d her for ten full seconds. The

pose, every muscle in her bod

s door open and steppe

blocking the sun. His shadow fell ov

n involuntary

his notice. His eyes seemed to

ried to see you li

his actions that had nothing to do with her, everything to do

if his words stemmed from genuine concern for Iris or from t

ng to do with her. This

l other emotions, leaving onl

ite, distant pleasantry. "If it is fo

he made it clear: she was getting in the ca

ee, she moved toward the door herself,

ping form, his gloved hands clench

ace would allow. The air was thick with the scent of cedar and cold winter air that clun

and the small spac

a small, elegant first-aid box. He opened it. Insi

olding the box out to her. His

k at his face. She did not take it. "Thank you, Your G

rd time she had thrown her

natched the pot, twisted the lid off wi

ng to do i

tch flipped in her mind, and she

corum!" she snapped, scrambling back into the c

nt it stopped him cold. H

sgust in her eyes. A flicker of something-hu

placed the pot of ointment on th

wish," h

indow, his profile a hard, unforgivin

ed was a thousand times

e of Montgomery Manor. For Eleanor, it felt like a pardon. She