“Emile.” Blanche sat up and covered my hand with her own. “You’re not going to an asylum. Don’t be ridiculous. I would be willing to give up my happiness to prevent that.”
“That’s kind of you, but I’m afraid the two options before me both lead to misery. My fate won’t be kind. Your life still has possibilities, provided that I don’t agree to marry you.”
Blanche pursed her lips. “I’m sorry, Emile. I hate that I’m the cause of your worries.” She shook her head. “But I am fond of you. I want you to know that. I don’t blame you for a thing.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I like you too, but I’m of the same mind. I don’t want to have to lie all my life. I don’t want to be coerced into a loveless marriage.”
Blanche squeezed my hand.
A soft knock at the door interrupted our shared disdain for Montoni, and Henri peeked his head in.
“Ah,” Henri said, surprised to see me. “I wondered where you’d gotten off to.”
I smiled thinly. “Why, if it isn’t my future brother-in-law.”
Blanche scowled.
Henri sent us a sympathetic look, then held up a bundle in his arms. “I brought you those books you left in the library yesterday,” he told me.
I accepted the stack. “That was thoughtful. Thank you.”
Henri looked us over, frowning. “Come now, what’s this?”
“Oh, just indulging our mutual misery,” I said.
Henri chewed on his lower lip as he regarded us. “You know, I’ve been thinking our dilemma over, and perhaps it’s not as bad as we imagine.”
“Oh?” Blanche snorted. “I’d love to hear this.”
Henri strode to her side. “The problem we face is that you’ll be tied together in matrimony. That’s it. Your lives will always be connected. But is that really so terrible?”
I glanced at Blanche. “It’s not. But it’s much more than that.”
“In your minds maybe,” Henri said. He placed a hand on Blanche’s arm. “But even if you’re wed, you can still conquer any man you desire. You can fall in love and be swept off your feet and do everything you’ve ever wished to. You won’t even have to stay at the same estate as Emile. You can travel the world, and foreign princes would fall madly in love with you.”
Blanche laughed harshly. “You’re right. Why didn’t I think of that before? All I have to do is forfeit my integrity and cheat on my husband at every turn.”
“Society doesn’t give people much of a choice,” Henri said. “How many couples are in loveless marriages? How many married men pay for whores and have mistresses?”
“Oh, yes. Whores and mistresses. You must have such a high opinion of me, Henri.”
Henri groaned. “You know what I’m saying. Life doesn’t end with marriage. Love doesn’t have to be out of your grasp just because you’ve married. It’s not a death sentence, and you don’t have to be miserable.” He gestured to me. “You’d be marrying a good friend and have that security. Meanwhile, you won’t miss out on life. Countless others have found ways to navigate happiness while married. Why not you?”
Blanche seemed to consider what he was saying, but she wasn’t convinced. “Who would I be left with in this scenario of yours? The men who would be interested in the sort of affair I could provide aren’t exactly princes.” She turned her nose up at him. “And besides, I would still have to keep Emile’s secret while navigating those waters. And that’s not even consideringyou.”
Henri blinked in astonishment. “Me?”
“Oh, yes. You’ll have to marry one day as well, and just what will you tell the future Countess Morano about Emile?”
Henri shrugged the thought away. “Haven’t you been listening to me? Many people are in loveless marriages. I would simply have to find a wife who cared for status and comfort above all else. That shouldn’t be hard.”
Blanche rolled her eyes.
“And what of me?” I asked.
Henri grinned. “Isn’t it obvious? We could be together, forever. You and I.” He grabbed my hand, and I yanked it away.
“Are you serious?”
