Now, she’d only two questions to answer…where should she go?
And for how long should she stay away?
The answer to the first came readily enough.
Her twin, her other half, was the only one in the world who could stitch her flayed skin back to her body. However, Eliza was married to Harbury’s sworn brother, possibly posing a problem.
But the problem could not be helped.
If Adrian knew what was good for him—and he’d always struck her as a perceptive and intelligent man—he wouldnotcome between two sisters, let alone twins.
The second question, though, she could not yet answer.
Even if she could define what she wanted from him now, she did not have the means, let alone the will, to fight. She was exhausted.
She lifted the latch and pushed open the door to her chamber.
Mercy’s head popped up, suddenly alert. He threw back his head and let out a happy bark, then he ambled over to her feet with his sweet, fluffy ears flopping, punctuating his progression with a series of excited yips.
Despite herself, she smiled.
She scooped him up and buried her nose into his soft puppy fur. The dog licked her cheek and whimpered, struggling to see over her shoulder.
“He’s not coming,” she murmured consolingly.
Mercy whined.
“Don’t you defend him! I’mfurious. And, besides, you always take his side, don’t you?”
Mercy ceased wiggling, then fixed his soulful puppy gaze on hers as if to say, “But we love him.”
“I know.” She grunted. “You’re thinking whatever he’s done is not his fault. You’re thinking he can’t help himself from falling into scrapes any more than you could resist destroying my favorite pair of slippers.”
Mercy dipped his head.
She hugged the dog close. “Still, he was a very bad boy, and he must suffersomeconsequences.”
Mercy let out another, mournful whine.
“Consequences,” she repeated. “You understand those, right?”
Shewasgoing to leave.
And she was going to stay away until either she felt strong enough to fight for him or he came to his senses and decided to fight for her.
Ifhe came to his senses at all.
He could force her back, of course. Not only was the law on his side, but underneath her searing pain, her love for him persisted.
Stubbornly.
Irrationally.
As faithful as Mercy’s own adoration of the man.
“I belong in Bedlam,” she confided.
Mercy looked away, as if seriously considering whether or not he agreed.
