“He drew in a harsh breath before he whispered, "The love I have for you gives me breath and strength. you will always hold my heart. Let it give you the strength to dowhat must be done. For you will be my lady, forever.”

“This is my prayer to thee, my lord - strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart. Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows. Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service. Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might. Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.”

“How much do you love me?"She drew in a breath and let it out. "Too much.""Too much is just enough for this man.""And do you love me?" she whispered."I have always loved you. Always. You know that.”

“You remember what else I said to you that day in the drawing room,” he said. “I want you to be happy, and him to be happy. And yet when you walk that aisle to meet him and join yourselves forever you will walk an invisible path of the shards of my heart, Tessa. I would give over my own life for either of yours. I would give over my own life for your happiness. I thought perhaps that when you told me you did not love me that my own feelings would fall away and atrophy, but they have not. They have grown every day. I love you now more desperately, this moment, than I have ever loved you before, and in an hour I will love you more than that. It is unfair to tell you this, I know, when you can do nothing about it.” He took a shuddering breath. “How you must despise me.”

“You," he whispered his eyes warm and fixated on me, "hold my heart captive."I nodded solemnly before murmuring my reply. "And I'll never let it go.”

“I will always love you, Kellan. Your heart is safe with me.”Kellan pulled me into a hug and let out a long, shaky breath as he held me. “Promise?” he whispered?I squeezed him just a little bit tighter. “I promise.” Pulling back, I rested my forehead against his. “Not loving you isn’t possible. Trust me, I tried.”