His Lady Mistress

296 His Lady MistressVerity huddled against her pillows, her hands wrappedaround a cup of tea.For a moment Max just looked at her, unable to believethat she was alive. That somehow she had been spared.She looked up at him. ‘Max—will there be a trial?’ Hereyes were huge, shadowed.‘No, dearest. He’s dead. He’ll have to face a higher court.’‘I...I meant...me.’‘You?’She still believed that it was her fault. Three swift strideshad him beside her on the bed. Grimly he removed the teacupfrom her icy hands and enveloped them in his, pulling herinto the shelter of his shoulder. Gently he held her, feelingthe tremors rack her body.‘Verity, listen to me. You have never killed anyone. NotGodfrey and not your father. They made their own decisions.You were never responsible for either of them. You were achild when your father died. And as for Godfrey—’ He brokeoff, unable to speak for the aftershocks of terror shudderingthrough him as he carefully touched the mark on her cheekwhere the ball had grazed it. She had been that close to death.‘I threw a rock—a flint, I think. It hit the horse so that itreared. That was—’He interrupted savagely, ‘Why he ambushed you in a seamist with two loaded pistols? Damn it, Verity! Listen to me!He brought it on himself, trying to kill you. You saved yourself!’Grimly, he continued, ‘Even if you hadn’t thrown thatstone he’d still be dead, because I would have killed him! Itwasn’t your fault! Do you hear me?’‘You’d have killed him?’His jaw dropped. She could even ask? He shut his eyes.‘Verity, Godfrey was a dead man from the moment he firedthat first shot. I told you that I love you. I think I alwaysloved you, but I was too damn blind to see it!’ He coveredher lips with his, kissing her until she clung to him, her body