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"You will have a terrible scar"

He smiled wryly "I shall wear it with pride and mendacity"

"Mendacity?" she echoed, unable to contain her aarded the huge wound on his leg "I was thinking I er In Caed "It’s more likely than a shark"

"Wild boar," she decided

"Now that’s just undignified"

She pressed her lips together, then let out a little bubble of laughter He did, too, and it was only then that she allowed herself to believe it: He was going to get better It was a miracle She could think of no other word to describe it The color had returned to his face, and if perhaps he looked a little too thin, that was nothing co to be all right

"Honoria?"

She looked up in question

"You swayed," he said "I would help you, but"

"I do feel a little unsteady," she said,her way to the chair by his bed "I think"

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes," she said "No Well, some I probably should do I think I’m justrelieved" And then, to her ut her like a tall ocean wave Every bit of her had been wound so tightly She had pulled herself as long and as far as she could go, and now that she kneould be well, she fell apart

She was like a violin string, pulled taut, and then snapped in two

"I’ for breath between the sobs "I don’t knowI didn’t meanI’ her hand "It’s all right Everything is going to be all right"

"I know," she sobbed "I know That’s why I’, too," he said softly

She turned There were no tears rolling down his face, but his eyes et She had never seen hiht it possible With a tre hand, she reached out and touched his cheek, then the corner of his eye, drawing her fingers back when one of his tears slid onto her skin And then she did so so unexpected that it took both of the her face in the crook of his neck, and held tight "I was so scared," she whispered "I don’t think I even kne scared I was"

His arms came around her, hesitantly at first, but then, as if he needed only that little push, he relaxed into the e her hair