Chapter 11
Sabine apologized to Emmeline before Vesper did.
That surprised me.
She requested permission through the household steward.
Emmeline agreed.
I was not present.
Later she told me only the result.
“Mrs. Ainsworth said she made me invisible in her head.”
Interesting phrase.
Sabine had selected twelve powerful people for Vesper to test.
She never considered the maid cleaning the room part of the plan at all.
Emmeline existed as furniture.
Until she saw too much.
Then suddenly became threat.
Sabine understood how ugly that was.
Vesper took longer.
Weeks.
Then months.
When she finally asked to speak, Emmeline said no.
Vesper accepted it.
Good.
Three months later, she asked again.
Emmeline said yes.
Short meeting.
Open pavilion.
No locked rooms.
Vesper stood across from her.
“I’m sorry I hit you.”
Emmeline waited.
“I’m sorry I threatened you.”
More.
“I’m sorry I thought your job meant I could make you carry my secret.”
There.
Good.
Emmeline asked:
“Would you have put me inside?”
Vesper went pale.
“No.”
Honest?
Probably.
“Then why say it?”
Vesper looked toward the chapel.
“Because I wanted you to imagine I would.”
Exactly.
A threat does not need intent to create fear.
Emmeline nodded.
Then:
“That worked.”
Vesper cried.
Emmeline did not comfort her.
Important.
Afterward Vesper told me:
“I expected apologizing to make me feel better.”
“It isn’t medicine for you.”
She nodded.
Progress.
Then I asked:
“Do you still think everyone here would erase you if you married me?”
She thought.
“Some would.”
Probably true.
“And?”
“I’m starting to understand that making them afraid of me would not fix that.”
Better.
May you like
Not enough to restore a wedding.
But better.
