That was the sensible thing to do. But the thought of her leaving twisted something deep inside him. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Not yet. Taking a step closer, he found himself standing so near that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze .

“How did Charles convince you to depart for his estate?” he asked.

She lowered her gaze, but not before he saw a sadness lurking within the depths of her eyes. “He promised he would hire a Bow Street Runner to look into my father’s death if I left with him. I do believe that is our best chance to discover the truth.”

“I think you are right,” Niles said. “However, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that coming here at this hour was foolish, especially under these circumstances.”

“I know,” she admitted, bringing her gaze up. “But I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

His heart clenched. “I’m glad you did,” he said, reaching into his waistcoat pocket. He pulled out his pocket watch and held it up between them. “I want you to have this.”

She blinked, her brow furrowing as she stared at the watch. “I couldn’t. It was your father’s. It means so much to you.”

“It does,” he acknowledged, pressing the pocket watch into her palm. “But I want you to have something to remember me by.”

Her fingers closed around the watch, her grip firm. “Thank you, Niles,” she whispered. “I’ll treasure it. Always.”

He nodded, but the lump forming in his throat threatened to choke him. Before he could stop himself, the question tumbled out. “May I write to you?”

Her eyes widened for the briefest of moments before saying, “I would like that very much, but I’m not sure Charles would allow it.”

“I don’t care a whit about what Charles wants,” Niles said, his tone firm. “I need to know you’re well and being properly cared for.”

“Charles will keep me safe,” Elsbeth assured him.

Niles leaned closer. “That may be so, but you must promise me something. ”

“What?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“If you ever feel unsafe—if there’s ever a moment when you need me—you must let me know,” he said, his words almost a plea. “Promise me, Elsbeth.”

“I promise,” she said, her voice steady as she held his gaze.

He allowed himself a small, fleeting smile. “Then that’s all I can ask.”

“Goodbye, Niles,” she replied.

Niles knew he should say more, that he should tell her everything weighing on his heart.

That he loved her, and that he always would, no matter the consequences.

The words were there, lodged in his throat, burning to be released.

Yet, they stayed trapped, tethered by his fear, his duty, and the lingering thought that he might not be enough for her.

Coward.

The word echoed in his mind as he watched her carefully lift her skirts and step onto the windowsill.

He should stop her. He should tell her how much she meant to him, how much she had changed his life, how the thought of letting her walk out of it was unbearable.

But he didn’t. He remained rooted in place, his hands clenching at his sides as she climbed through the window.

She turned back briefly, her eyes catching his one last time, shimmering with unshed tears. “Thank you,” she murmured. “For everything.”

And then she was gone, disappearing into the night like a shadow swallowed by the darkness.

Niles stood there, rooted in place, as the silence of the room pressed in around him. A sharp, relentless pain spread through his chest and stole his breath. Was this truly the end? Could he let it end like this?

The answer clawed at him, but he pushed it down.

He couldn’t follow her. Not now. Not when the life he had so carefully constructed was at risk of crumbling entirely.

But as he returned to his chair and stared at the flickering candle, one thought consumed him: if this was truly goodbye, it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

A quiet rustling in the doorway pulled him from his thoughts. “I heard everything, Brother.”

Eugenie’s voice was soft but unwavering, laced with disappointment, maybe even pity. She stepped forward, her expression unreadable in the dim candlelight. “You can’t let her go. Not now.”

Niles let out a slow breath, shifting in his seat but refusing to meet her gaze. “She is leaving tomorrow with Lord Bedford. It is for the best.”

“The best for whom?” Eugenie challenged, moving farther into the room. “For Elsbeth? Or for you?”

“It does not matter.”

Eugenie huffed, folding her arms. “It matters to her. And whether you admit it or not, it matters to you.”

He said nothing, the silence between them stretching long and taut.

She took another step closer. “You always tell me that I deserve love. That I should fight for it. But what of you, Niles? Do you not deserve it, too?”

His hands curled into fists. He did not want to have this conversation. Not with her. Not with anyone. He wanted the luxury of sitting here in his misery, drowning in the knowledge that he had just let the most remarkable woman he had ever known slip through his fingers.

“Goodnight, Eugenie,” he said.

Eugenie, however, was not so easily dismissed. “You are a coward. You have a chance at real happiness, and you’re letting it slip from your grasp. For what? For pride? For fear?”

“You know not what you speak of.”

Eugenie let out a humorless laugh, tilting her head as she studied him. “No? Then answer me this—when you wake up tomorrow and realize she’s gone, when you watch another man stand beside her, will you feel relief? Or will you feel regret?”

The words hit their mark. He knew it. She knew it.

He rose from his seat and came to a stop beside her. “She is gone. Let’s leave it at that.” His voice was quiet, edged with something almost resigned.

Eugenie said nothing more. She only watched as he turned and walked away, disappearing down the corridor toward his bedchamber—leaving behind only the echo of missed chances and the truth he wasn’t yet ready to face.