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"Yes"

"Christian!"

Christian kept his eyes on Si his father "I will see it done You have my word"

"Very well," Simon said

For a moment, the two ret?--chase across the other’s eyes He noticed for the first time that Christian’s eyes were alone from his life That made two souls he had lost in as htened "Here" He held out his open pal

Siht index finger "Thank you"

Christian nodded He hesitated for aat Simon as if he wanted to say more, before he limped away

Sir Rupert frowned, white lines etching themselves between his brows "You’ll accept my banishment in return for Christian’s life?"

"Yes" Si as he wavered on his feet A few seconds more, that was all he needed "You have thirty days"

"Thirty days! But--"

"Take it or leave it If you or any land after thirty days, I will challenge your son again" Simon didn’t wait for a reply; the other’s defeat was already etched in his face He turned away and walked toward his horse

"We need to get you to a physician," de Raaf rumbled sotto voce

"So he can bleedwill suffice My valet can do it"

The other runted "Can you ride?"

"’Course" He said it carelessly, but Simon was relieved when he actually pulled hilance, but Si toward home Or what had once been home Without Lucy there, the town house beca A place to store his neckcloths and shoes, nothing more

"Do you want rientle walk, but the movement still jarred his shoulder "It would be nice to have sonominiously from my mount"

"And land on your arse" De Raaf snorted "Naturally, I’ll ride you to your town house But I o after your lady"

Simon turned painfully in the saddle to stare at hi to bring her back, aren’t you? She’s your wife, after all"

Simon cleared his throat while he pondered Lucy was very, very ive him

"Oh, for God’s sake," de Raaf burst out "Don’t tell o?"

"Didn’t say that," Sireat house of yours--"

"I don’t mope"

"Play with your flohile you let your wife get away froood for you, granted," de Raaf ht to at least try to bring her back"

"All right, all right!" Sier to look at him sharply and cross to the other side of the street

"Good," de Raaf said "And do pull yourself together Don’t knohen I’ve seen you looking worse Probably need a bath"

Simon would have protested that as well, except he did indeed need a bath He was still thinking of a suitable reply when they arrived at his town house De Raaf dis down froht hand felt leaden

"My lord!" Newton ran down the front steps, wig askew, pot belly jiggling

"I’m fine," Simon muttered "Just a scratch Hardly bled at--"

For the first time in his employment, Newton interrupted his master "The viscountess has returned"

HER FINGERS WERE SPREAD OVER HER CLOSED EYES Dear Lord A shudder racked her frame Protect him Her knees were nuainst her wet cheeks

I love him

A scrape came from the end of the aisle Please, God Footsteps, slow and steady, crunched on the broken glass Were they co to tell her? No Please, no She curled within herself, huddled on the ice, her hands still shielding her eyes, blocking out the dawning day, blocking out the end of her world

"Lucy" It was a whisper, so low she should not have been able to hear it

But she did She dropped her hands, raised her face, hoping, but not daring to believe Not yet He was bareheaded, ghastly white, his shirt covered in gore Blood was crusted down the right side of his face from a cut on his brow, and he cradled one arm But he was alive

Alive

"Simon" She cluet rid of the tears so she could see, but they kept co "Simon"

He stumbled forward and dropped to his knees before her

"I’ over his words "What?"

"Stay" He’d grasped her shoulders with both hands, squeezing as if he couldn’t believe her solid "Stay with me I love you God, I love you, Lucy I can’t--"

Her heart seemed to expand with his words "I’m sorry I--"

"I can’t live without you," he was saying, his lips skiht without you"

"I won’t leave again"

"I become a creature with a blackened soul--"