Coulter, Catherine. Rosehaven / Catherine Coulter.

“I will not let him near me, Healer. Let us mount and go after him. I must get Eloise. Healer, please remain here to tell Severin what has happened if he returns.”

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O everin saw her facing de Luci at the cliff edge, her cloak billowing kjout behind her, the harsh sea wind lifting her hair off her face. Marjorie and Eloise stood behind de Luci where he’d shoved them, close to the cliffs edge.

De Luci’s four remaining men clustered around him, all armed, all ready. No one was moving. Hastings was speaking, but he was too far away to hear her words. He held up his hand, holding all his men silent and motionless.

“He has Marjorie,” Sir Alan said.

Severin grunted. He didn’t particularly care if de Luci took Marjorie to the Holy Land with him. If he never saw her again, he would count himself blessed. His eyes were on Hastings. What was she planning? He knew she was planning something. She occasionally thought of excellent strategies. He knew he would have to wait, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to strangle both her and Beamis for allowing this, when it was over. Pray God that it would be over soon, that she would be all right. It seemed a desperate prayer, but there was nothing else for him.

Hastings said very slowly, “You can escape, Richard. I will allow the men to let you go if you release Marjorie and Eloise now. There is nothing for you here. You must forget about Oxborough. It will never be-

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long to you. I cannot guard you. I cannot protect you. Do you understand me?”

But she saw the blank rage in his eyes, the mad hunger in his soul, knew that if she were closer, he would grab her, and in his madness, mayhap even hurl her over the cliff.

She spoke louder, to his men. “Listen, all of you. There is nothing for you to do. Will you kill me? Lady Marjorie and Eloise? Why? It will gain you nothing but a deep pit in hell. Sheath your swords. Walk away from this.”

De Luci screamed, “Any of you whoresons leave me and I’ll flay the hide from your backs!”

Several of his men were backing away. His words didn’t slow them. Hastings could see the impotent rage in his eyes, making him shake, and she knew deep down that he would never release his mad dream of what he believed should be his.

She felt the knife she held against her cloak. She wanted to go to him. She wanted the chance to stick her knife in his black heart, but she had promised Beamis to hold back.

It was at that moment that Hastings knew Severin was close. She knew he was waiting. He couldn’t come closer, for it would probably mean Eloise’s and Marjorie’s death.

De Luci turned to say something low to Marjorie. She shook her head at him, and he raised his fist. Then, suddenly, before he could strike, Marjorie grabbed Eloise and pulled her to the ground at the cliffs edge. They rolled once, twice, Marjorie’s arms around Eloise, then they disappeared over the edge, Eloise’s single scream rending the silent sky. Hastings felt her blood riot in her body. Marjorie had killed the both of them? Oh God, she couldn’t begin to bear this. She stared at de Luci, who had turned his head for a moment to look at where Marjorie and his daughter had stood. Then he shrugged. He merely shrugged. What had he said to Marjorie? What had she said to earn his fist? What threat had he made that had sent her and Eloise into oblivion?

Hastings could not have stopped herself even if she had thought

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deeply about it. De Luci had brought them to this. He was responsible for all the misery that had come upon them from the very beginning. He was a monster and he was mad. She raised the knife and threw herself at him, the knife coming down toward his chest in a high arc.

He grabbed her arm, but she was strong. Her rage made her even stronger. Beamis was upon them, but they were very close to the edge now, too close.

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