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"I know it’s a strange request, and I’ht now, but I worry about Jasper" Emeline smiled at her best friend "Will you look after him?"

By this time, Melisande had recovered "Of course, dear"

"Oh, good" Eht off her mind

Behind her, she heard Melisande call a farewell, and shein response, but she could only think of one thing

She needed to sleep

"DO YOU THINK Mr Thornton really was the traitor?" Rebecca asked later that night

She was sleepy, al in front of the fire Samuel had risen from his bed to have a belated cold supper with her, and then they’d retired here She should be asleep; she was so exhausted after the adventures of the day, but so

Across froh the glass into the fire "I think so" His face was battered, new bruises atop old ones that had barely begun to heal, but it was dear to her nonetheless

She blinked fuzzily "But you’re not absolutely sure"

He shook his head decisively and drained the glass "Thornton is a born liar It’s i to do with the massacre or not Heto believe their own lies I doubt we’ll ever be absolutely certain"

"But"--Rebecca stifled a yawn--"you came halfway around the world to find the truth, to put the ht not be the traitor?"

"No Not anymore"

"I don’t understand"

A smile flickered across his face "I’ve come to the conclusion that I can never erase Spinner’s Falls entirely from my mind It’s not possible for me"

"But that’s awful! How--"

He held up a hand to halt her worried protest "But what I’ve learned is that I can live with the memory That the memory is part of me"

She stared at him worriedly "That sounds terrible, Samuel To live with that all your life"

"It’s not so bad," he said softly "I’ve already lived six years fighting with , it’ll be better now that I know the hed "I don’t understand, but if you’re at peace, I’lad"

"I am"

They sat in coan to half doze A log popped in the fire, and she re else to discuss with her brother before she fell asleep

"She loves you, you know"

He didn’t say anything, so Rebecca opened her eyes to see if he’d fallen asleep He was gazing into the fire, his hands clasped loosely in his lap

"I said, she loves you"

"I heard"

"Well?" She sighed gustily and a little gru about it? Our ship sails toot up finally and stretched, wincing as so pulled in his side "You’re about to fall asleep in that chair, and then I’ll have to carry you to bed like a little girl" He held out his hand

She placed her hand in his "I’irl"

"I know that," he said softly He drew her up to stand before hi lady"

"Humph" She wrinkled her nose at him

He hesitated, then took her other hand and rubbed the backs of her fingers with his thuain soon, if you like, so that you can see Mr Green or any other gentleht be interested in I have no intention of crushing your hopes there"

"I don’t really have hopes"

He frowned "If you’re worried about our lack of pedigree, I think--"

"No, it’s not that" She looked down to watch his large hands holding hers His hands were tanned even though they’d been in England for weeks now

"Then what?"

"I like Mr Green," she said carefully, "and if you want ed at her hands until she looked up "Why should it matter to ht" Oh, this was ee hiht like the fact that he’s an English-society gentleh It’s just so hard to tell what you want"

"What I want is for you to be happy," he said as if it were the ht object if you take a liking to a rat-catcher or an eighty-year-old grandfather, but other than that, I don’t much care who you marry"

Rebecca bit her lip Men were so obtuse! "But I want your approval"

He leaned close to her "You already haveabout what you approve of"

"That hed, but she smiled as she said it

He tucked her hand into the crook of his ar any hasty decisions" They started up the dim stairs

"Mmm" Rebecca muffled a yawn "I do have a favor to ask"

"What’s that?"

"Can you offer O’Hare a job?"

He looked down at her quizzically

"I mean in America" She held her breath

"I suppose I can," he said uarantee that he’ll accept it"

"Oh, he will," she said with certainty "Thank you, Samuel"

"You’re welcoht"