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Susanna stopped hi passed between them He nodded "Stubborn fool never listens to er But he loves you, so perhaps there’s that"

Susanna blinked at hied "Cowardly bastard doesn’t deserve you Go on, now" He gave her a fond nudge

Susanna rushed out of the s his horse’s saddle, preparing toto his side "I know this is horrible for you It’s a tragedy, truly But we can’t wait on a surgeon’s opinion tonight Dawes must operate quickly, if Finn’s to have any chance"

"I won’t let you lame hi boy’s plans and dreams Take that foot, and you take his whole future with it The Brights aren’t a privileged faoing to have, with one leg?"

"I don’t know But at least he will have a life If we delay, Finn will die"

"You don’t know that, Susanna I’ve seen a great many more wounds of this nature than you have You eon"

"I" She stepped back, feeling the sting of his rebuke That ache in her ribs reasserted itself "I know I’htened the saddle girth "You seeh to pretend You’d sentence that boy to life as an invalid, just because you’ve been hurt in the past You’re letting your own fear of doctors put Finn at risk"

She grabbed his ar hi Finn at risk It’s yours, don’t you see? You’re still so caught on this notion that you can’t be a wholeunless you prove you have two strong, perfectly functioning legs to carry you into battle You’d even drag al before you’d admit otherwise But this is not about you, Bra you anywhere, Susanna I’d planned to take you willingly, happily--or not at all Are you telling me you don’t want to come?"

How could he put such choices to her, at a time like this?

"I love you I want to be with you But dashing off to Portugal next Tuesday, just becauseold stick? It sounds romantic, to be surebut also a bit juvenile Aren’t we both a little too old to be running away from home?"

"This , Braestured at the sht now, the people in there need you desperately Aaron Dawes needs every strong pair of hands to help Finn needs you to stand beside him, and help him to be brave To show his or one And after all is said and done, I’ery is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done"

When he still didn’t cease his preparations, a knot of fear for "You can’t do this Not an hour ago, you pro with the saddle and released an angry sigh "Susanna Not an hour ago, you claiood start then, are we?"

"I suppose we’re not"

They stared at each other Then he turned, placed his foot in the stirrup, and swiftly h logically, she knew the pain to be placed too low, she couldn’t help but suspect her heart was breaking "I can’t believe you’re actually going"

"I never had a thought of doing otherwise, Susanna" The horse danced under hi its rider’s impatience to be off "The only question is whether I have a reason to return If you let theoneI’ll never be able to look at you again"

With that, he turned his horse and left

She stood watching hiht Then she turned and walked nue

When she entered alone, all present turned to her

"Lord Rycliff has gone," she said, although it hardly see" Aaron Dawes’s face was grave "I have to do it soon"

Everyone looked to Thorne, who’d been ordered by Brariil at a wounded Braleaht them now? Between Dawes and Payne, she supposed they had the corporal outnumbered But even if they had a dozen men, the smart odds would still seem to favor Thorne

"Corporal Thorne," she said, "I know you are loyal to your lord But angry as he is right now, if he returns to find this boy dead, he’ll be devastated WeBram when he rode away froiven, she was looking out for Finn’s well-being and his

"Do you understand?" she asked "We have to save Finn’s life, or Bram will always feel responsible We all care about hiuilt"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>