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"Christ Alhty," Thorne muttered "What have you done to yourself?"

Miss Taylor touched a fingertip to her earlobe and bravely blinked tears frorow back It’s only hair"

It’s only hair

Bram’s heart pinched in his chest She rereen, bravely offering her long, lovely hair if itFinn and Rufus off the volunteer rolls If only he’d listened to her

Where was she? He was growing desperate to see her

"Lord Rycliff," Miss Taylor said, "there are others, too Everyone’s gathered at the Bull and Blossom"

"The Bull and Blossom?"

"The tea shop," she explained "And tavern Since it’s both now, the Fosburys s-on at Suht’s party there AndEveryone’s waiting on your command"

"It’s really not necessary," Bram said, halfheartedly

"Perhaps not," said Aaron Dawes "But o forith this rand party today, not for Sir Lewis’s pride or for Bram’s--but for Spindle Cove’s

"We’ve all worked so hard, and looked so forward to today We want to do it for ourselves, and for Finn And for you, Lord Rycliff" Miss Taylor plucked at her sleeve "Miss Finch said you’d be co back, and we must be ready to do you proud"

"Susanna said that?"

"Yes" The girl clasped her hands in delight "Oh, Lord Rycliff I just knew the two of you were in love I knew you couldn’t leave her" She bounced on her toes "This is all going to be so very ro, no one will take you for a boy," Bra not to bounce on his own toes with exciteone hoe of dress, but she pro his coat and running his hands over his hair, Bra for? Let’s go"

"Where is she?" Hours later, Bra the path for any sign of Susanna Allby cart, on horseback, on foot--so from ten or more miles away to watch the review But none of them were the one woman Bram wanted to see

"Most likely she fell asleep," Thorne said "She worked hard all night"

"Perhaps I should ride down to Summerfield"

"I’ve already stalled for time as much as I can," Colin said "If it were just a enerals and dukes aren’t used to being kept waiting And perhaps Miss Finch needs her rest"

Bra If Susanna hadn’t arrived by the end, he’d ride over to Sureen, he motioned for his men to fall in line He surveyed the volunteers, all fitted out in their new uniforms and assembled to serve his coymen A s woman

And a lamb Dinner stood at his knee, tricked out in a jaunty red ribbon and bell

Make no mistake, this was Spindle Cove

Under festooned canopies, the visiting dignitaries and the ladies of the Queen’s Ruby sat ready to observe The asseers and country folk lined the castle’s perimeter Children too short to see over the crowd had climbed atop the walls Gaily colored banners flew from each turret

With everyone in place, Bram mounted his horse and addressed his men And woman "I want you all to remember, we’re not alone e take to the field There are others counting on us to succeed All the ladies of the Queen’s Ruby Finn And Miss Finch Their faith in us--it’s sewn into the linings of our coats, rolled into every powder cartridge And it’s in every beat of our hearts We will not let them down"

He looked fro eye contact with every last one of his ave a s his head, heto need it"

Between the catastrophe yesterday and the subsequent lack of sleep, Braivings, the drill went surprisingly well The wheel iven them such fits in recent weeks came off smoothly--even the backward one There was a bit of a misstep with the obliques, due to Fosbury’s persistent confusion of right and left But with the firings, they ended on a high note Thanks to Susanna’s tutelage, the men fired in swift, impressive unison--by file and as a company

As planned, they capped the display with a feu de joie All the le file, loaded their muskets, and fired in quick succession-- kicks down the line The wave of smoke and fire swept from one end of the file to the other

When it cleared, the crowd broke into cheers and applause

Braine that they, like he, were quietly bursting with pride and relief Only one thing could hter

"Bram!"

And that was it Susanna’s voice She’d come She was finally here, and she’d arrived in tiain Her voice was breathless She sounded as excited as he felt

He dis the crowd for her

There she was, standing in a ruined archway near the gate The previous night’s trials had worn on her She was pale, and shadows pooled under her eyes Her hair was disheveled Her Indian shawl drooped to the dirt If soo and said, Someday, you ant to kiss this woman hed, and made some joke about artists and opium

But today, it was the truth

"Susanna"