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“You are too kind, your grace.”

“Not at all.” With a final dip of his head, Grantham left the room, meeting Barlow just outside the door, who escorted him from Linmere.

I rushed out into the corridor to find Mary waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

“He’s been moved into his father’s room on account of it being, well, more easily accessible.” She almost winced, her eyes full apology, for I am sure that my face betrayed the horror that I felt.

“The room where his father died?” I asked, before dashing up the stairs to the first room to the left. The room I had not stepped foot in since that day, that first day I had seen Azriel again.

Now he himself lay in that bed, looking so pale and ghastly it terrified me. His left arm was in a sling, a thick bandage wrapped around his shoulder. Blood was still splattered over his neck and bare chest, mingled with yellow drops of iodine.

He turned his head to look at me as I stood in the door, and gave me a crooked smile.

“You needn’t stand there like that, I’m hardly going to fall apart.” His voice was gravelly and coarse, his eyes dull and bloodshot. “Come here, beloved. I long to hold your hand.”

I rushed across the room and threw myself on the bed, sobbing as I clasped on to his right hand. “I was so frightened!”

“Oh, come now, Evie, look at me, beloved.” He curled his hand under my chin, lifting my face. “I am well, I promise.”

“You did not even say goodbye.”

“What for? I am here, am I not?”

I sobbed even louder and crawled in under his arm, laying my cheek against his chest, soaking him with tears. “I could not bear the thought of losing you. I could not. It was awful.” I sat up, and shook my head, angrily dashing away my tears. “If you ever do something like that again, ever, I swear I’ll shoot you myself.”

“There she is,” Azriel said with a chuckle. “My little viper.”

“I mean it.” My lip trembled, and I clasped his hand to my cheek. “You are the first person I have ever loved. Losing you would be losing a part of my soul.”

His face softened, and his thumb stroked over my cheek. “So you do love me then?”

“Yes. I love you. Because I chose it. Because I want to. Because you are the only person who has ever seen me.”

“I do. I do see you, Evie.” He curled his hand gently around the back of my neck, and drew me down onto the bed again. “And in case it was not clear, I love you, too.”

I laughed through my tears, putting a hand to his chest. “Yes, I had thought you might.”

30

LADY DE LA CROIX’S THREAT

Azriel’s speedy recovery was remarkable, but nothing less than I expected from a cad like him. The doctor administered iodine, and no infection set in. Within a matter of days, Azriel was walking about again, and had it not been for the sling, one would not have even known anything had happened.

I, on the other hand, was not quite as relaxed.

And an unexpected visitor one week after the duel did nothing to appease my worries.

“Lady de la Croix has come to call on you, madam,” Mary said haltingly, eyes wide and face pale. “Shall I send her away?”

I quickly rose from my chair by the fireplace, Gertie grumbling from where she had been sleeping at my feet.

“No, I shall come down. But please do not inform Mr Caine that Lady de la Croix is here.”

“Yes, madam.” Mary looked as though she wanted to jump out of her skin, and I could not blame her. I did not feel particularly confident about this meeting myself.

Lady de la Croix stood in the foyer of Linmere, dressedall in black, her hands clasped across the loose bodice that draped over her swollen belly.

She glared at me as I approached, her disdain seeping through the veil that covered her face.