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His eyes closed and the grip on her hand went slack.
‘You will learn to do so,’ she whispered again, pulling her fingers free. ‘And so shall I.’
* * *
By the following morning Randall was showing a marked improvement. When Mary carried his breakfast into the room she found him propped against a bank of pillows. Robbins had just finished shaving him and he looked so much like his old self that her heart turned over, first soaring with love for him before it plummeted down into the depths of despair. He no longer needed her to nurse him, she must go. It was with the greatest difficulty that she kept her tears at bay and greeted him with a cheerful good morning.
‘You are looking much better today,’ she remarked, putting the tray down across his knees.
‘I do not feel it.’ He paused until Robbins had gone out and closed the door. ‘You are determined to leave me?’
‘Yes, Lieutenant Foster says you are out of danger.’
‘Mary.’ He caught her wrist. ‘I told you once I am no good with soft words, but please, stay and talk to me.’
She stiffened, staring at his hand until, reluctantly, he released her.
‘There is nothing to say, my lord.’
‘But there is. You must listen to me.’
‘Must?’ She bridled instantly. ‘I am not one of your minions, Lord Randall. There is nothing I must do where you are concerned.’
‘Then let me plead. I beg you to listen to me.’
‘No!’ She put her hands to her temples. ‘I have made up my mind. We cannot make each other happy. Our worlds are too different, my lord. It is best we part now.’
‘I do not believe that,’ he exclaimed. ‘I will never believe it. Beneath it all we are a man and a woman, Mary. We are in love. There has to be a way.’
She gave a little sob. ‘Oh, why must you make this so difficult?’
‘Because it has taken me thirty years to find you, Mary Endacott. I do not intend to let you slip away so easily.’
Not trusting herself to reply, she hurried out of the room. Robbins was waiting in the sitting room and he gave her a searching look. Fearing he might ask her questions that would make her cry, Mary spoke quickly.
‘When is Lieutenant Foster calling?’
‘Noon, miss. Plenty of time for you to get some sleep and I’ll wake you when he comes. Not that I think he will find anything wrong with his lordship now. Looking very much more his old self this morning, I thought.’
‘Yes, he is, Robbins. So you will not be needing my help any more, will you?’
‘Well, as to that, miss...’
She gave him her brightest smile. ‘I am sure I can be of more use back at the schoolhouse now. I shall collect up my things, and as soon as the lieutenant has confirmed Lord Randall is recovering well I shall remove myself. I have no doubt you will be relieved not to have me fussing around you.’
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‘I shouldn’t say that, Miss Endacott. I couldn’t have managed without you and that’s a fact.’
This unexpected praise from the taciturn manservant made Mary’s heart ache even more and, muttering her excuses, she went to her room. It did not take her long to pack her bag and afterwards she lay down on the narrow bed. It would break her heart to leave Randall, but it must be done. His treatment of her at the ball had shown her just how far apart they were. He had blamed her for the loss of his sword and for leading his sister astray. She was innocent on both counts. Robbins had told her the thief was his own brother and as for Lady Sarah, Mary did not think she had ever held any influence over her at all. And what Randall would say if he found out Sarah had accompanied her to the battlefield she did not like to think.
Mary turned on to her side and curled into a ball. Really, with the exception of Harriett every member of the Latymor family was arrogant and overbearing. She would never find happiness with them; she had been foolish to ever think she might. But it did not stop her shedding a few more tears into her already damp pillow before she eventually fell asleep.
* * *
She awoke some hours later to the sounds of commotion. She sat up quickly, rubbing her eyes. Surely that was not Randall’s voice she could hear, raised in anger? Shaking out her skirts, she went to her door and opened it, in time to see a flash of uniform and hear the clatter of boots on the wooden stair. When she entered the earl’s apartment she found Robbins coming out of the bedchamber, his face even more sombre than usual.
‘Was that Major Flint I saw leaving?’
