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Robert got to his feet and took Lionel by the arm, leading him towards the door. “It is good to see you, old friend, and it makes my heart glad that you have been watching over my family. But the duchess and I now need some privacy. Everything is fine. I shall explain everything to you in detail at a later date. For now, would you kindly excuse us?”

“Of course. Whatever you need. I am not far away.”

“Thank you, Lionel.”

“You are welcome, my friend. I shall see you soon.”

Robert nodded before ushering him out of the door, then turned to face Georgiana. “We have much to talk about. Are you up for it?”

She blinked at him and then slowly nodded. “I am.”

“First, I would like to apologize for not thinking. I raced out of here like a bat out of Hell, trying to escape my demons. I did not stop to think how you would feel when you woke up and did not find me here. I was too busy imagining how I would not be able to live if you did not wake up.”

She nodded. “I see. Well, it is good to know that you were not purposely inconsiderate.”

He winced. “Indeed, I was not.”

“Unfortunately, the damage has been done. I did wake up to your absence. I had to contend with the possibility that you had once again abandoned me.”

“I did not aban?—”

“I am speaking. I let you speak, and nowIam speaking,” she interrupted.

He raised his hands in surrender.

“I had to contend with the possibility that you hadonce againabandoned me. The first time it happened I was hurt, but in a more abstract manner. I felt that you had bought a wife and then did not even have the patience to teach me how to be a wife. But this time, after we have been husband and wife to each other in every sense of the word, waking up to your abandonment was a knife in my heart. Whether you intended it or not, it taught me that I cannot rely on you.”

Robert opened his mouth to protest vehemently but then shut it again. It was his time to listen, and he intended to do that.

She saw his struggle and nodded with appreciation. “I understand your fear. I do. Loss is something that leaves a wound that never heals. If it is your choice to put that wound first, to feel that nothing is worth overcoming that pain, then I accept it. I just need you to tell me that it is so. I have lived a long time without relying on anyone but myself. I can do it again if I must. I just do not want to hear any more false promises.”

Robert clutched his chest, smiling ruefully. “Speaking of wounds, I feel as though you have just delivered one. It hurts me to hear you speak so. To know that I have hurt you in this way. The scales have dropped from my eyes. For the first time in a long time, I can see things clearly.”

He dropped his head in defeat. “There is nothing I can say or do to make this better. It hurts me to know that I have caused you pain and that I am responsible for wounding you. I need you to tell me if there is any way I can heal it; any panacea that will repair what I have done.”

“I need you to tell me the truth, Robert. I need you to be honest with me.”

“I am being honest. Ask me anything, and I will tell you true.”

“Tell me why you left.”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I was sitting by your bedside, just having tried to feed you some broth. Most of it ended up on the napkin, and I was feeling so desperate. You were so pale, your body was so still, and it was alarmingly reminiscent of my last days with Angela—I feared you might die.” His voice shook as he said it.

He met her eyes. “I thought that if I watched you die, my heart would give out. I feared that my sitting by your bed, praying for you to open your eyes, was angering whatever deity had it out for me. I feared it might take you from me just to smite me once again. I decided to leave and take with me whatever curse I carried so you could survive. I am aware that it sounds like superstitious nonsense, but at the time I was convinced that I had to get away before it was too late for you.”

She gave him a crooked smile. “I suppose my waking up during your absence vindicated your beliefs.”

He shrugged. “In a way, yes, it did. I cannot lie to you; the fear that I am cursed remains. However, if this incident has taught me anything, it is that there is more to life than justmyfeelings andmyfears. And I refuse to let you down again just because I cannot master myself.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“It means that if it is the last thing I do, I will make sure that you always know you can rely on me. It means that from this day forward, I shall be your rock and your protector and honor the vows that I made in front of the priest. It is time for me to be a man and leave childish ways behind.”

Georgiana took a long, deep breath. “It does my heart glad to hear you say that. But I also feel sad for the ‘boy’ you are leaving behind. His fears are also valid, and I want to be there for him, and for you. I want to honor my vows toyou;to be a bulwark and offer you support when you need it.”

He smiled sadly. “You always have been. It is your exemplary behavior that I wish to follow. Georgiana. I am sorry. Please forgive me for abandoning you in your time of need.”

She smiled tentatively and nodded. “I forgive you.”