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Lucy stopped maybe twenty yards away in the shelter of some bushes Her bare feet were already frozen

Sireater breadth of shoulder His face was ruddy against his white wig In contrast, Simon’s face was pale as death, the weariness she’d noticed at the house ht, even at this distance Both s, raised their swords, and paused like a tableau

Lucy opened her mouth

Soether Violence sang in the speed of their thrusts, in the awful sneers on their faces The clatter of their swords rang in the still air The bigaway, parrying the thrusts How could he move that fast when he was so tired? Could he keep it up? Lucy wanted to run forward, to shout at the combatants, Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! But she knew that herhis guard and getting killed

The big runted and attacked low Simon stumbled back and repelled the other man’s blade with his own

"Blood!" someone cried

And only then did Lucy notice the stain on her husband’s middle Oh, God She didn’t realize she’d bitten her lip until she tasted copper He still h he’d fall? But he backed instead, his ar to work as the other man herded him She felt bile rise in her throat Dear Lord, please don’t let him die

"Thron your swords!" another man cried

Lucy looked and realized one of the esticulated at the co to end the duel, but Mr Fletcher merely stood, an odd smile on his face How many of these pointless battles had he attended? How many men had he witnessed her husband kill?

Lucy suddenly hated his fresh, open face

The bloody stain at Simon’s middle spread He looked like he wore a scarlet sash about his waist nohis sith even greater speed and force Siain and again Then he stu Another stain appeared on his shirt, this one above the wrist of the hand that held his sword

"Goddamn" She heard his voice faintly It sounded so weak, so very weary to her ears

Lucy closed her eyes and felt tears leak beneath them She rocked her body to contain the sobs Must not make a noise Must not distract Si She almost didn’t open her eyes But she did He was on his knees, like a sacrifice to a vengeful god

Oh, rotesque triu, to stab Simon To kill her husband No, please, no Lucy ran forward as if in a dreaet to them in time

Simon raised his sword at the very last second and iht eye

Lucy bent and voshe’d ever heard before in her life She heaved again The other men shouted words she couldn’t comprehend She looked up Soht eye had been Black stuff dripped down his cheek He lay on the groundfallen fro was bent over the wounded man, but he

She choked and heaved once ue Only a yellow thread eh," the dying h he see Blood was splashed on his breeches Mr Fletcher orking at his shirt, trying to bandage hiround

"What is it, Walker?" Simon asked

"Another"

Her husband suddenly straightened and pushed Mr Fletcher away Si ditches into his cheeks In one stride he stood over the fallenman’s body shook

Simon dropped to his knees beside him "Who?"

The ed "Fletcher"

Mr Fletcher swung around, confusion on his face

SiYou can’t trick me that easily"

Walker sore fro cut off his words

Si some water"

One of the other men proffered a metal bottle "Whiskey"

Simon nodded and took it He held the flask to his enehed His eyes closed

Simon shook him "Who?"

The fallen an to whisper a prayer for his soul

Siasped

Walker half opened his eyes "Faa-therrr," he slurred

Sihed again, the breath rattling frolance down "Your father? He’s Sir Rupert Fletcher, isn’t he?"

"No" Christian shook his head "You’re not taking the word of a man you killed?"

"Should I?"

"He lied!"

Sier man "Did your father help kill my brother?"

"No!" Christian threw up his hands "No! You’re unreasonable I’" He strode away

Simon stared after him

The other men had moved off

Lucy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stepped forward "Simon"

Her husband turned and met her eyes across the body of the man he’d just killed

Chapter Fifteen

Jesus God

Lucy

"What are you doing here?" Simon couldn’t help it; the words came out a hiss

Lucy here, her hair undone, her face ghastly white She clutched her cloak to herself, shoulders hunched, huddling, the fingers under her chin bluish with cold

She looked as if she’d seen a horror