A Chance With You by Paula Camille Wong (the snowy day read aloud TXT) 📖

Jane sighed and made her way back to whence she came, but not before checking to see if John was there. Straightening her wrinkled gown, she hurriedly made her way toward the ballroom.

The golden dance floor was filled with different aristocratic members, all wearing extravagant ball gowns and well-tailored suits. She scanned around until catching sight of her friend.

Loretta just finished dancing with a gentleman, kissing her hand and said his farewell. She slumped down on the chair.

Jane made her way toward her. As if sensing her, Loretta’s head shot up and met her gaze just as she came to a stop. Immediately, she raised herself off the chair and practically speed walked. “How are you? Are you well? Did John do something? I saw you disappear out of the ballroom. Oh please do tell me he did not hurt you,”

Jane gave her friend an assuring smile. "I knew it is always like you to ask so many questions in one sentence,” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m alright… well partially,” Loretta opened her mouth to say ask what she meant but was interrupted again by Jane. “I will tell you everything you need to know but please… can we talk in the carriage, on the way home. I do not need to be sighted by John again,”

Loretta sighed and nodded. “Well alright. As you wish,” She took her hand and made her way out of the ballroom, dodging a few people along the way but somehow managed to survive. Then when they were out of sight and into the hallway, they both broke into a run, picking up their skirts as they did so.

Outside was their awaiting carriage, it was odd considering there were other carriages but when they scanned the outside area, their carriage awaited. “There’s Mark,” Jane panted, following Loretta as they dodged other carriages as well then finally giving a nod at Mark who opened the carriage door. “Take us home Mark, and flick on it,”

He nodded smiling, flicking the reigns, lurching the carriage forward.

Jane tried to catch her breath as she leaned against the dark brown, leather seat, dark red curtains hanged on both sides of the carriage windows, golden door knobs signaling and flag, that this was not just a hired coach. It was hers. “I thought I was going to die,”

“It was just John,” Loretta managed to say, gasping for her own breath.

“Exactly,”
Then a moment of silence followed, both of their gazes met and held for a single second. Then the next thing they knew, both of them… laughing, so excessively that the whole carriage seemed to shake with their loud voices.

It seemed like eternity when they finally managed to calm down. Jane wiped the tears that formed from their unladylike moment.

“That was ridiculous, completely hilarious.” Loretta smiled leaning against the leather seat, the carriage moving along the busy London streets. Lampposts hang in every pole, providing light in the dark city. Jane looked out of the window, beggars walking by, asking aristocratic members for small coins. She’s used to it by now. Every night, every day. Children or families, no money to make a living. It was truly sad. It was not their fault their life turned out this way.

“Will you tell me what happened when you disappeared out of the ballroom?” She asked disrupting her thoughts.

Jane nodded sighing, her gaze landing on her lap, her hands messing with the hem of her dress. “Well, I asked John to fetch me wine, so as soon as he left I immediately slipped out of the room and into the hallway. The palace was so big and there were so many rooms. All I had to do was go in one. But some of them were preoccupied and well… when I finally found one that I thought it wasn’t occupied, I opened it and entered. I looked around to see if I can find a place to hide. The room was big, but everything inside was small. I couldn’t hide anywhere. The bed, the wardrobe, next to the library shelves. That’s when I thought maybe I could hide outside of the window. But it was locked. I tried to lift it up but it wouldn’t budge. I was frustrated and glanced around to see if I could be able to find an object, anything that will help me escape out of that room,”

Loretta’s eyes widened at both excitement and surprise. “I had not known you were like that under pressure,”

She laughed. “Neither have I but well… it was not like I intended to break down the window. But do not worry, I never did. I managed to put some sense into my brain just as I was about to throw the candlestick. I sat it down back on the side table where I have found it and… that’s when I knew that I regretted coming into that room. Do you remember what had happened nine years ago?”

Her friend nodded. “Of course, how could I not? Everything that was ever good suddenly was thrown into the fiery pits of hell. That’s when your life turned upside down,”

Jane nodded as the memory came rushing in yet again, everything that had happened that led her here in this life she have now. “I saw him,” Was all she said.

That’s all she needed to say, instantly Loretta’s eyes narrowed slightly. She was a very smart woman. She may seem innocent but she is a complete professional when it comes to these sort of scenarios. “I take it by him, you mean William De’Lacour,”

The name brought shivers down her body, stopping slightly at her very core. The memory of their kiss suddenly became reality again, the way her body responded eagerly against his.
With a sigh, Jane nodded.

“Blast it!” Loretta exclaimed leaning back against the carriage seat. “I did not know he would be at the ball. I did not even know that he would be in London. What is he doing in London?”
“He never left. Except of course when he was fighting for England,”

She stopped her ranting and looked at Jane. “He is a soldier?”

“Was a soldier,” She corrected but nodded all the same. “Yes. That’s the reason he was present at the ball. He wanted to be recognized by the Queen,”

“Selfish bastard,” Loretta whispered. Jane’s eyes widened. She had never cursed before. Not Loretta. Mostly it was Vivian but she was an aggressive woman. Loretta on the other hand was calm and kind. Never saying rude words. Until now. She met Jane’s gaze, her eyes softening softly. “What happened next?”

“Well, we talked.”

“Did he recognize your identity?”

Jane shook her head. “No. I was wearing the mask. But he on the other hand had his mask off so immediately knew it was him,”

“Even if it has been nine years,” Loretta whispered softly. “I would have thought you would at least forget about him by now,”

No, that’s impossible. How could she forget? William is a man who wouldn’t let anyone forget about him. Even if he was only at young age of only fifteen. He always had this aura about him that will make his presence noticeable. Even in a crowded room, he would let others know that he was there. Now at age twenty four, William changed drastically. He seemed colder and distant. Completely different than the Will she had used to know. But of course, the Will she had used to know always laughed and smiled.

Not the William she had seen today.

“Do not be ridiculous,” Jane whispered. “I did not remember him. He told me his name. That is how I remembered him,”

Loretta laughed, a cold sound filling the carriage as it scurried along the empty street. “You had always been a bad liar in the past. You are still now. I don’t want you to get hurt. That’s all Jane. You’ve been hurt a number of times in your life. I have a feeling this time would be different. You will not be able to recover so easily,”

Jane smiled faintly. “I don’t need you to worry about me,” She whispered taking both of Loretta’s hand in hers. “I don’t love him anymore. And besides, even if I do, this night would probably be the only night I would see him. Chances are, London is large city. There are only two of us. We won’t meet again. I would stay cooped up in that large house with my family.”

“Yes,” Loretta frowned. “Of course,”

When the carriage pulled over in front of the massive Victorian state house, Mark opened the door for her; she smiled softly and made her way down the steps and onto the concrete pavement. “Thank you,” She whispered bowing. “For everything,”

The young footman nodded, bowing his farewell. “It is a pleasure to help my lady out. Me and the other house staff wanted you to be happy. Even for just one night,”

“I am,” She turned toward her friend in the carriage. “Take care of yourself Loretta. Please be careful and good luck with your family,”

“The luck is yours. You need it more than I do,” Loretta blew a goodbye kiss at her. “Farewell Jane. Please be careful. I do not want anything harmful to happen to you. And come to the meetings once in a while,”

Jane nodded and bid her goodbye, watching as the carriage lurched forward and out of sight, turning onto the next corner. She turned back around, her shoulder straight and firm. Her night of freedom is now over. Now she’s back in hell. And it will be years till she regains her freedom again. At least not until someone rescues her.


William sighed and looked around the ballroom as the sight of his Grace was nowhere to be found. Jane.

It was still hard to believe that, that was her. His hands tingled to place his palms on her fragile body, to inhale her strawberry scent. To take her and make her his.

The thought of her naked body under his was enough for his body to respond. His blood boiled, his body burned to be united with hers.

He wanted to hear her soft moans coming from her luscious lips. He wanted to hear her pleas, for him to enter her, to never leave her body. He wanted to thrust-…

“A penny for your thoughts?” His sister asked behind him. William turned around to greet her, his black trimmed masked securely in place, over set of emerald green eyes.

“What do you want Lillian?” He asked his voice rough, something he didn’t intend it to be.

“I can see you from across the ballroom. You haven’t dance with a single woman in this room…. Could it be that you are still thinking about Jane? Oh William, she is gone. I have not seen her anywhere,”

“Neither have I,” He whispered.

Lillian raised a brow. “You were looking for her too? Well that is a relief. Ever since you came back from war, you didn’t even show even an ounce of emotion. And yet now you decided to?

Because of Jane. I would have thought you would have forgotten her by now.