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today.” Elizabeth blinked and gasped aloud. “Oh, dear. Katie was born on the anniversary of Gareth’s death.” She rose and came to Chloe’s side. “I’m sorry. We’ve been so full of joy since Katie’s birth—it must be horrible for you, remembering your birth and comparing it to . . ."
    “It’s not as if you could stop Katie’s birth once you’d started.” Chloe’s heart dropped to her feet. She didn’t want Elizabeth to feel guilty for having Katie. She hugged the sweet woman tightly for a long moment before stepping back, out of Elizabeth’s reach. “If you want the truth, I’m angry with Gareth for buying that stupid animal and trying to break it to the saddle. I wish he'd never bought that devil horse.” Her voice thickened at the rancid confession. There it was, the truth lying ugly between them like a squished hairy spider on the cobbled stones of the garden path, spoiling the view of the flowers.
    “I’d feel the same. Men and their obsession with horses! Donovan blames himself for not doing something about the situation sooner—before Gareth was harmed.”
    “Gareth was the one who bought the horse. If anyone is to blame for what happened, it’s him, not your husband.” Being a nobleman, Donovan Beaumont, Count Rochembeau, had the natural arrogance to believe he could control fate. So when terrible things happened to those he loved he tended to assume the blame when it wasn’t his due. “It was a stupid accident caused by a high spirited, unbroken beast my husband foolishly purchased,” Chloe added, irritated by Elizabeth’s comment about her husband feeling guilt over what happened.
    No one knew how much she despised herself for not insisting Gareth stop trying to ride the untamed beast. No one knew how many nights she’d lain awake wishing she could go back in time and prevent Gareth from buying that wretched stallion.
    Chloe walked down the veranda so she stood several feet away from Elizabeth. She took quick, sharp breaths, attempting to calm herself lest her emotions betray her. She loved Elizabeth and all her children. And yet, she also resented the bounty her friend had when she had nothing but emptiness and sorrow. It wasn’t right to feel this way, but feel it she did. Chloe would not wish Elizabeth to pick up on her bitterness. It was unfair of her to feel this way, and she’d not hurt the woman before her by letting her glimpse the pain in her soul.
    Once she had her emotions strangled into submission, Chloe turned slowly about to meet Elizabeth again. The pity on Elizabeth’s face should have brought comfort, but it only carved a deeper wound. “I’ve made a difficult decision. I mean to go abroad, Lizzie.”
    “Why?” Elizabeth’s copper brows arched upward. Her eyes glittered with moisture and her voice thickened. “You are Gareth’s widow, a member of our family. We will always take care of you. There is no need for you to leave us, Chloe.”
    “I’ve lived here all my life.” Chloe made a broad, sweeping gesture to encompass their surroundings, the island of Ravencrest. “Perhaps I’d like to see the world .”  Chloe knew she was being sharper than necessary. It hurt to hear Elizabeth insinuate she must accept her life as it had been handed to her and that her place was here. Chloe had to get away. She had to start anew in a place where no one knew her secret shame.
    “We’ll all go to England, one day, when Katie is old enough to travel. Or, we could go to Charleston, Chloe, visit his lordship’s mother for a few weeks, just you and I, and the children, of course. Alicia loves to see her grandchildren. We could leave them with her and explore the delights of Charleston together, shop, take in the theatre there . . .”
    No. She did not wish to go to see the count’s mother, and certainly not with Elizabeth’s five children surrounding her on her journey. It would be just another day in her life, a day spent as Aunt Chloe, the tragic figure who'd