That, at least, Henry had gotten right. If he had told Victor the truth, this conversation would feel quite different. The last letter I had received from Henry was the only proof of my involvement. I would burn it when I got back to Geneva.

“I asked him to swear he would never try to capture your heart. He said he could make no such promises, as your heart was your own to give where you would and he would not reject it were it ever to be offered. I knew that our friendship was truly dead. I told him as much, and demanded he leave my presence and never darken my doorway with his traitorous lies again. He said he was going to study in England to clear his mind of both of us. And that is the last I have seen or heard from him.”

“I am so sorry. I knew he had traveled on to England, but had I known what he came here for—” Had I known, I would not have done anything different. Not now that I had Victor back. Henry was a friend and comfort of my youth. But I would have been deeply unhappy trying to convince him I was happy. He saw too much. It would have been a constant burden, being married to him.

Victor shifted, and I adjusted the pillow for him. He closed his eyes again, the skin around them tight. “It is not your fault, of course. Men will ever strive for that which is out of reach. For that which is higher than themselves. For that which is divine.”

I laughed, resting my head on his chest. “I have missed you so.”

Victor unpinned my hat, letting my hair fall free, the way he preferred it. “And I have been lost without you. Tell me, how have you managed?”

“Poorly. I would have lost my mind without Justine. She has been a great comfort to me in your absence. She helped mend the wound of missing you, in some measure. I am so glad we brought her to the house.”

“Hmm.” He toyed with a strand of my hair. “I never guessed she would be a good companion for you. She always seemed simple to me.”

“You never could see her worth.”

“And yet you did, immediately. You do not take to many people like that.”

“Justine is special. Just as I told you.” I breathed deeply, closing my eyes. “And you let me save her, just as you saved me.”

—

Justine, newly rescued from her mother, had been secreted away to my room. I instructed her to wait until I was ready. On the boat ride back from town, I had realized the flaw in my plan to save her.

The children already had a governess.