Seeing her kidnapped by a madman was a huge blow to Edward Wheeler; he can hardly believe that he saved her and that she's still alive, lying in his arms. How could she be so small when he picks her up, this tiny woman who has taken over his entire heart? He almost lost her.
This fear was unbearably hard for Edward. He didn't want her to see how useless he felt. If he had realized just a second earlier that a madman was approaching, couldn't he have spared Kiara the suffering?
Kiara initially wanted to push him away to comfort him and tell him that she was fine, but feeling him slightly trembling, her heart softened. She held him like calming a baby, gently smoothing his back and patting him.
After what seemed like an eternity, Edward finally let go of her and said to her with a nasal voice,
"I'm sorry, Sophia, for making you suffer. I'm useless. If I had acted when he pounced, you wouldn't have had to suffer."
