Not A Small-Town Girl

----

“Sure enough, less talking, more action. Thankfully, there

were only three of them to deal with. If there had been

eight, she’d probably be dizzy from all the back-and-forth.

“Are we... here now?" Xavier asked, sounding a little out of

“Howard also hadn’t fully processed what had just

happened when Danielle brought Xavier back.

"Seeing both of them still in shock, Vivian asked, "Are you

two alright?"

“Yeah, yeah, we’re fine. Are you okay, sweetie?” Howard

rushed to check on Danielle.

“Danielle shook her head. Seeing how rattled her dad and

brother looked, she said, "I’m fine. Let’s take a break

before we move on."

----

“How can you be fine? You’re just a delicate lady who

carried us both back, one by one. Those marks on your

arm from the rope are brutal. It breaks my heart,” Vivian

said, feeling terrible. "Honey, you should put some ointment

on that."

"Danielle pulled out a little bottle, dabbed some ointment

on her arm, and rubbed it in. Howard and Xavier looked at

the red marks on her arm, both feeling guilty.

“Xavier felt especially bad. As the older brother, he hadn’t

done anything while Danielle had carried them both. She

was hurt, and they were fine.

“I’m so sorry, Danielle," he said, guilt written all over his

face.

----

Danielle, used to hearing apologies since they entered the

cave, cut him off quickly. "Alright, no more of that. We need

to keep going."

“The cave was dangerous, but things weren’t any better

outside.

“Back at Hillside Manor, after their failed attempt to get into

Nathor Palace where they couldn’t even get through the

main gate Polly and Geoffrey were left uncertain about

Linda’s fate.

“Polly made her daily stop at Charrington Manor, hoping to

get her father-in-law to finally do something about the

situation.

----

“Sir, Madam, Mrs. Polly Charrington is here again," the

butler said. Lately, Polly had made it a point to come every

day, trying to push for some kind of action.

“The elderly couple didn’t even look up from their chess

game, simply waving the butler away. It was pointless to

beg them anyway; they couldn’t sway their grandson.

“Are you two playing chess?" Polly asked with a bright

smile.

“After a long pause, Polly finally spoke again. “Alice, I

brought your favorite pastries. I made them this morning.

Try them, I think you’ll like them."

“Alice stopped her game and gave Polly a quick look,

clearly not impressed. She never understood why Geoffrey

married Polly in the first place.

----

“At first, Alice thought she would try to be nice, but thenoveldrama

more they interacted, the more Polly came off as fake and

self-serving.

“Just leave the pastries. Thanks, but I’m not in the mood for

sweets right now," Alice said, her tone cold.

"Polly bit her tangue, doing her best

not to let herrustration show. She

worked sq Nar rd to please them, but

they remained distant. Once her son

took Charrington Group, she’ d

makesSure they felt the }S

equences of treating Ker like

this.

----

“Suppressing her irritation, Polly smiled faintly. "No problem

at all. I’ll make sugar-free ones next time."

"She paused and added, "I know

David doesn’tget me. I just want to

get along wth him, but he won’t give

me a chance. And my sister... she’s’

still at Nathor Palace. I heard abeut

Mrs-danice Marker, her limbswere

chapped off, stabbed over ten times.

Ifthe end, the Locke family got her

out. She’s dying now."

----

"Polly’s wee were loaded with

meaning; shéwing David’s cruelty

and how the Locke family had the> ~~

power tddact, while they couldn’t

even get past the front gate. A gan

ike Davia who wouldn’t help-his

ows family, wasn’t fit to lead the

GAarrington family.

“Alice and her husband, old enough to have seen it all,

understood exactly what Polly was getting at.