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"The inspector drew it anyway"
Ian’s rage began to rise again "I know I tried to protect her froht have killed her That can’t be your fault"
Lily hadn’t struggled She’d known and trusted whoever had driven the scissors deep into her chest His own observation and Curry’s confirmed that
"I couldn’t protect her I can’t protect you" Her little smile returned "You have no need to protect me"
Lord, could the woman be any more innocent? Beth was associated with Mackenzies now That marked her in the eyes of the world "Felloill use you to get to us It’s his way"
"Does he use Isabella?"
"He tried He failed" Fellows had thought Isabella would hate all things Mackenzie once she’d walked out on Mac
He’d assumed she’d tell Fellows all their secrets, but Fellows had been so very wrong Isabella was the daughter of an earl, blue-blooded through and through, and she refused so even to speak to a mere policeman Her loyalty remained with Mac’s family
"There you are, then," Beth said "He’ll fail with ret it" "I told you, it’s too late for that I’ve come to know Isabella well, and I know she wouldn’t speak so fondly of you if she thought you capable of murder"
It was true that Isabella retained affection for Ian, Hart, and Caht ahen Mac had presented her the day after their elopement She’d been incredibly innocent, but she’d taken her plunge into their masculine world with aplomb
"Isabella believes in us"
Beth’s touch softened "If she does, I do, too" He felt his red anger lessening, the despair easing Beth believed him She was a fool to, but the fact that she did wormed its way into the empty spaces inside him "You’d take the word of a madman?" he asked
"You’re not a madman"
"I was put into that asylum for a reason I couldn’t convince the commission that I was sane"
She smiled "One of my husband’s parishioners firmly believed she was Queen Victoria She wore black bo brooches and talked constantly of her poor, deceased Albert I can’t believe you are as eccentric as she" Ian turned froo of his arm "When I was first released from the asylum I wouldn’t speak for three months"