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“Of course!” He exclaimed. “I could not risk harm coming to you, or any of the party.” He wanted to kiss her, to pull her toward him, and wrap her in his arms but knew he could not. They were not married yet, and to be engaged in such a display of affection, would be considered inappropriate, even among his dearest friends.

“Lord Cragshade will not rest until I am dead, will he? I cannot believe this man. I have a mind to plant a facer on him myself!” She stomped one foot, her outburst surprising Kenneth. Yet, he found it endearing for it showed him the strength of her character - one of the things that attracted him so much from the start.

“I have a mind to join you,” Jack announced.

“We may not have the opportunity to, as my father is at present searching my cousin’s chamber for evidence of a knife. In any case, he was seen by a witness and thus will surely be charged with the crime of attempted murder,” Kenneth declared.

“Zooks, he will go straight to the gaol. He does not have the protection of being a member of the nobility after all, given he has but a curtesy title,” Lord Caster declared.

“If he is the one who pushed Lady Ruth down the stairs, then it is the least he deserves. Rot away, he ought. Rot, I declare!” Jack said, the disgust evident in his voice.

“We must return to the manor at once,” the Duke chimed in. “We cannot let your father handle the situation by himself, we must aid him. If a knife is found in Lord Cragshade’s possession, surely the confrontation will be rather unpleasant.”

“Even if not, Lord Rotham said there was a witness. It ought to matter little if the tool used to commit the crime is found.” Kenneth turned to look at Lady Caster. She was a woman of a sharp, astute mind, not unlike Ruth. And of course, she was correct. As long as Cedric, the maid’s son, declared what he witnessed, there could be no doubt about it.

“Ruth cannot ride on the cut saddle,” the Duke said as the party mounted their horses once more. He was about to open his mouth again when Kenneth stepped forth.

“Do not fret, Your Grace. Ruth can ride Artemis with me, and we will have her horse trot beside us.”

At once, he assisted Ruth onto his horse and swung himself behind, aware at the curious glance her father gave him. This was, of course, not an acceptable way to ride with a lady, not even when courtship was official, but he no longer cared.

The feeling of Ruth so close to him, knowing she was safe in his arms, on his horse, was all he needed to find some respite from this sad turn of events. While he did not care for his cousin, he was family. Knowing a member of his own family was keen to kill the woman he loved was a feeling Kenneth did not wish upon his greatest enemy.

Jack rode past him on Lottie, but not before giving them a wink.

“Your Grace, let us ride ahead; it will take Artemis longer with two riders. My parents can bring up the rear with Ruth’s horse.”

At once, the Duke followed Jack and the two rode on back toward the manor while Lord and Lady Caster fell behind, the Earl leading Ruth’s horse beside his own.

“Oh, Kenneth. I knew we had to be vigilant. I knew I was correct in my assumption that it was your cousin who pushed me down the stairs. But having it confirmed is much more vexing than I ever would have thought.”

“I know, my darling Ruth. I am sorry that you had to endure such hatred. I hope you know this is not directed entirely at you at all. He wants to harm me. I venture to say the reason he has not yet attempted to take my life is simply that he knows if he were caught, the punishment would be much more severe as I am a future Peer of the Realm.”

“And I am a mere disfigured girl that is ridiculed and looked down upon.” There was no self-pity in her voice at all, just resignation – a fact which hurt Kenneth all the more.

“Ruthie…”

She turned at the sound of her familial nickname.

“Ruth, I truly believe Lawrence would attempt to eliminate every woman I chose or drive her away to increase his chances of becoming Duke. He always hoped I would die young. He desired for me to die. He cannot outright harm me, for if he were caught it would be a death sentence due to my position in society…” He stopped, feeling her breathing against his chest.

“If I were beautiful, he might find it harder to be so careless with my life. He might wish to drive me away, but not kill me. This he does because he sees me as less than human. A creature.”

“He is a shag-bag and a blunderbuss, nothing more. He is not worth your time nor your tears.”

She exhaled and leaned back against him until her head rested against his shoulder. The scent of her hair, a mixture of roses and cedarwood tickled his nose, a smell so intoxicating he found himself momentarily forgetting what they had been discussing.

“I am tired of it all, all the struggles and the fighting.”

“Close your eyes, Ruthie. Rest. Soon it will all be over, and we can start living our lives free from his influence.”

She turned slightly so that her scar was fully in his view. She pointed at it.

“But we will never be free of this.”

He shook his head, exhaling with frustration as Artemis trotted on, toward the path back to Goldclaw Manor.

“I do not care. Neither do any of the people who hold us dear. You are beautiful to me. You will be my wife and we will show the world that there is nothing to be ashamed of when one is a survivor of a tragedy as you are. Ruth…”