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Roan lifted Louise cradle like and started for the house

Maurice guided his horse through the hubbub of the busy toards the main pike, southeast, which would take hieton Not today

Today had not been a good visit

Inside the inner pocket of his pale blue riding jacket, near his heart, were two tickets for passage on the Southa for Cornwall in five days He ounded, deeply wounded He had actually believed Heather ht stay

The feel of Heather’s body in his ar…was vivid in hishih he should betray her trust and tell her there wasn’t a passenger ship leaving for Cornwall for months He could do that, but…no, he could not

What a fool he had been to think his tender love had actually ive him up?

“Ah bah,” he told his horse “I a It is because I a she could in her goodbye”

She felt friendship, oui, she felt gratitude, of course, but nothing more

He felt old and worn and totally devastated How does one part with one’s life and yet go on living? Heather had become his life

He was a fool to let her go

He was a fool to give in to his own gentle nature and purchase her the means to leave Damn, such a fool!

He thought about the day she would leave and go to the Englishman, this Godwin, the father of her child Would this Godwin keep her safe this time? He had failed her before What would Heather do if she returned and Godas a cad and rejected her?

Ah, impossible No man would reject such as Heather How could they?

Heather was his love and she would soon be lost to hione