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

After all this years. I do think nine, to be exact.”

William brought the goblet to his lips, savoring the dark wine as it touched his tongue. No. He couldn’t forget Jane. She was the reason why he had made it through the war. She was his safe-haven. Dreaming about her smile every night. Her delicate features soft and fragile as ever. Jane was the reason that he survived.

At least, a small amount of his soul. “Yes,” He muttered. “Nine long years,”


“And in those nine long years, her life has been hell.”

That caught William’s attention, his gaze turning to her in question. “What in the world are you talking about Lillian?”

She yawned softly a hand on her mouth. “I do think it is time for me to leave. I will talk to you tomorrow of the things that are needed to be done with the estate you soon will be living in,”

“But you haven’t told me what I wanted to know,” He called out as she walked out of the ballroom and onto the massive hallway.

William sighed in frustration, running a hand through his brown chestnut hair. Then with quick few strides, he followed after her. When he had reached the hallway, she was nowhere to be found. He looked around and then headed out of the massive palace. The street was still crowded with fancy carriages, he caught a glimpse of Lillian’s purple gown and immediately followed after her, a hand stretching out to put it in between the door and its closed hinges to keep the carriage door from closing. She let out a startled scream and laid a hand on her chest as she caught a glimpse of him. “You scared me,”

He let out a small apology and climbed onto the coach, sitting himself down comfortably.
“I did not know you would be coming home with me. I thought you would want to stay in the ball for a while more, dance with the ladies, and find someone to wed.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that marriage isn’t what I am seeking for at the moment?”
Lillian let out a un-lady like snort. “Oh fiddle sticks, every man wishes to wed someday, you cannot remain single forever.”

William let out a sigh, leaning against the red leather seat, the carriage creaking slightly as it lurched forward, leaving the massive palace behind it. “I am not every man Lillian,”
“Oh yes, you are a man whose goal is to sleep with every woman in London,” She replied coldly.
That comment made him smile, which completely transformed his cold emotionless face. It was rare indeed. “You do know me my dear younger sister,”

She snorted yet again and folded her arms. “What do you want?”

“What did you mean that when I left, Jane’s life became hell?”

Lillian smiled emotionlessly. “You don’t know do you?” She asked her head tilted. Before he could reply a sarcastic comment, she cut him off. “After you left, Jane’s father died. Heart failure. Poor soul, at the young age of only forty. Jane was left with the title of the Marchioness. But she didn’t receive it until she was at proper age. Then a couple of months after she received her title, there was an announcement that she was engaged to a man. The gossips sailed throughout England for two months before it died.”

William’s jaw tightened, but other than that particular notion. He made no movements. “What else happened?”

“I’m afraid I have to stop there. I will not interfere her life. If she wishes to tell you, she will. But for now, I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you. If you want to know so badly, then talk to her yourself. You know who she is and no doubt she knows you are. But she won’t know that you know it was her,”

He raised a brow. “Do you think her family would actually let me into their home after what I had done?”

Lillian smiled softly. “Do not worry brother. That’s when I have your back. Do not worry about a thing, I will handle everything.”
Chapter 5

Jane awoke at the sound of birds chirping from her small window. The morning sun greeted her happily as she sat up, stretching her arms and letting out a yawn. She had arrived just in time last night to change out of her ball gown and into a comfortable chemise.

Not long after her arrival, the rest of her family followed. She was in bed by the time they had called for her. Her stepmother strode in her room with her dark blue masquerade ball gown. “It was a shame you did not come. We all had fun. Especially both of you sisters,”

She pretended to cough and then cleared her throat. “I’m sorry mother. If I could have come I would have. But I do feel unwell,”
Stephenie smiled. “Well go to sleep. Tomorrow you have to wake up early to fix us our breakfast,”
Jane looked at her. “I thought that is the Cook’s job. That is why I hired her,”

“The Cook will accompany us for our outing while you stay here and clean the house. From top to bottom. I want it all spotless,”

“But mother-… I am sick,”

“I do not care. You are sick, not invalid. Now go to sleep, so you can feel better tomorrow,” I am feeling better. It amazes me how you treat me coldly as if I’m not your own child but instead of how you treat a servant.

It didn’t bother Jane at all that her mother had treated her like that. All her life she had been casted aside as if she was not human. But instead an animal.

She stretched and stood up, a yawn escaping her red lips. Another day filled with chores and duty. No doubt it will be a long day indeed.

Once she was dressed in her morning gown and hair pinned up into a tight bun where no blonde hair can escape, she made her way out of the room. “You know,” She mumbled looking down at the small cat that was purring itself on her leg. “I do feel like I’m Cinderella from that fairy tale. But instead of being poor, I am named the Marchioness of Huntington. But with no fortune,”
The cat purred in response. She laughed softly. “Well alright, I will get your breakfast Phenie. Thank goodness you aren’t that mean cat from the fairy tale. You are completely different from that of Lucifer,” She smiled and kneeled down to pat her head. “And additionally, you’re a female.”

Phenie yawned and decided to go on ahead and into the kitchen. She smiled and followed behind her, starting the fire and placing the pot on top. Ever since she was young, her father never bothered to hire a Cook. Instead, he believed that if someone wants something, they should work for it. Her father taught her to cook and read, while Stephenie, her mother, taught her ways of a proper lady, to never slouch in the table, back always erect, her chin high. She taught her how to sing, dance, and play instruments.

Sometimes she wonders where was that mother now? The mother that used to love her and treat her as her daughter.

When she had finished preparing their breakfast, she laid the plates down on the table along with the individual china dishes, followed by a hot steaming tea pot.

Without a minute too soon, her two step sisters made their way out of their room smiling. “Good morning Jane,” Natasha smiled running up to kiss her in the cheek. “Oh you should have come last night, it was so fun. And… aren’t you supposed to be sick? What in the world are you doing out of bed? Did mother tell you to do the chores again?”

Jane’s answer is a guilty smile. Then winced as Natasha let out a frustrated sigh. “What in the world is wrong with mother? Doesn’t she know that sick people are in need of resting?”

“It’s alright Tasha, really.” She looked around to check if anyone was there but when the cost was clear, she leaned in towards her ear. “I lied,” She whispered a small smile on her lips. “I was not really sick. Instead, when you left, I attended the ball myself.” She pulled away winking. “No one recognized me at all,”

Lucy looked over at them with a smirk. “What in the world are the both of you talking about now?” She was a couple of years older than Natasha, which made her the third eldest.

Natasha smiled. “Oh I will tell you later,” Only the age of seventeen she already had a mind of a proper and etiquette lady. Her fiery red hair pinned up on the back of her head, light blue eyes as blue as the ocean sea. Lucy, the same as Natasha, had crimson red hair, but unlike her, Lucy wore her hair down, in loosely braids. Blue eyes, like their mother, hair like their father.

“Whatever the secret is, keep it. I have no intention of finding out whatever it is. Considering it is Jane. Isn’t that right elder sister?” The voice slowly crept up her spine and made its way to her chest, an invisible hand gripping her stomach. Margaret’s tall and elegant figure appeared on the dining entrance. Her hair was a total contrast to which of her sisters. She had long blonde hair, just like her mother, but eyes as blue as the azure sky. Curves where they should be were visible on her body. She was always the beautiful one.

Jane was gifted with her mother’s pale blonde hair and her birth father’s emerald green eyes.
She won’t lie. She had always envied her sister. For both her beauty and her charm. She can be able to woo anyone she lays her eyes on. Including William. Jane didn’t know what had happened between the two of them because after he had confessed that he had feelings for her younger sister, she was blocked away from his heat. They grew apart and so did his heart. But never Jane. She had always tried to be always tried to be there for him.

Instead of thanking her, he pushed her away. After three months of both Margaret and William’s relationship, suddenly it ended. Margaret had come home crying, saying that William had tried taking advantage of her and then he just disappeared.

Jane knew that William would never do that. But then again… William changed. He is capable of anything. Even back then.