s a cold, cr

tinging her eyes,

afloat, but her dress felt

roat. She couldn' t sw

her, then his eyes shifted to Victoria,

ice was

t for her. He w

e, his arms strong and sure as h

t even gl

. Or worse, as if she was a pr

er Mia' s head, p

spair, sharper than the c

left

n. And it w

of her. Her limbs f

ought was of Alex, the kind man wh

a scratchy blanket, in a small,

. Her chest ached

outside the door,

right?" A

t. The boss only had eyes for Miss

some charity case, ri

on. Don' t get between a ric

er was muffl

s. Expendable. Tha

cabin, when she' d caught a bad c

d been

blankets on her. He' d made her

lding her hand, telling her stories

o her forehead, his touch g

he' d whispered. "I' m her

who had cared so

n Ashford had made h

toria. He had le

e of finality w

left of Alex in Et

red, the promises he

ver. Irr

came to the guest house on the Ashf

er lungs rattling. Pneumo

awkward, un

t of flowers and a small,

w are you

ce was

m, her eyes dull with

ou' ll be fine. Jus

e table. They were exotic, exp

oo. These are for her, actually, when she wak

, nestled on velvet, was a del

A little something to chee

range expression on hi

support. I was hoping... perhaps you could help? With s

at him, s

his wedding to the woman

ng. The cruelty, unintentio