Oh, how she wanted to smack the mockery out of his tone. “I’m beginning to understand.”
“Faulty reasoning.”
“Perhaps.”
“Guys,” Olivia said, “there’s no need to argue. I already decided I would go.”
The duke’s sharp intake of breath sounded as if he had received a mortal wound.
“I’m just saying you can change your mind,” Kalli said softly.
“I won’t.”
For whatever reason, Olivia was determined to go back to her own time. Kalli didn’t understand it, since they were both so patently miserable. But there was nothing she could do if Olivia agreed to go, and the duke would not fight for her to stay. She nodded, weary to the bone of all the emotions in this room.
Dariux looked furious. The duke, grim and stoic. Olivia looked as miserable and exhausted as herself. She felt an odd sense of kinship with this woman.
Olivia stood, and the duke immediately followed, touching her elbow in solicitude. The small gesture of support, despite her resolve to leave him, was hard to witness unmoved.
“Thank you for seeking me out and clearing everything,” Olivia said. “You said you are departing a week from now. Where and when will we meet again?”
“At the country estate. It is necessary to depart from the same place we arrived, or nearby. The machine can travel in time, but not in space. We can meet at the manor on Sunday, before sunrise at five on the clock. You must bring the car. It can’t be left behind,” Dariux replied.
Olivia nodded. “Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go rest for a bit.”
Kalli jumped at the opportunity to leave. “Yes, of course.”
Dariux said nothing, merely turned and left, looking unaffected by all the pain they had caused. His only emotion seemed to be outrage at her for going against his wishes.
The ass.
CHAPTER 24
No sooner had theyset foot on the street than Dariux turned on Kalli.
“What the hell was that about?” he demanded.
