“Henry . . . he took an interest in me. I’m still not quite sure why. His parents were rather hard on him, and I think he liked playing the hero. His family was wealthy, you see, and terribly educated.” Jasper trains his eyes on the board, but the lines of him are carefully still. I know he’s paying attention. I lift my hand in a dismissive wave, though my throat thickens at the humiliating memories. “It’s all very predictable, I’m afraid. He was kind to me, and so willing to ‘teach’ me to be a better person—in their eyes, of course. How I should dress, and talk, and eat so I could fit into
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