Lady Blue by Helen A Rosburg

thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. As I said, I had to see you again, see if you were real. Posing as a bandit was a game, a lark. I never intended to be … bowled over by you. I didn’t think you’d turn out to be not only the loveliest woman in the world, but the most fascinating. I knew then I’d have to see you again. But after what I’d done, I thought you would never want to see
me.
I feared I’d never get the chance to know you better. Or to have you get to know me better, and know I wasn’t such a bad sort after all. I knew you’d never willingly agree to see me again, and that’s when I came up with the idea to see you, well …
unwillingly
.”
    “Kidnap.”
    “Yes. It wasn’t such a stretch since I’d already masqueraded as a bandit.”
    “What about the note? Why didn’t you simply take me?”
    “What would your sister have thought if you disappeared for the night?”
    “Exactly the same thing she thought even though you left the note.”
    “You don’t mean …?” Anthony’s expression grew more sober still. His black, finely drawn brows knit together. “She accused you of—?”
    “Running off with the bandit who robbed us,” Harmony finished for him. “Leaving the note not for ransom, but extortion. She said we planned to use the money to finance our elopement.”
    Anthony shook his head. “That … that’s almost unbelievable.”
    “True, nonetheless.”
    “I … I’m sorry, Harmony. I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you.”
    “What about the trouble you could have caused for yourself? What if she
had
alerted the authorities?”
    “I didn’t worry, to tell you the truth. Because I … well, I am who I am.”
    “So the only person who was worried throughout all of this was me.” Harmony felt her emotions begin to swing. She had been so glad to see Anthony, so relieved. Now her temper was taking over. “The only person who was genuinely frightened was me.”
    “Harmony—”
    “Once you had me, why didn’t you tell me who you were?” she demanded, voice rising. “Why did you have to keep playing your stupid little game?”
    Anthony hung his head. He stared at his hands, then looked up again at Harmony. “You’re a remarkable woman. When I realized how remarkable, I knew you were far better than I, no matter what my lineage. I realized I should simply enjoy the time I had with you and let you go. I’d never be good enough for you. There was no point in telling you the truth because I never thought I’d see you again.”
    “But if you had just been honest with me …” It was all too much suddenly. Furious with herself for doing so, Harmony started to cry.
    “I’m being honest now,” Anthony replied quietly.
    “Well, it’s too late!” Harmony had already twisted the door handle before she realized the coach was moving at a brisk clip. Sobbing with frustration and anger, she pounded on the door. “Stop the coach … stop!”
    “No,
you
stop, Harmony.”
    Anthony’s arms were muscular and his hands strong. He held her as gently as he could while she struggled against him. Finally he managed to turn her back to face him.
    “Listen to me. Please. The greatest mistake of all was in coming back today to reveal my true identity. I know that now. I should have left it as I did, with you thinking of me as a criminal. At least you liked that man. It’s quite evident that you loathe this one.”
    Harmony couldn’t seem to stop crying. It was no use even trying. Surrendering to the flood of emotion that threatened to drown her, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed brokenly.
    “Oh, my God,” Anthony groaned. “I’m so sorry … so sorry.”
    She was unresisting when he took her in his arms again. He held her and rocked her while she wept, and hated himself. He would have given anything to undo what he had done, to have made different choices, different decisions. But it was too late.
    “Harmony,” Anthony whispered when her wild