"You're blaming me?" "Of course not," he said brusquely. "But the whole thing brought me to my senses. We've made a mistake, Emma. I want you to go back to Chloe's and forget you ever knew me." One of Emma's hands rose to her mouth to hold back a cry that never came. "You don't mean that," she said after a moment of struggle. "You're only trying to protect me." He stared at her for a long moment, and she saw a stranger looking out of his eyes. "I'm not protecting you," he said. "I'm trying to get rid of you. Damn it, do I have to come right out and say I shouldn't have married you?" Emma rose from her chair with dignity. "You're a liar, Steven Fairfax. And I won't leave you. Nothing but death itself could make me do that!" Steven turned his back to her and went to stand at the window, gazing out. "I don't love you," he told her. "You're a liar!" Emma said again, and this time her voice held a note of hysteria. "You've given up, and you think you can spare me by sending me away! Well, I won't go, do you hear me? I won't go!" He whirled and glared at her, and she wished for death at the look she saw in his eyes. "If you won't go, then I will," he spat."