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Chapter 1

Haland, 1877

Phoebe had neverfor certain: He was a ht, when her best friend, Henry, had started writing to her fro school

West Ravenel had been a frequent subject of Henry’s letters He was a heartless, hardened case of a boy, but his constant misbehavior had been overlooked, as it would have been in nearly any boarding school It was seen as inevitable that older boys would doer boys, and anyone who tattled would be severely punished

Dear Phoebe,

I thought it would be fun to go to bording school but it’s not There’s a boy named West who always takes my brekfast roll and he’s already the size of an elefant

Dear Phoebe,

Yesterday it was e the candlestiks West sneaked trick candles into ht one of theotshould have knoouldn’t have done so so obvyus West isn’t a bit sorry He said he can’t help it if the teacher is an idyut

Dear Phoebe,

I drew this picture of West for you, so if you ever see hi, which is why he looks like a pirate clown He also acts like one

For four years, West Ravenel had annoyed and plagued poor Henry, Lord Clare, a small and weedy boy with a delicate constitution Eventually Henry’s faht him to Heron’s Point, not far from where Phoebe lived The mild, healthful climate of the coastal resort town, and its fa, had helped to restore Henry’s health and good spirits To Phoebe’s delight, Henry had visited her home often, and had even studied with her brothers and their tutor His intelligence, wit, and endearing eccentricities had made him a favorite with the Challon family

There had never been a specific moment when Phoebe’s childhood affection for Henry had turned into soh her like delicate silver vines, blossoarden until one day she looked at him and felt a thrill of love

She had needed a husband who could also be a friend, and Henry had always been her best friend in the world He understood everything about her, just as she did him They were a perfect match

Phoebe had been the first one to broach the subject of ently tried to dissuade her

“You know I can’t be with you forever,” he’d said, wrapping his lean arers in the loose curls of her red hair “Someday I’ll fall too ill to be a proper husband or father To be of any use at all That wouldn’t be fair to you or the children Or even to me”

“Why are you so resigned?” Phoebe had dehtened by his quiet, fatalistic acceptance of his mysterious ailment “We’ll find new doctors We’ll find out whatever it is that’sup the fight before it’s even started?”

“Phoebe,” Henry had said softly, “the fight started long ago I’ve been tired for most of h stah the day”

“I have stamina for both of us” Phoebe had rested her head on his shoulder, tre with the force of her emotions “I love you, Henry Letwe’ll have together”

“You deserve more”

“Do you love me, Henry?”

His large, soft brown eyes had glistened “As much as any man has ever loved a woman”

“Then what more is there?”

They had ins discovering the mysteries of love with affectionate aardness Their first child, Justin, was a dark-haired and robustly healthy boy as now four years old