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“No one is to blame,” he said “The time has come for me to return I cannot avoid the place forever”

“The ghosts of the past only haunt us if we let thelass of brandy and moved to stand behind Rose “I should know” He put a hand on Rose’s shoulder, and she covered it with her own

“Has Miss Darcy explained what prompted her to leave hoh that somehow lessened the impact of such a blunt question

Vane cleared his throat “I have yet to ask her”

“I see” Rose sat back in the chair

Da told this wo he was too terrified to hear the truth He should leave now

“We all have our crosses to bear,” Rose continued “My father htmare Perhaps Miss Darcy’s father did the same”

“Lord Ravenscroft was a kind-heartedof character” Vane’s father had lured hi venture that had little hope of success Ravenscroft’s losses were heavy “But he loved his daughter”

A look akin to pity flashed in Rose’s eyes “Forgive me, but e believe and what is true are two very different things Letlady does not leave her only means of security, be it e outweigh the danger of leaving”

What the hell was she saying?

“So, Estelle would rather risk her life on a perilous voyage than ht the same for years But the way Estelle had looked at hi inn, convinced hi

Perhaps the injury to his head had muddled his mind

“What Rose is trying to say,” Lord Farleigh interjected, “is that perhaps another factor affected her decision One that made it impossible to stay Perhaps her father insisted she marry someone else You told me once before, your father practically ruined Lord Rave

nscroft Perhaps he held a grudge Perhaps you were the last person in the world he would perhter to marry”

Vane shook his head “Lord Ravenscroft was just as hurt and confused by Estelle’s sudden departure” Her father blans, about misplaced trust