Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 25

ing Love Reborn to Be His Duchess

Chapter 25 The Tavern on Cloudmere Lane

But her aunt’s mother had refused.

First, she had said, “How can a woman survive in this world without a husband by her side?”

Finished

Then she added, “Your Hale family does nothing but train for war. Today, one of your sons dies in battle, omorrow another. What happens when you’re all dead? Who will provide for my daughter then?”

At the time, her words had been vicious, But in hindsight, they turned out to be prophetic.

she had threatened to take her own life, forcing the aunt to relent and return home to remarry. Rumor

ad it that the second husband was an abusive brute.

Eventually, the man died. Her mother passed not long after. Now, the aunt lived alone, quietly supporting serself through the properties she had inherited.

This tavern was one of them.

Clowen often visited when she had time, but she never went to see her aunt directly. She would simply book a private room, order a selection of pastries, listen to the storyteller, and leave when the session concluded

Today was no different.

But she had barely reached the halfway point of a new tale when the door to her private booth was knocked.

The same young derk from the jeweler’s shop entered, bowing deeply. “My lady, I’m afraid we cannot sell you the bangle after all.”

Elowen frowned. “Why?”

A gentleman has expressed interest in it and… he offered a higher price.”

Her lone sharpened. “You run a business, don’t you? I reserved that bangle. I even paid. And now you’re telling me you’ve gone back on your word?”

The clerk smiled apologetically. “The gentleman offered quite a generous sum. And, well…” He hesitated. “Would you perhaps come and speak with him directly?”

Annoyed but composed, Elowen lefi Sera at the tavern and followed the clerk back to the shop. She frad only just stepped inside when a familiar figure entered her field of vision.

Her steps faltered. Her face went pale in an instant. It’s Alaric,

He sat at the table, lifting a cup of warm brew with visible displeasure, his brow.creasing at the thin, bitter Laste. The shop called it their finest ale, but to a prince accustomed to excess, it was little more than watered swill.

Hearing footsteps, Alaric set the cup down and lazily lifted his eyes. And there she was, radiant and composed.

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Shupiter 25 The Tavern on Cloudmete Lane

Pin/shirt

his instinctive reaction was “You’re following me?” Elowen blinked, “I beg your pardon?”

he gave a soft, unimpressed hum. “I have far better things to do than follow you. I reserved a bangle here arlier today. I was told someone tried to outbid me for it. That someone, I assume, is you?”

laric frowned. He hadn’t known the bangle had been hers.

n truth, he didn’t know why he had come to the shop at all. Or why he had insisted on that particular

nere.

Bur in some distant corner of his dream–filled memory, the bangle had felt.. important. The clerk looked between the two, unsure what to do. They seemed to know each other.

Perhaps,” he offered cautiously, since the two of you are… acquainted, you could discuss it amongst ourselves. We only have the one pair, and perhaps one of you needs it more than the other. We also have nany other fine pieces…”

But Alaric ignored him completely.

His gaze stayed on Elowen. “IfI recall correctly, you don’t even like wearing jewelry. Were you planning to give it to Maerwyn?”

She’s my niece,” Elowen replied coolly. “A gift from her aunt on her name day is only proper,”

Her tone shifted. “But you–knowing the bangle had already been reserved–still chose to force the hopkeeper’s hand by offering more, What, exactly, do you think gives you that right?”

Alaric bristled, It was just a bangle. He hadn’t cared that much. But her current posture–cold, unyielding, ighteous–it grated.

She used to trail after him, all sweetness and wide eyes. She would fetch anything he wanted, go anywhere Je led.

When had that changed? Now she stood before him, fighting him over a trinket?

His gaze darkened. “Things I want,” he said softly, “I always get.”

Elowen narrowed her eyes. So he had no intention of backing down. She turned to the clerk. “How much did he offer?”

“Thirty… thirty,” the clerk stammered,

Elowen didn’t hesitate. “Fifty”

The clerk gawked. “F–Fifty?”

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