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"My sister knew she left?" It appeared he was in fact the last to know

Nodding, he stalked fro room and up the stairs, determined to locate his errant wife and teach her that she could not run away from him simply because she disapproved of the way he handled matters with his sister He would not stand for it He wanted her back In his bed In his life Regardless that she believed herself in love with hio on as if she had never made that foolish declaration

He stopped suddenly, one hand poised to knock on Julianne’s door

Dragging a hand over his face, he cursed Haring off after Jane would show her precisely how much control she wielded over hiain

Fine Let her re after her like some lovesick fool

Suddenly the door opened Julianne stood there, pale and expressionless

"I thought I heard your footsteps" Leaving the door open, she turned and ed that she was at least speaking to hi as she took a seat on a chaise near the

"How are you feeling?" he asked

She snorted, s humorlessly "You expect s as whims? When you bullied the man I want to marry out of my life?"

"That is not--"

"Save your denials You’re here about Jane, aren’t you? Have you only realized she just left?"

"Yes," he admitted "Did she speak with you before she left? Did she say she was going to the cottage?"

"Yes She felt sorry for leavingmore painful than you already have, and that she needed to do as best for her"

"You make htfully "You’re no monster Merely a man Flawed, to be certain It’s wonder Jane loves you"

His chest tightened at his sister’s words "She said that did she?"

"She didn’t have to It’s why she left, of course" She faced the , staring out of it almost as if she could see "I hope you’ll leave her be"

"Of course I won’t" He inhaled sharply "She’s ged "Same difference Why do you care if you live apart from her?"

He opened his mouth to explain, then shut it with a snap

Why do you care if you live apart fro to formulate a reason One he could tolerate And not the one pushing at his carefully erected barriers

Julianne’s sht so"

"It’s not right," he snapped, scowling "A husband and wife should live beneath the sa on his heel, he called over his shoulder "I’ her home"

"She won’t come," Julianne retorted "And who could blame her?"

She’ll come, Seth vowed He would not return without her No hter about her shoulders at the sudden gust of wind that threatened to rip the warlance to the heavens revealed dark skies rolling overhead A stor, she headed back down the beach, intent on returning to the cottage Her slippers sank into soft sand as she walked, disappointed that the co storm had cut short her afternoon stroll

The wind picked up, tearing strands of her hair free fro the tendrils across her eyes Scraping the loose hair back off her face, her vision narrowed on a figure e in the distance

Her steps slowed as she watched the shape grow and take shape into aabout hi into her chest as his face caht, as if she would take flight, as if there was so to hold her ground, she stopped, not taking another step as he advanced on her, the grily visible

At last, he was upon her She noted her fingers had grown numb where they clutched her shawl around her

Before she had any idea what shehis jaw One word escaped hi "Never"

"Why did you come? I don’t want you here" She stared into his eyes, dark and unreadable in the graying light "Please don’t make this more difficult--"

"I’m afraid it’s too late for that"

"Why? Why can’t you let me be?" A desperate sob scalded the back of her throat "Do you wish to punishher oords, "to take s"