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sent you back to him.’
                  ‘He would have made me marry Montroy.’
                  ‘Perhaps not.  I think you know that Jonathan cares for you.  Had I not married you he might have made you happy.’
                  He did know.  Rhoda’s heart thumped wildly.  ‘Perhaps but you did marry me.  Are you saying that you…will let me go?’
                  ‘I must send you away, Rhoda.  You are not my wife.  My wife is still alive…’
                  Rhoda gasped feeling shocked and stunned.  ‘Melloria is alive - but why did she not come to you, tell you that she lived?’
                  ‘She was ill and lost her memory.  It is recovered now and she is with Mother Abbess at the convent of Saint Innocent.  She needs a little time to recover her spirit and pray for peace.’
                  ‘But she will come back one day?  She will be your wife?’
                  ‘Yes, that is my hope and my intention.’  Robert cleared his throat.  ‘I must make recompense to you, Rhoda.  I have taken what was not mine to take.  I shall give you money and jewels and you may leave here…’
                  ‘Not to a nunnery!  I shall not be made a prisoner with those grey women who smell stale and pray all day.’
                  A faint smile touched his mouth.  ‘I think you wrong them, Rhoda, but you do not belong in such a place.  What I had in mind was that Jonathan should take you away, perhaps to another country.  I believe he would wed you and restore your honour.  He has told me that he loves you and I think…you love him?’
                  Rhoda bent her head.  She had not expected this and the feeling of excitement was strong.  ‘You are not angry?  You will let us go?’
                  ‘I am relieved that you have someone who loves you and will make you happy, as I never could.’
                  ‘Thank you.’  Rhoda looked up, her excitement dying suddenly as she saw his face.  He still looked so serious.  ‘What is it that you have not told me?’
                  ‘My son stays here with me.  He is my heir.  Melloria has a daughter, perhaps two – but I may never have another son.  I shall take Harry as my heir and he will inherit my estate…’
                  ‘No.  He is my son.  I carried him in my womb for nine months.  I gave him birth.  He is mine.  I love him.’  Rhoda was angry, her fists curling at her sides.  He had offered her so much but it was not enough.  It would tear her apart to leave her son behind.  ‘Robert, you cannot do this to me.  Please, let me take him.  I will send him back to you when he is grown to a man’s stature.’
                  ‘No, this I cannot do.’  Robert’s expression was implacable.  ‘You have my terms, Rhoda.  I shall give you gold and jewels and your freedom, but you must relinquish the boy to me.  When you leave here you will not see him again.  He will be brought up to believe that Melloria is his mother.’
                  ‘That is unfair.’  Tears gathered in her eyes.  She wanted to rush at him, to scream and beat him with her fists but she could only stand and stare at him as the tears spilled over and down her cheeks.  She tasted their salt on her tongue.  ‘I love him…he is mine…’
                  ‘Harry stays with me.  You must go.  I am sorry but I have no choice.’
                  ‘You are cruel and heartless.  Did you never care for me at all?’
                  ‘You were young and pretty.  I made a mistake and I regret it.  I shall pay for it, as will you, for you should have refused me and gone to the nuns.  Pack your things.  Jonathan will be ready to leave within two hours.  I shall not see you