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Miranda sed She should leave She should slap hiain and then leave, but she was a wretch, and she couldn't help herself when she said, "I'm sorry she made you so unhappy"

His eyes flew to hers "Gossip travels all the way to the schoolroom, does it?"

"No!" she said quickly "It's just that…I could tell"

"Oh?"

She chewed on her lip, wondering what she should say There had been gossip in the schoolroom But more than that, she'd seen it for herself He'd been so in love at his wedding His eyes had shone with it, and when he looked at Leticia, Miranda could practically see the world falling away It was as if they were in their own little world, just the two of the from the outside

And the next time she saw him…it had been different

"Miranda," he prodded

She looked up and gently said, "Anyone who knew you before your e could tell that you were unhappy"

"And how is that?" He stared down at her, and there was soent in his eyes that Miranda could only tell hih," she said softly "You used to laugh, and your eyes twinkled"

"And now?"

"Now you're just cold and hard"

He closed his eyes, and for a ave her a piercing stare, and one corner of his mouth tilted up in a wry mockery of a sainst a bookcase "Pray tell row so perceptive?"

Miranda sed, fighting the disappointain For a moment- when his eyes had been closed- it had al behind them "I've always been so," she said "You used to co brown eyes," he said with a heartless chuckle "Following me everywhere Do you think I didn't know you fancied me?"

Tears pricked Miranda's eyes How could he be so cruel to say it? "You were very kind to me as a child," she said softly

"I daresay I was But that was a long tio"

"No one realizes thatAnd then finally-

"Go "

His voice was hoarse and pained and full of heartbreak

She went

And in her diary that night, she wrote nothing

The following , Miranda ith one clear objective She wanted to go home She didn't care if she missed breakfast, she didn't care if the heavens opened and she had to slog through the driving rain She just didn't want to be here , with hi, on the saone The Turner she'd known, the Turner she'd adored- he was gone She'd sensed it, of course She'd sensed it on his visits home The first time it had been his eyes The next his er etched at the corners

She'd sensed it, but until now she had not truly allowed herself to know it

"You're awake"

It was Olivia, fully dressed and looking char black

"Unfortunately," Miranda muttered