Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed novel Chapter 887

This time, Carlson Smith didn’t try to stop them. He watched their retreating figures, his eyes blurring with tears as a wave of warmth spread through his chest.

Just as Roseanne reached her room, she paused. Mamie stopped behind her, curious. Roseanne gestured toward the adjacent bedroom door. Mamie understood and gently pushed it open a crack.

Well, what do you know. Scales was sound asleep, snoring away. He hadn't even bothered to get up and pretend.

“I can’t believe him,” Mamie whispered.

“Carlson probably really thought he went to the bathroom,” Roseanne mused.

“No wonder…” Going to the bathroom was just an excuse to crawl back into bed.

“Wait…” Mamie suddenly paused. “Doesn't that mean we lost out? We actually got up, got dressed, and walked all the way to the door.”

Roseanne nodded thoughtfully. “…Yeah, we totally lost out.”

…

The rooster crowed at the break of dawn. The sun was up, but the fog hadn't lifted. Pushing open the main door revealed a large patch of farmland, with rolling mountains in the distance.

“No wonder they call this the mountain province!” Mamie exclaimed. “It’s all I’ve seen since we got here.”

A sliver of red appeared on the horizon. Carlson glanced at it. “Looks like the sun might come out today.”

“Really?!” Mamie’s face lit up. Finally, a break from the biting cold.

Just then, Mr. and Ms. Smith woke up. The village doctor had said Ms. Smith shouldn’t stay in bed all the time and needed to walk around a bit. So every morning, Mr. Smith would help her take a couple of laps around the yard.

Friends…

In the end, Mr. Smith could only sigh in resignation and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. If the Moore brothers came again, he thought to himself, he would do what he did yesterday—grab a knife and stand in their way. He would give his own life before he let any harm come to these kids.

…

At ten in the morning, the Moore brothers showed up again. Roseanne, Mamie, and Scales exchanged glances, a strange sense of calm settling over them. Let them come. Who was afraid of whom? Having mentally prepared, they weren't flustered.

Fabian kicked over a wooden stool in the corner as he entered, sending it clattering to the floor. Jay followed close behind, his club “accidentally” knocking over the washstand behind the door.

Mamie’s temper flared, and she almost leaped to her feet. But then she remembered what Roseanne had said last night, took a deep breath, and sat back down.

Fabian’s eyes swept over them. “Well, look at that, everyone’s here. Perfect.”