She paused at her father’s side and tilted her head toward Matthew. The blasted mask still hid her expression. A sullen trickle of blood seeped from the wound at her throat, reminding him how close he’d come to losing her.
So why did he feel like he was losing her now?
“Goodbye, Lord Sheene,” she said huskily.
Goodbye? What bloody nonsense was this? “Christ, Grace! You can’t go! Not like this!”
She turned away. “I must. I came to free you, my lord, and to see justice done. Now all matters between us are at an end. I wish you every happiness.”
“Grace, no!” He staggered forward, reaching for her even as she moved with her father toward the door. “Wait! What in God’s name are you doing?”
She looked back and the full lips he’d kissed so often curved in a sad smile. “I’m returning you to the world, my lord. A world I can never share.”
“That’s not true! What do I want with freedom if you’re not there to share it?” She plunged a knife into his vitals then twisted it.
She shook her head in wordless denial. She trembled. He couldn’t doubt she suffered. But why was she doing this?
Her voice broke. “Don’t, I beg you. Matthew, don’t make this worse than it is already. I knew from the moment I met you that anything more between us was impossible. Please…just let me go.” She bent her head and let her father lead her from the room.
“Grace! Grace, stop!” Matthew called, but she didn’t pause.
This couldn’t be happening. He wouldn’t let it happen. He forced his leaden feet into clumsy pursuit.
Kermonde grabbed him before he’d taken more than a step. “Let her go. This isn’t the time.”
It mightn’t be the time but it might be his only time. He shook off Kermonde’s restraining hand and set out after her.
Grace was pathetically grateful she had her father’s arm to cling to as she stepped into the night. Her terror when Monks had grabbed her still crashed through her blood like thunder and her legs felt as though they’d crumple. Her mind replayed that horrific moment when he’d jerked her into his massive chest and scraped the chain across her neck.
She barely credited Matthew’s astounding feat of marksmanship. Then had followed the nightmare instant when Monks’s lumbering body had dragged her down with him.
Death’s cold bony fingers had brushed her tonight. Monks had meant to kill her. His murderous rage had been palpable.
But worse by far than Monks’s attack had been telling Matthew goodbye.
She’d seen him for the last time. As she’d promised herself four long months ago, she’d liberated him from his uncle. Now she’d liberated him from her.
She couldn’t bear it.
Tears stung her eyes, dampened the horrible mask. She stumbled blindly, hardly aware where she went. Hardly caring. Without Matthew, there was nowhere she wanted to go.
“It’s all been too much for you, Grace.” Her father frowned with concern as her step faltered again. “Kermonde was right. You shouldn’t have come.”
“I had to be here,” she said in a muffled voice. She swallowed to ease the lump of misery that choked her and winced at the pain in her bruised throat.
“Grace, wait!” she heard Matthew shout from the house.
Her stomach cramped with wretchedness. Matthew was a fighter. He’d doggedly fought for his sanity and his freedom and his pride through the last eleven years. Misguided as the attempt was, he’d fight for her.
Of course he wouldn’t just farewell her with an acquiescent nod of his dark head. Although it would be kinder to both of them if he did.
“Take me home, Papa,” she said brokenly.
What a coward she was to hope she could rush away before she had to confront Matthew. She couldn’t summon courage to stay and endure his pain. She rejected him for his sake but he wouldn’t understand that until he’d tasted the world he’d never known.
“Just a word, Grace,” Matthew said with a bark of command from behind her. She’d forgotten how quickly and how quietly he could move. His hold was implacable as it closed on her upper arm. He swung her around to face him. “Surely you can spare me that much.”
Yes, surely she could. She bit her lip and reluctantly lifted her head until she met his eyes. Her father released her and stepped away.