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CHAPTER 16
The ride to the Stone mansion was quiet and long, Jared did not say a single word to Mary throughout the ride and neither did he stop to give her any rest. She was as worn out as the horse by the time they got to Western Creek. She had anticipated him passing the inside of the town so she could scream for help but the commander had outsmarted her or he simply had his own route which he usually pass.
Mary yelped as yet another tree branch scratched her face, Jared offered no apologies and neither did he slow down. The path they took was as lonely as it seems, it was clearly an abandoned route and not treaded often, she had no doubt her husband was the only person who seems to use the route.
She groaned as yet another twig was caught in her hair, which she had managed to bundle atop her head. This time Jared slowed down and removed the stick, Mary shivered at the contact, but the hand on her hair was gone as soon as it touched it.
Mary had seen the Sto
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Seating and staring gloomily into the mirror Jared had put in the room for her, Mary sighed the thirtieth time. She was bored and tired of boredom yet she dared not set her foot downstairs. Not after the drama that had welcomed her arrivalJared had left as soon as he had set her in the room and he had remained civil throughout his conduct which she knew was temporary. The only think she dreaded now, was her father’s arrival, she wondered how she could avoid the bloodshed that was bound to be spilled.A knock on her door, shook her system, she sat up immediately hands fidgeting with each other, she wondered who had come to see her, she knew it definitely wasn’t her mother in law the woman could not bear the very sight of her, which left Evangeline and Mike the two people she had no desire to seeThe knock was repeated, chest heaving, her heart panting wildly, she asked timidly“Who is there?”“Polly ma’am&rdq
THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 18
The retinue of carriages following Nicholas Sanders was befitting that of a king, musicians and entertainers followed the carriages as they trudged slowly towards the Stone Mansion. The carriages were heavily decorated and designed, with several lilac flowers courtesy of Mrs. Sanders. Mrs. Sanders smiled warmly at her husband“I miss her so much, I can’t wait to set my eyes on her” Mrs. Sanders said with much relish. She grasped her husbands’ hand tenderly“Yea, she will be the most beautiful wife. I hope that Mike is doing right by her or else I shall cut off his head” Nicholas threatened, as the picture of Evangeline in the sack surfaced to him, he shook, he could never bear to see Mary in such circumstances, which was why he planned on watching his son-in-law like a hawkHis wife turned a wary brow at him, throwing his hands aside ”You will do no such thing. He has given us his promise that he will take good care
THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 19
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THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 20
Mary stood near the kitchen door, peering in through a small crack on the door, she could hear movements going on and on in the kitchen. And the delicious smell of chicken pie waffling into her nostrils, making her stomach quiver. She had expended all her energy on arguing with Jared, she was so famished. Polly was in there as well, mixing flour, while Catherine was steering some sauce in a pot on the fire. She wanted to go in but she knew herself so well, she had never held a kitchen ladle or knife in her life, she knew next to nothing.Catherine was angry with her as it is, it was unlikely the woman would welcome her into her kitchen and she might get angry, should Mary mess anything up.Jared was just Jared, it would take heaven and earth exchanging their forms to make him help her. She would have to win over her mother-in-law by herself then.A small cough at her back made Mary jump, she turned instantly ready to defend herself when she saw who i
THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 21
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THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 22
The looming dark clouds gathering above western Creek sky could be said to represent the icy soldier about to penetrate deep into its exterior. Standing idly at the front of the Military gate, Jared watched quietly as soldiers went in and out of the station, he had not bothered to disguise himself, Mike would keep out of the way until the mission was done.He walked in gallantly, receiving greetings here and there from the recruits as he walked in. He got no curious look as he walked in, except greetings and salutes from the soldiers.Arriving at Michael’s desk, he flung the door open, and went in, fully aware of someone stalking him, Allan walked in stealthily, the boy had grown a few inches since he last saw him, his shoulders square and tense, his face wide with trepidationJared lips in a thin line, the boy had no reason to be tense at seeing Michael unless he was at seeing Jared, testing him, Jared acted casual “What is it you want? That c
THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 23
Laying in wait was beginning to seem like a habit for Jared, it had been his daily routine since he had left his father in law’s shop two weeks ago. He had managed to keep a low profile at work, not getting into any head-on fight with any of the commanders, he had put on the complete Mike persona.He had noticed that several goods were being brought in through an abandoned part west of the Stone home; The Western Creek jungle had been a second home to him, so he knew all the abandoned and unused paths so well.Taking on the persona of a predator, Jared laid in wait quietly, atop the big Mongolia tree, keeping still as possible, he was dressed in leaf green clothes, which made him natural to his environment.Soon, he began hearing the hollering and shouts of several men passing through the jungle, watched quietly as the carriages passed through, several bodyguards who were all masked manned them and all of them had several other weapons in their hands.
THE RELUCTANT GROOM CHAPTER 24
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