Page 87 of Vistaria Has Fallen

Nick stared straight ahead, his face a mask. “Sí, Duardo?”

“Dile que estaba equivocada…Si no hubiera insistido en cumplircon mi deber, habría tenido la alegría de ser su marido. Incluso un solo día. Yo habría estado orgulloso.”

Minnie’s face crumpled and she wept, showing she had understood part of it. Enough of it.

Nick took a breath and swallowed. “Minnie, he said, ‘Tell her I was wrong. If I had not insisted on doing my duty, then I would have had the joy of being her husband.—’”

Minnie gave a choked cry asDuardo’s head rolled to one side.

“‘Even a single day. I would have been proud,’” Nick finished, his voice a flat rasp.

Minnie buried her head against Duardo’s chest, holding him.

Calli watched, too numb with shock to comfort her.

Beside the silent pair, Nick reached up and thumped the door frame with the side of his fist. Once. Twice. And a third time that traveled through the metal and madethe craft shiver.