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Finally Kate lifted her head "Just don’t tellout the words "I couldn’t stop breathing, I couldn’t stop loving--" She lost her voice in a sob

"I’ently backward, so she was lying down "I a yourself ill" She got up and went to the washbasin, bringing back a cool, damp cloth "Put this over your eyes"

So Kate lay there under the wet cloth, feeling the sting of her swollen eyes, and the way her chest still hurt froers twined in hers

"I won’t tell you to stop loving him," Henry finally said, "because I know it’s not possible"

"My father"

"I cried for a hen I heard he died I cried on his wedding night; I cried when your mother died, because I kneould be hurt by it" There was a ave a watery chuckle "I don’t either Ever "

Henry’s fingers tightened "I’m so sorry, Kate I’m just so sorry All I can tell you is that life can be joyful, even if one of the people you love isn’t beside you Because there will be others I know it doesn’t feel that way, but it’s true You’ll marry--"

"That’s the worst of it," Kate burst out "How a to marry anyone no that I know--I know" She fell silent, unable to put into words what it was like to nestle in Gabriel’s arainst him, to make love to him "I couldn’t," she said flatly His scent was imprinted in her skin, and the way he shook when she touched hireild and needy

"I know," Henry said "I know" She got up "I’e your cloth Your eyes look like raisins soaked in brandy"

"Char

"Love isanother cold one in its place It was a little too wet, and a drop of chill water rolled down Kate’s cheek Even as Kate was reaching to wipe it off, Henry patted her dry "Messy, messy, messy"

"I hate it," Kate said, with conviction

"Well, I don’t Because it’s better to live like a flame, Kate, to know a man and love him, even if he can’t be yours, than never to love at all"

"There will be no one else for me" She said it out of the quiet conviction that it was true

"Do you think I believed your father was perfect?"

Kate gave a strangled half giggle "I doubt it"

"He wasn’t," Henry stated

Kate nearly took off her cloth to see Henry’s face, but at that et up and walk across the room "He was not perfect," Henry repeated "He was a fool who believed that money was more important than love, that the two of us would never be happy together because he couldn’t provide for me as he felt he should"

"Stupid ass," Katewell-fed" There was laughter in her voice The cloth disappeared from Kate’s eyes and Henry peered down at her "Much better," she said with satisfaction "I’ll get one ain And then, over the splashing of water, she asked: "What does she look like, Henry?"

"The little Russian, you mean?"

"Gabriel’s bride," Kate said "What is she like?"