“I cannot forget, when it is my nature to be concerned for things which are broken.” There was meaning beyond the bird, beyond things. She had grown curious of the baron, had thought about him since her last visit a week prior. Had dwelled a number of nights on words he’d spoken in their last encounter, about Bishop Venable and her mother. In that time, she had come to realize the young baron hadn’t been out to torment her, as she had initially thought. It hadn’t been his intent to wound her heart, so much as prod the truth past stubborn lips that’d long sealed.

