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And then … the shadows spoke

"Bel sent me a note"

Toby ju a hand over his racing heart He leaned forward, blinking to make out his companion’s form "Sophia? Is that you?"

"Of course it is," she said

"Good Lord" He exhaled loudly "For a ht you were Gray, coh "Why would Gray want to kill you?"

Well, if that ansasn’t obvious to her …

Toby cleared his throat "Just what did Bel’s note say?"

"That Mr Yorke had died, of course And that you’d be leaving for Surrey Gray’s away on business today, but I wanted to come pay my respects" She leaned forward and placed a hand on his arreat deal to you, Toby I’one"

"Thank you" He stared at her hand on his sleeve, until she withdrew it "Why didn’t you coht," she said "I knew your whole fa our history … I didn’t want to be a distraction"

The carriage wheels rattled over cobblestones as they rounded a turn

"Why did you do it?"

He had to ask He had to know, no matter how much it hurt to hear it, just what it was that made him so patently undesirable as a husband And she was the only one who could tell him

"Why did you run?"

She faded back into the shadows and fell silent

"Why did you jilt itated "Why did you leave without saying a word? Was it so I didn’t do? Was the prospect ofthat you silobe?"

"Toby, I--"

He punched the seat cushion "I said nothing When you disappeared without soWhen you returned fro Gray … I said nothing, to anyone I could have ruined you both, made you the center of speculation and scandal But I didn’t And still, even noe’re practically family, and yet you’re barely civil to me Damn it, you owe me some answers"

"I do," she said hurriedly "I know I do And I knoe you far more than that I’ve simply been so ashamed, so sorry for how I treated you I didn’t kno to face you again"

"Well, if you’re so ashamed of your behavior, why did you behave that way in the first place?

Did you have so little regard for reat deal I … I suppose I cared for you too hed bitterly "What a sentiment Truly, it warms the heart"

"I cared for you, but we didn’t love one another," she said "And I thought we both deserved to find love"

He snorted Oh, yes He had gotten what he deserved all right

She spoke slowly now Gently "I know the way I fled our wedding rongheaded and thoughtless, and you can’t kno sorry I aret it? Would you wish I hadn’t left?"

Noas Toby’s turn to evade answering "I think you shouldn’t ask me that today"

"What’s happened?" she asked "Did you and Bel have some sort of row?"

He dismissed her question with a shake of his head There was no way he was going to explain Hollyhurst to her Instead, he tapped his knuckles against the coach side to signal the driver It took several sht the man’s attention and could direct hi stick, he would have had an easier tiru" He heaved an exasperated sigh "No, there is so I don’t want to ask it I don’t want to hear the answer But I sis, then uncrossed them There was no way to say it but to say it "Why couldn’t you have loved me? What does Gray have that I haven’t?"