Because as it turned out, Pamela had wanted to end her marriage to Haynsworth. Unbeknownst to me, she’d gone to our parents, hoping for a place of refuge. Her husband wasn’t physically violent, but he was cold, and he’d gradually frozen all the joy and pleasure out of her life. Our parents hadn’t understood and had sent her back to Haynsworth.
I didn’t bother asking them how they could do that to Pamela. They were of the generation that felt nothing should come between a man and his wife. There was also the fact that having a viscount for their daughter was quite the feather in their caps.
I recalled Pamela’s radiance when she and Haynsworth had returned from their honeymoon. How long had that lasted?
How long had she been so miserably unhappy?
And what a failure was I as a brother to have been unaware.