In my panic and agitation, I had sought only to take Justine away. I had not quite sorted through what I was taking her to. And I did not have the authority in the Frankenstein house to declare a change of employees. I did not have any authority there at all.

But I was never letting Justine go back to her mother’s house. I would simply have to make sure that a vacancy arose…immediately.

And for that, I needed a coconspirator.

“Victor?” I said, sliding onto the bed next to him and brushing his dark hair from his forehead. It was cool, his color healthy. His fever had finally lifted while I was away. He blinked his eyes open, and I was relieved to see that they were clear and focused. Sometimes during his fevers, he would be seized by fits during which he knew neither me nor his family. He would ramble about things that made no sense, as though he were living an entirely different life.

“Elizabeth.” He pushed himself up to sitting, then stretched, peering through the dim curtained room to look at the clock against the wall. “How long has it been?”

“A few days. I am so glad you are well.”

“What day is it? Did you miss me?” He asked as though searching for facts to fill in the blank spaces in his memory.

“Thursday, and yes, of course I did. I was in here most of the time.”

He nodded. Then he looked at me closer. “You need something.”

An unexpected prickling stung my eyes. As much as I thought my interior life was hidden from Victor, he saw me better than anyone. I leaned my head against his shoulder, hiding my face so it would not reveal anything I did not want it to.

“Do you remember where your family found me?”

He reached up and undid my hair where it was pinned beneath my hat. It tumbled down, and he played with the curls. “Of course I do.”

“But you never met the woman who took care of me at Lake Como.”

“No. Why? Do you miss her?”

“I hope she is dead. And I hope she suffered tremendously on her way out of this life.”

Victor let out a quiet, surprised laugh, lifting my chin so he could look into my eyes. “Then I hope so, too. Why do you bring this up?”

“You saved me. And now I want to save someone else.” I told him of Justine, the scene I had witnessed, my rash intervention. “So you see, I cannot let her go home. I want her to be here, with me.” I realized my mistake and hastily corrected it. “With us. For the boys.” I took his hands, holding them in my own. “I want to save her, just like you saved me.”

Victor shook his head, clearly not understanding. “But you are special.”

“I think she is special.”