Henry just stated the facts as simply as he could. “When Amala and I were considering marriage, we went to speak with the vicar. I sincerely believed that he might be able to offer us some sound advice that would come from a Christian way of thinking. I mistakenly believed that a man who declares himself to be representing God would acknowledge that all human beings are equal in God’s eyes. To this day I cannot think of the things he said without cringing and feeling angry—especially on Amala’s behalf.”

“He said that she was an abomination?” Oliver said as if he might ask the carriage driver to go back so that he could give the vicar a bloody nose.

“Actually,” Henry said, recalling the encounter all too well, “I believe he said that to even consider such a marriage was an abomination. And he held nothing back in his heated declaration that he believed people of color were cursed by God and their seed should not be mingled with that of the pure, white English.” He heard Oliver and Viola both gasp in horrified shock while he looked directly at Amala, wondering if he should have kept his mouth shut when he saw her head bowed and tears running down her face. But he believed her parents needed to know, that it would help them understand what had happened and why honoring Kat’s wish could likely be ludicrous considering how deeply he’d been convinced that Amala had been right from the start: their marrying and having children would be difficult in too many ways to count.

To finalize his point—and give Amala an opportunity to speak if she felt the need—Henry said, “Am I remembering the event correctly, Amala? Feel free to correct me.”

Amala sniffled and briefly pressed her handkerchief beneath her nose. “That’s how I remember it. Such words are hard to forget. In fact, that’s all I hear in my mind every time I have to sit through one of his sermons.”

“As do I,” Henry added with a long pause between each word to emphasize how deeply true the same was for him and how much he hated it.

“I’m stunned,” Oliver declared.

“I never would have believed,” Viola added.