"Please," he said. "Do not hate me."
She crossed the room quickly and went into his arms.
Alessandro caught her against him with a sound somewhere between a breath and a sob. His arms tightened around her like he could somehow make up for nineteen lost years simply by refusing to let her go now.
Henry turned away.
This moment did not belong to him.
He walked towards the window and stared out into the darkness, keeping his face carefully composed. He concentrated on the night sky instead.
For once, something had gone right. Was his fortune finally changing? Had God forgiven him? Or had Henry simply suffered enough that even Heaven had eventually decided the account was settled?
Behind him, Alessandro finally loosened his hold on Livia, though one hand remained against her hair.
