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She’d smiled bitterly "Thank you"

And now, she was late because of him

The skirts of her new taffeta day dress rustled in the lofty silence of her childhood church, a cold, stone building that made her footsteps echo The sound bounced around and her breath quickened unexpectedly Why was it so very quiet? Where was her father? Her sisters? They were to ?

"Hello?" Her soft call becaan to pound Where was Martin? The reverend?

The ht her attention, and she followed it to the vestry

"Are you sure, son?"

"Yes I… I apologize, Reverend I--"

Martin’s words were cut short as Miranda stepped through the door They faced each other for one thick ave her a sht

"Miranda You look beautiful"

Her fingertips had gone numb, indeed, so had her face She could not smile back, nor look upon the reverend as he slipped out of the roo she could think to say To ask why he was apologizing to the reverend was to risk a cut that she feared would not heal

He took a hesitant step toward her, and she ainst her Cold pain shot through her chest

"We should get started," she said "Surely Reverend Spradling is waiting for us"

"Pan--"

"Whatever it is, Martin, you can tell me later" Gods, she had become such a coward Her lower lip trembled, and she

bit it hard

"Miranda," he said softly, "I can’t do it" He ran a hand through his hair "I cannot--"

"No" She held up a hand "Do not…" A deep breath did not help "Do not say it, Martin"

His chin firmed "I can’t marry you"

Her shoulders hit the hard stone ith a thud She could only stare at hiht I knew you" His voice came from a distance, the tone of it nearly a buzz in her ears "It turns out I never did"

"You know h stiff, cold lips Her sto close to her true self

A spark of anger lit his eyes "Truly?" She watched his fists clench "I knew a thief? A woht if I displeased her?"

Somehow she sed and found the ability to move her mouth "I would never hurt you, Martin Never"

"Never," he spat "When have I heard that before? Right, the night after you burned down your father’s warehouse"

"I was ten!" She didn’t knohere she’d found the strength to shout, but it felt good Bloody good

"My parents lost everything they had that night!" The veins on his neck bulged "Have you learned nothing from that?"

"Have you?" she countered "Or would you lay it all at ht that fire"

He flinched "Aye, I did And I would live with that, live happily with you, had you stopped your antics then and there But you haven’t, have you?" He moved away from her with a sneer "You lit up a man"

"You knohy I did so!"

Martin looked at her from over his shoulder "Yes, let us discuss why" He ca and another low-life criround her teeth "I steal because I have to"

"Your choices are lacking in good judgment, Miranda"

The air about her heated Miranda drew in a long breath and held it for ain her face, for he recoiled

"Even now you are tempted to fry ust that so inside Miranda died All the heat inside her went ice cold

"If you were responsible for ruining your father, would you say no to his wishes, Martin?" She sed "Yes, I’ve ht by those I love"

"You are a beautiful woht have loved you well, but I cannot live with…" A scoisted his features "Do not look athell!"

Miranda flinched as he took a hard step toward her His hands bunched into fists "You’re all I’ve ever known, Miranda Have you any idea how hard this is for me?"

For him? Hot pressure built up behind her eyes "You are all I’ve ever known as well, Martin Do not end it this way" Her breath caught "Do not end it"

But he shook his head slowly "It is you who has ended it I want a normal life A normal wife I’d rather live alone, however, than live a life pretending to love a round his teeth at the sound of her sharp hiss, but then forged on as if he hadn’t just slashed through her heart with his words "With so and sure as he passed her

"I’ot to the door

Miranda blinked away a veil of tears "What about Father?" she croaked, then licked her lips "The ship?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him pause, but he did not turn to look at her "I spoke with hireed to keep me on"

Miranda sucked in a breath He’d told her father first? Secured a place with hi A red haze swam over her vision, followed shortly by the scald of tears She would not let hirew darker

Don’t go Stay Tell me you need me Tellher all alone

Forget crying She was going to be ill, all down the front of her precious pink taffeta

"Be well," he said

Tords to end a lifetime of friendship

Chapter 7

London, later in the day