But it was obvious in Madame Frankenstein’s nerves that these guests had been chosen precisely because they had arrived in Geneva after the events that had driven the Frankensteins abroad. Victor’s eyebrows had already begun drawing together, but there was something wild about his stillness that warned me this would not end well.

I grabbed his hand beneath the table, beaming at him. “Victor and I will perform a poem.”

Whatever feral instinct had been surfacing in Victor’s demeanor, it was settled by the ridiculousness of my offer. “You know I do not recite poetry,” he said, shaking his head. “That is your job.”

“Well, I will perform a poem and you can take all the credit, since I only know how to read and appreciate poetry because of your tutoring!”

This made him laugh, but I could tell by the flush of his cheeks that he was pleased. Interacting with new people would be easier for him if he could use me as a shield. I let him do that.

I would do anything for him.

“It is settled, then,” Judge Frankenstein said. “Monsieur Clerval is a merchant. From common stock, but he has done uncommonly well and quickly climbed the ranks of society. He is quite wealthy now. And he has a son, Henry, who is your age.”

I did not question that Judge Frankenstein was talking about Victor’s age. He rarely addressed me directly. He rarely even looked at me.

Victor tensed. Unheeding, his father continued. “I have heard good reports of the new schoolmaster in town. If you can get along with Henry, perhaps you can join the school.”

I squeezed Victor’s hand urgently. I could see him panicking again, every line in his body taut. “May we be excused? We have a lot to prepare!” I stood before waiting for permission to leave, curtseyed to make up for it, then dragged Victor from the room.

“What are they thinking?” he shouted, pacing the length of the playroom we had yet to cede to the baby. “Inviting strangers here. As though I need them to find a friend for me. As though I care.”

“Victor,” I said. “Think of everything you could learn at a school! We can only learn so much here on our own. We are already running out of books to study. But if you have access to more, a good teacher…” I gestured expansively. “We could get further in a month than we can in a year on our own.”

He lowered my hands back to my sides, pushing them down from where they had encompassed a broad and open imaginary future. “You know you cannot go to school.”