Marcus held her closer. “No,” he said at last. “He wasn’t wrong. But he made a far greater miscalculation.”
Her pulse fluttered. “Which was?”
“He thought you were a weakness.”
A shiver traced her spine.
Marcus lifted his hand, slow and careful, and brushed a curl from her cheek. “You are not,” he said. “You never were. You fought him. You misled him. You gave me the opening that brought him down.”
Heat rose, tight and sudden, in her throat.
“You saved me,” he added quietly.
She swallowed. “You saved me, too.”
“Yes,” he said. “But that is not the same thing.”
His gaze held hers. Intent. Unwavering. So honest it hurt. The kind of honesty that asked nothing and demanded everything.
“It has been a long time,” he said, “since anyone stood at my side instead of behind me.”
“Then let it not be the last.”
The words surprised her, but she did not draw them back.
Marcus’s breath caught, his lips parting as if she had reached into his chest and touched something raw and unguarded.
A carriage rattled nearby, breaking the moment.
“We need to get you home,” he said, his voice rougher now.
“Rosehaven—”
“No.” Too quick. Then softer. “Not tonight. Wolfton Hall is closer. Henry is waiting.”
Her chest tightened. “Is he all right?”
“No,” Marcus said. “Not until he sees you.”
They rode thelast streets in silence. Not awkward. Not strained. Full of everything neither had yet dared to say.
The lamps at Wolfton Hall still burned when they arrived. Marcus helped her down and instructed the stable boy to return the mare in the morning.
They reached the door. It opened before Marcus touched the handle.
Mrs. Pritchard stood there, pale with worry.
Henry burst past her like an arrow loosed. “Miss Edgewood!” he exclaimed.
Before Lila could brace, he flung himself at her waist, hard enough that she had to step back into Marcus to stay upright.
Marcus steadied her, his hands firm at her shoulders.
Henry clung to her. “You’re safe, you’re safe. Papa said he’d find you. I didn’t know. I didn’t know—”
Lila bent and cupped his face. “I’m here. And you were brave.”
Henry sniffed, fighting tears. “I should have stopped them.”
