After the Storm

05. Dancing with the devil

Goal: 95 votes and 140 comments

I hit 2k on Saturday night omg. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS AND VOTES. I FEEL SO LOVED AHHHH!!

I never expected to reach this far and I'm really really grateful. To be honest, I remember most of my readers(by their profile pics) who comment and vote on my chapters. (I actually stalk some of you XD). Love you all to the moon and back (*๓'╰╯'๓)♡

Did you know: Chlorophyll was first isolated and named by Joseph Bienaimé Caventou and Pierre Joseph Pelletier in 1817. However the discovery of chlorophyll being found specifically in chloroplast was only discovered in 1883

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Codswallop: Old British slang for 'bullshit'.

Lodestone: Something that attracts strongly.

Aureate: Made of or having the colour of gold.

Epitome/Paragon: A person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type.

Impertinent: Defiant (aka Lilly 99% of the time)

Beguile: To deceive usually with trickery or flattery.

Tepid: Lukewarm

Sorry for bombarding you all with my strange vocabulary XD

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"I need all of you to learn from Lilly." Aunt Branks lectured. "Look at how she has managed to attract the richest man in England!"

"Second richest." I grumbled. Second richest by approximately one pound and thirty-two pence, according to Mr Ambrose's most recent calculations.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I wasn't the only one scared by my Aunt's wide beam. Ella too appeared incredibly freaked out. She leaned in and whispered, "Oh Lil, I mean Aunt is quite sweet and all, but..."

I coughed violently. Sweet, ahem, my derrière! 'Detestable' would be a more apt term for that crinkly gold digger.

"Lil! Are you alright?" Ella gasped and tapped me gently on the back.

"Oh I'm perfectly fine. I'm just a allergic to codswallop."

Ella stared at me owlishly, uncomprehending. I sighed. Goodness, why was I born to a family whose brains were all potato mush?

"As I was saying," My sister murmured, "Aunt is being sweet and all today, but I think she looks looks a little ill, don't you think?"

Staring at the permanent uplift of Aunt's lips, as if the ends of her mouth had been dragged up and stapled to her cheeks, I had to nod in agreement. "Maybe she drank too much tea?" I offered as a reason. "Or she drank from Uncle Bufford's pot wine?"

Ella actually took that as a legitimate reason. "Oh I would never have thought of that, Lil!"

I could believe that.

We fell into a comfortable silence and I relaxed back into the soft cushions. This coach was much more spacious than any other we have ever rode, thus we weren't packed like sardines but actually had enough space to breath. It's interior was just as grandiose as the exterior, with its cream walls adorned with aureate patterns and the seats lined by luxurious cushions. I wouldn't be surprised if it were made out of real gold, for Lord Dalgliesh was known to live in splendor, unlike another rich bugger I knew.