"Heaven above us!" Neri faltered. "You are not going." He took her by
the hand and led her away from the door. "No, my child, we will go
alone. You must wait." His face was twitching, and the sweat dripped
from his square jaw as he nodded to Blake.
They went out into the mocking glare of the garden lights, leaving her
standing in the great hall like a statue of ivory, her lips dumbly
framing the name of her lover.