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Edge wished the doctor would come He didn’t want to talk about this, even with Rafe He wanted to push it underground as he’d been trying to ever since her revelations in Richmond To be patient and woo Sa core But he kneas pulling away from her and he couldn’t seem to stop

Rafe was right about him He took his pain into a cave and hid He didn’t want to be second best with her Another Ricki—filling a void created by soed deep into his chest, gouging at hireedy—he wanted to be at her centre as much as she was at his He wanted to reach into her and rip out the bastard that had left her trying to patch her life around him

He sank his hands into his hair again and told Rafe everything

Sae She staked her iround and dropped a pyramid atop it, but it still had her by the throat

She knew the doctor had couest room She’d watched the various o—with clothes and towels and food and shaving implements Tubbs had taken pity on her and told her the doctor had cleaned and dressed the wound and given his opinion that it would heal well now But other than that she’d asked no questions and made no demands aside from a pot of tea which was now cold

She kept waiting for Edge to co would be all right now His brother was safe Noas free toto what? With a strange sense of panic she realised she did not knohat he wanted fro she kneith a clarity that ranked alongside a Cartesian certainty, was that she loved Edge Everything else felt fliht she’d wanted a ho

Except Edge

And he was fading away again

She closed her eyes and knocked on the door

Patience, patience, patience

‘Sam?’

She opened her eyes Edge stood in the doorway He was in his shirtsleeves and had taken off his cravat and waistcoat Just as he had looked on the Lark—beautiful but distant Her heart squeezed; she wanted so desperately to reach for him, but of course she didn’t

‘How is he?’

He glanced over his shoulder towards the open door of the bedroom

‘Asleep A little feverish, but the doctor believes that is more loss of blood than infection He says he needs rest and feeding I would like him to stay here a few days if you don’t object’

‘Of course I don’t object, Edge I am so happy for you’

She stood like a fool, waiting for him to touch her, to ask her in or to take her to their roo but stand there

‘Did he explain? About disappearing and Miss Osbourne and everything’

‘Yes It isco that need concern you’

She breathed in, her te into life