in case your cold gets worse.”
Christina could barely hear him over the loud thumping of her heart.
She felt as if fireworks had exploded in her mind, but eventually, she managed to stammer, “N–no. It’s just that… my face flushes easily when the cold wind blows against it.”
But she was screaming inwardly when the reality hit her. ‘Marc actually took the initiative to speak to me! What should I say
next?‘
Christina’s mind went blank at this point. Her long–suppressed emotions erupted like a tidal wave at this moment.
They overwhelmed her until she felt a little dizzy.
When a cold wind swept by at this juncture, she was nearly blown over.
Marc reacted swiftly and grabbed her arm in time. “Perhaps you should get in the carriage first. Margaery will be out in a
moment.”
“O–okay.” Christina could feel her fingers going numb by now.
She thought back to when she met Marc for the first time and developed feelings for him. On that day, a carriage had rushed out from a street corner,
The horse was clearly out of control. It was galloping wildly and was about to crash into her.
Christina thought she was going to die.
Suddenly, a young man in a blue robe appeared beside her and scooped her up. After a dizzying spin, she landed on the steps of a nearby inn.
The runaway horse with carriage in tow rampaged past her, overturning all the street stalls in its wake.
It would have been a tragic outcome if she hadn’t been rescued in time.
When she came to her senses, the young man had leaped nimbly onto the horse’s back. Then he lifted one boot high above the horse’s head and stomped down on it.
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The rampaging horse collapsed immediately, but the carriage was flung forward due to the momentum.
The young man reacted swiftly by leaping again to the ground to stop the sliding carriage.
Inside the carriage, a woman about to give birth screamed, “Help! Help, I’m going to give birth soon!”
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The young man lifted the carriage curtain, carried the woman up, and dashed toward the nearby maternity hospital.
At that moment, Christina stood near the inn, staring blankly at the young man’s back.
Several years have passed since then. Yet, she could not forget that scene…
At present, her head felt somewhat woozy as she climbed into the carriage. Nonetheless, she summoned all her courage and suddenly shoved a pouch into Marc’s hand. Thereafter, she ducked inside the carriage.
As the carriage curtain dropped down, Marc stared at the pouch in his hand in surprise.
Embroidered on the pouch was the character “M.”
But the pouch appeared old. It must have been crafted many years ago.
Before he was put in charge of the troops, he had served for a year at the Inquisition Court. After handling cases for so long, he had developed an instinctive intuition about things.
Even though he was stunned at this moment, he quickly realized something.
The young lady of the Sutherland Estate must have had a secret crush on him for years!
No wonder Margaery asked him to join her today, to accompany the ladies on their shopping trip. Yet, she herself slipped away to the apothecary. She was trying to create an opportunity for this young lady.
Once he understood the situation, Marc burst out laughing. “My lady, you dropped your pouch… in my hand.”
He looked at the thick carriage curtain with a somewhat amused expression.
No wonder this girl’s face was so red.
It was actually… quite intriguing.
Inside the carriage, Christina twisted her handkerchief in her hands nervously. She did hear Marc, but she didn’t know how to respond. She had the niggling suspicion that the fellow outside was saying this on purpose. It was as if he would return the pouch unless she gave a valid explanation.
She simply couldn’t bring herself to say she fancied him…
But if she didn’t say it now, would she still get another chance in the future?
Her heart thumped wildly. Christina closed her eyes and decided to risk it all. “Th–that pouch was meant for you all along. If you don’t like it, just throw it away!”
Marc was stupefied. Then he chuckled silently again as he watched the carriage curtain intently. “Well then, my lady, why are you giving me this pouch?”
Christina was screaming internally by now.
Her face felt burning hot. Before she could burst into tears, she yelled out with all her might, “Marc Carey, I.. I… I like you! Is
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that reason good enough?”
Her shout was both forceful and ferocious.
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Separated by a curtain, Marc could almost imagine her breakdown. Thus, he grinned and answered, “In that case… I am very honored.”
A few days ago, his mother had said she wanted to match him with a suitable young lady. Following that, she handed a stack of portraits of noble ladies from Sinderin City for him to choose from.
Now, there was no need to choose anymore.
His family could just appoint someone to formally propose marriage after this shopping trip.
Inside the carriage, Christina was stunned.
Marc’s words kept replaying in her mind, and after a long moment, she finally realized. ‘He accepted my token of affection?‘
At this moment, Margaery walked out of the apothecary. She flashed Marc a heartfelt smile as she added, “Congratulations, my dear brother!”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
