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Free slid her hand up the leather of the seat until her fingers ainst the side, and thought about all the reasons she’d married--bad ones, it turned out And yet not so bad

"But I can’t," Free said "I can’t stay"

God, she hated that the one person she wanted to coe rue House, perhaps? Was there such a thing? The only thing she kneas that she had to get away before she did soers found the latch on the door

"I know," he said cal I’ll leave you to your work, if that’s what you want You won’t ever have to seeshe’d lost back--her scoundrel, her Edward Clark She couldn’t listen to this man who seemed to be that same person and yet answered to my lord She couldn’t bear to sit doith him and plan a future apart She’d break down if she did

She turned the handle in one s at a stately clip through a residential area She could see nohouses One second since she’d opened the door; he was staring at her in confusion Two, and he began to reach forward

"I can’t," she said one final ti it She was saying it because she could If she remained here, she would

She stood He reached for her, but he was too late She juh the door Her feet hit the cobblestones; her ankle nearly gave way beneath her But she caught her balance, if not her breath, and as quickly as she could, she darted down an alley

"Free!" she heard hih a mews, and then down another side street

"Free!" he called once , he’d never discover her again

Chapter Twenty-One

IT BEGAN TO DRIZZLE while Free found her bearings

By the ti rain She had no umbrella, but it didn’t matter It was summer; the rain was not that cold, and the water obscured the tears on her cheeks

She traversed the graves carefully--up three rows, then down the line, until she found the sio

Frederica Barton

1804-1867

Beloved sister

Devoted aunt