“I — I — ” She was trembling, overcome. “I need to know,” she whispered. “I need — I need to know. I need to be sure.”
Vaguely, beyond the roaring in her ears, she could hear the Prince giving orders to care for the messenger. Someone’s hand rested on her shoulder for a moment, someone said softly to Isaac, “It will be all right.” Cora. Cora would —
He nodded in understanding, figuring that although he’d do the same in her position, that didn’t mean that he had to like it. Sighing, he tugged her into his arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, gently rocking her in his arms.
She clung to him, trying not to cry. Their perfect, romantic afternoon, ruined. They wouldn’t have time to ride back up to the secluded valley now, even if the entourage didn’t have to return to the castle until tomorrow. She needed his touch even more now, now that there was the chance she would lose it.
Someone — she didn’t know who — made them eat, made them sit down, made them rest. Her whole attention was turned to Isaac, trying to run away from herself, from her fears and thoughts. She refused to be parted from him for any reason, clinging to his hand the entire evening and all through the packing up the next morning.