Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 214 Chloe leapt onto her horse and spurred it forward, pushing herself to the utmost speed in a desperate attempt to shake Qiana from her tail. No one knew how far she had ridden, but it seemed she had covered quite a distance before finally coming to a halt. A small wild boar appeared ahead, and she immediately notched an arrow. But from the comer of her eye, she caught sight of Qiana, calmly perched on her horse and munching on some dried fruits. Chloe ground her teeth.

"What?!" Seeing Qiana casually eating with her bow strapped to her back, Chloe seized what she thought was her golden opportunity. She took aim at the wild boar and released her arrow. But with a sudden snap, the arrow was knocked aside. No one could say when Qiana had taken up her bow, but it now rested innocently in her lap as she continued to nibble on her food without a care in the world. Chloe froze for a moment, then fury overtook her entirely. " Wretch! I'll kill you! You're dead!" She drew another arrow, aimed squarely at Qiana, and let it fly.

---- Even though the young woman was still casually munching on dried fruit, Chloe's arrow was knocked aside before it even grazed Qiana's sleeve "Ahhh!" Chloe lost it. "My lord, something's wrong with Lady Murray! You must come quickly!" an attendant urged, panicked. Even Colin was on the verge of losing his mind. Half a day had passed, and not a single arrow of his had even touched a target. Nothing at all! Not far off, Aurora sat leisurely on her horse, still watching him with a smirk. He simply couldn't shake her! "My lord, you really ought to go see Lady Murray!

S-so many people are watching!" the attendant urged, panic in his eyes. With a sigh, Colin had no choice but to spur his horse forward. Meanwhile, Chloe had collapsed to the ground, sobbing as if the world itself had turned against her. "I want to go home! | want to go home! They're too cruel!" When Colin dismounted, she didn't rise. She simply looked at him, sobbing as if her heart would break. ---- "Colin, please! Take me home! | never want to see that woman again!" All around them, onlookers paused, completely forgetting about hunting their game.

Prey came and went each year, but a scene like this was rare indeed. Colin and Chloe were part of the Marquis of Arden's household, after all. Though their rank could not rival that of a duke or prince, they were still highly esteemed. Yet here was Chloe, thrashing on the ground like a spoiled child, her carefully cultivated image as a refined city lady utterly ruined in a single afternoon. "What on earth is going on?" Frederick asked, having heard the commotion and ridden over to see for himself. Not far off, Selena and Sebastian rode leisurely toward them.

Selena glanced down at Chloe, who was still sprawled on the ground, and teased, "How's it going, Lady Murray? Are you having fun? We've got all the time in the world. We can keep playing with you if you like!" Frederick frowned. That wretched girl. How had he never suspected she could be so mischievous? William hurried off to gather the details and soon returned, reporting, "Your Highness, it seems that this morning, Lady ---- Murray and Lady Campbell were contending over a wild boar. Lady Murray... perhaps was a bit overbearing and provoked Lady Campbell's ire..." Frederick's frown deepened.

"Her ire?" Though he had known Selena for many years, he had never glimpsed her true temper and had no idea what she looked like when she was angry. "Yes, Your Highness. Upon growing angry, Lady Campbell ordered her party to shadow the Marquis of Arden's household's team. Every arrow they loosed was intercepted. In short, she ensured that the Marquis of Arden's household would return empty-handed today," William explained.