It was Wednesday before he saw Édith, but this time she agreed to accompany him to the bar they’d gone to the first time they met. She even agreed to eat a little.

All the same, Thomas sensed that she was uncertain about something, and he was anxious to find out exactly what it was.

“I’ve been worried about you,” he said.

“I’m all right.”

“I feel terrible about what happened. I never meant to put you through that.”

“You shouldn’t. After all, it was my fault.”

“Your fault?” He stared at her in astonishment.

“Yes. If I hadn’t told him to take a bow …”

“Édith.” He put his arm around her shoulder. “I never even thought of such a thing. Pepe was going to do that anyway, I promise you. That’s just the way he was.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, but she was weighing his words.

“You really think so?” she said at last.

“Of course. I know it.” He reached over and kissed her head. “You can put that idea out of your mind. It isn’t so.”

She stared down at the table. After a pause, she picked up her glass of red wine, took a slow sip, and put it down on the table again, still holding the stem for a little while, before finally releasing it.

“There’s something else you should know,” she said, and looked up into his face.

Then she told him about the miscarriage.

When she had finished, he was left staring at her openmouthed.

“I had no idea you were pregnant,” he said.

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t want to.”

“I thought … after what happened at Christmas, and then you were suddenly cold …”

“I was anxious. And upset. Perhaps I felt angry with you. I suppose … it makes no sense, but I was afraid to be with you.”

“I thought maybe you didn’t like me.”

“I know.”

“Oh.” He considered. “Are you still angry with me now?”

“No.”

“How do you feel about everything.”

“When you lose a baby, even so early when, you know, there’s hardly anything, you feel a sort of grief.” She shrugged. “But now, I feel relief. I can’t deny that. I don’t want a baby, Thomas. I mean, not now.”

“Of course.” He pulled her to him and held her closer. “You could have told me. You can trust me.”

She nodded silently. She knew that.

They talked quietly for a little while. It seemed to Thomas that her mood was lightening. She felt warm beside him.

“Would you like to do something dangerous?” he suddenly asked. He felt her stiffen, and he laughed. “Would you like to go to the Wild West show?”