His tears.
Why did that not horrify him as it should?
Because the greater horror is you are about to lose the only person that matters…the only woman you will ever love.
And now he had had a glimpse of what could have been.
How full his life would have been with her.
The joy.
So much damned joy.
“Oh, August,” she said softly, her palm curling against his cheek.
His eyes closed and he leaned into that benediction. “We always had the worst timing.”
“Th-the worst.”
“This would be a perfect time to give me one of those painfully bad jests,” she whispered. “D-Do you have one?”
A wistful goodbye.
“Not this time.” He smiled for her benefit—forgot his lips. “Maybe later.”
A fresh wave of tears filled her eyes. “Later.”
His stomach muscles seized.
She had already cried enough tears for him.
No.
Because of him.
The eldest Mr. Smith determined their time was at an end. “Come along, Meghan.”
He and Meghan looked at the executioner of their last moment together.
“And if I don’t?” she rejoined.
“You don’t have a choice, Meghan,” the older man said flatly.
Her mouth tightened.
Culross knew why.
Her brothers took her display as a show of temper. They didn’t have a brain between them to see how she resented the control they exerted over her.
She deserved so much more.
I will give you so much more…if you but let me…
The McQuoids and Smiths looked among one another.
A look passed between them.
Culross understood it—even if Meghan did not.
