Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 32: Trading Barbs
Raina was rather surprised. ’Is he teaching me how to deal with his other women?’
"Fourth Master, is there something going on between you two?"
"You’re so smart. Why don’t you guess?"
Raina scoffed. "Can we really go home now?"
"Yes."
She lifted her skirt hem and cautiously made her way forward. The path, embedded with cobblestones, was difficult to walk on. Raina, in her stilettos, could feel her feet trembling. It felt as if the heels could snap at any moment.
Ethan Lancaster came forward and wrapped an arm around her waist. Raina felt a little uncomfortable and stopped. "I can walk on my own."
"I’m afraid you’ll fall and embarrass me."
Not only were these heels impossible to walk in, but despite their exorbitant price, they were also giving her blisters. Her heels were definitely raw, and every step was agonizing.
Seeing no one around, Raina let go of her skirt. Ethan Lancaster watched as she instantly shrank in height. She took two steps forward, leaving her shoes behind on the spot where she had been standing.
His voice grew anxious. "Barefoot? Aren’t you afraid of freezing to death?"
"I’m not cold. Besides, we’ll be in the car in a minute."
The two of them reached a covered walkway, but the ground was still cold under her feet. After a few steps, Raina started walking on her tiptoes. Ethan Lancaster found her comical and walked to her side, taking her hand.
Her fingers were ice-cold. He gripped them tightly and refused to let go.
Raina’s fingertips curled inside his palm. As their fingers intertwined, a faint flutter found its way from where their skin touched and into her racing heart.
"Ethan Lancaster, do you know what a gentleman would do in a situation like this?"
"What would he do?"
"He’d give me his shoes to wear."
Ethan Lancaster scoffed. "Not a chance. Your dress is long enough to hide how ridiculous you look."
"..."
They took a few more steps forward when someone approached them and called out a greeting.
"Mr. Lancaster, Mrs. Lancaster."
Raina looked up. She didn’t recognize the person, but nodded anyway.
"Mrs. Lancaster, that jacket looks good on you, don’t you think? We have a similar build, and the way you’ve styled it is very unique."
At these words, Raina’s expression changed. "Is this jacket yours? Thank you so much."
"Don’t mention it. It’s just a jacket."
Hearing this, Ethan Lancaster’s brows furrowed. "Who asked to borrow your jacket?"
"Mr. Hawthorne..."
"Hmph!" Ethan Lancaster snatched his hand back and strode away.
The woman, seeing the awkwardness, glanced at Ethan Lancaster’s retreating back with a remorseful expression. "Mrs. Lancaster, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything."
"He’s just moody. His temper flares up at the drop of a hat; it has nothing to do with you. Thank you for lending me the jacket today. I’ll have it cleaned and returned to you."
"Oh, no need, really."
Raina started walking away. When she got outside, she saw Ethan Lancaster’s car parked right at the main entrance. He was probably waiting for her.
The driver got out and opened the car door for her. As Raina bent down to get in, she saw Ethan Lancaster turn his head away, refusing to speak to her.
’Fine by me,’ she thought. ’I’m happy to have the peace and quiet.’
Warm air filled the car, but the fierce winter wind battered the windows, as if desperate to force its way inside. Raina rested her left foot on top of her right. Ethan Lancaster shot her a sidelong glance but said nothing.
They were partway there when Ethan Lancaster suddenly called out, "Stop the car."
The driver didn’t dare hesitate, immediately pulling the car over to the side of the road.
Ethan Lancaster pushed open the car door and got out. Raina’s gaze followed him to an old woman selling things on the side of the road. She didn’t have a proper stall, just a piece of cloth spread out on the ground. On it were a dozen or so pairs of handmade, cotton-padded shoes with various patterned uppers.
Raina couldn’t help but think of her grandmother. She used to wear similar cotton-padded shoes her grandmother made for her, though she never dared wear them to school, afraid her classmates would make fun of her.
Ethan Lancaster crouched in front of the makeshift stall and picked out a pair. "How much are these?"
"Twenty."
"Why are you still out here so late?"
The old woman pulled out a red plastic bag and put the shoes inside. "I’d just be sleeping if I went home. Might as well stay out here and try my luck."
"Go on home," Ethan Lancaster said, standing up. The driver walked over, pulled several bills from his wallet, and handed them to the old woman. "We’ll buy them all. If you could just pack them up for us."
Ethan Lancaster got back into the car first and tossed the pair of shoes at Raina’s feet.
The old woman packed up the rest of the shoes, and the driver carried the bag to the trunk.
The woman put away her small stool and walked over to the car. Raina watched as she tapped on the window. ’Ethan Lancaster hates it when people thank him,’ Raina thought. ’He’s not that great of a person; he just couldn’t stand seeing her out so late at night over a few pairs of shoes.’
Raina leaned over and rolled down the window.
The old woman didn’t say much. She just took two pieces of candy from her pocket and offered them. Ethan Lancaster paused. "I don’t eat candy."
"It’s ginger candy. It’ll warm you up. I saw this young lady isn’t dressed very warmly; she must be cold."
Raina accepted the candy with a smile. "Thank you."
The driver got back in and started the car. Raina unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth.
"Hope it poisons you."
"What is your problem?" she shot back, giving him a disgruntled look.
"You’d actually eat something from a stranger? Don’t come crying to me when you’re poisoned."
Raina just kept smiling. "You have to have a little more faith in people."
’Then why would she rather go barefoot than wear the shoes *he* bought her?’ Ethan Lancaster fumed, feeling deeply indignant.
A few moments later, she was still barefoot. Ethan Lancaster lifted the hem of her dress, placed the cotton shoes by her feet, and ordered, "Step into them."
"I’m not cold anymore. It’s plenty warm in the car."
Ethan Lancaster bent over, took hold of her ankle, and slid the shoe onto her right foot. Raina quickly tried to pull her foot away. "I can do it myself."
"You really look like a little country girl in those."
Raina stopped sucking on her candy. "So what if I am? Does that make me inferior?"
"I was just making a casual comment. Why such a big reaction?"
Raina pulled her legs back. "I grew up in the countryside. I don’t have your precious, noble upbringing."
"Raina, are you a dog? You snap at the slightest thing."
’These two must have been born under opposing stars,’ the driver thought, not daring to turn around. ’But then again, Raina is the only one who can get a rise out of Ethan Lancaster like this.’
The rest of the drive was silent. Ethan Lancaster’s fingers traced restless patterns on his thigh.
He stewed in silence for a long time before he finally couldn’t take it anymore. "Why did you grow up in the countryside? The Reddington Family only has two daughters. Shouldn’t they have doted on you both?"
Raina didn’t want to talk about it. It was a scar on her heart that had never healed. Even an accidental poke would make her jump in pain.
’She’d been chased and beaten. The other villagers had even set their dogs on her. The Reddington Family had already made a name for themselves; in the eyes of the villagers, they were an untouchable, elite class. So why would such a wealthy family abandon their own daughter in their old hometown?’
’It had to be because the daughter was impossibly defiant, her bad character already showing at a young age. She just needed to be disciplined, to be taught a lesson.’
Seeing her prolonged silence, Ethan Lancaster turned to look at her. "You’re the older sister. If they were going to send one of you away, it should have been your sister."
"I was sent away to the countryside because I was the one who made my sister fall and break her leg."
