Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed novel Chapter 876

The sound of the door slamming shut was followed by the patter of footsteps, suggesting the girl had run off to see what was happening. Mamie clicked her tongue. "This kid's pretty wary."

But Scales sensed it was more than that. When they'd first entered the village, several people had been standing outside their homes, watching. The moment they saw them heading for the Smith family's gate, their gazes turned strange. They even gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves. Scales was too far away to hear, but he could read their expressions: suspicion, surprise, guardedness, and scrutiny.

A moment later, the door opened again. This time, it was Carlson Smith.

He'd been in the kitchen when he heard his sister call out that some classmates were looking for him. His first thought was of Roseanne and the others, and he was so startled he'd dropped and shattered a bowl. When he opened the door, he saw he was right.

"What are you guys doing here?!" A flash of joy crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by shock, astonishment, and a hint of worry and disapproval.

He knew how difficult the journey was from Lumina to their village, how rough the roads were. That's why he disapproved. He didn't think he was worth the trouble.

"Are you okay?" Roseanne looked him up and down. He seemed to be in one piece, his spirits weren't completely crushed, but...

In the freezing weather, he was only wearing a thin cotton jacket. The hands that should have been conducting experiments, handling equipment, or typing on a keyboard were red and raw from the cold. His neck was bare, without even a scarf.

Mamie's eyes widened. "Aren't you cold?!" she blurted out.

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