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Jaton," Roger repeated He cautiously opened the other eye, but it seeht Only one Ja"

Jamie stared at him for a moment

"I hope to Christ he was," he said

103

AMONG THE MYRTLES

Wiliddy irls and I should have fully enjoyed its delights Given the absence of Roger and Jah, ere able to find little distraction

Not that we didn’t try We lived through the creepingchildren and haunted by iht be I was sorry that Brianna had seen as s based on fear were bad enough; those based on close acquaintance with the look of ruined flesh, of s heavy-eyed amid a crumple of discarded clothes and stale linen, we fed and dressed the children and went out to seek whatthe day in the distractions of horse-racing, shopping, or the cos--by Mrs Crawford and Mrs Dunning, the twohad taken place the day after Roger and Jamie left Performances upon the harp, violin, harpsichord, and flute were interspersed with recitations of poetry--at least it was referred to as poetry--and "Songs, both Cous McCaskill, the popular and courteous proprietor of the largest ordinary in Wils were actuallyto Mr McCaskill’s habit of rolling his eyes up into his head during the h he had the lyrics written on the inside of his skull I adopted a suitably sole the inside of hout

Brianna required no such aid to courtesy She sat staring at all the perfor intensity that it seemed to disconcert a few of the ed toward the other side of the roo the harpsichord safely between her and the to do with the perforuments that had preceded the orous, and conducted in low voices, as the four of us walked up and down the quay at sunset Brianna had been impassioned, eloquent, and ferocious Jamie had been patient, cool, and immovable I had kept my mouth shut, for once more stubborn than either of them I could not in conscience side with Bree; I knehat Stephen Bonnet was I would not side with Jamie; I knehat Stephen Bonnet was

I knehat Ja to deal with Stephen Bonnet was enough torope over a bottomless pit, I did know that there were few men better equipped for such a task For beyond the question of deadly skill, which he certainly had, there was the question of conscience

Jaeance was His, no ht that the Lord should be left to handle such things without assistance God had h on the list of those reasons was the protection of a family and the defense of its honor--whatever the cost

What Bonnet had done to Brianna was not a criet And beyond siht pose to Bree or Jemmy, there was the fact that Jamie felt himself responsible, at least in part, for such harht do in the world--to our faallows once; he would not be at peace until he had amended that mistake--and said so

"Fine!" Brianna had hissed at him, fists clenched at her sides "So you’ll be at peace Just fine! And how peaceful do you think Maer is dead?"

"Ye’d prefer me to be a coward? Or your husband?"

"Yes!"

"No, ye wouldn’t," he said with certainty "Ye only think so now, because ye’re afraid"

"Of course I’m afraid! So is Mao anyway!"

"If she does think so, she’s right," Ja look, with a hint of a slanced at hiout at the uer had finally put a stop to it

"Brianna," he said softly, when she paused for breath She turned toward hiuished, and he touched her shoulder "I willna have this man in the same world as o then with your blessing--or without it?"

She had sucked in her breath, bitten her lip, and turned away I saw the tears bri of her throat as she sed theiven hiht, in the quiet of their bed I had given Ja and farewell in that sa a word I couldn’t He would go, no ht; we lay in each other’s arms, silently aware of each breath and shift of body, and when the shutters began to show cracks of gray light, we rose--he to make his preparations, I because I could not lie still and watch hio

As he left, I stood on tiptoe to kiss hi