(Author's POV)
"There's one more thing," Phineas said, setting the glass down. His tone was exactly the same as it always was - level, unhurried, faintly conversational. "I wanted to tell you properly, while we're all here."
Eleanor looked up.
"Aurora's first husband," Phineas said, "was Jasper."
The room went quiet.
Not the polite quiet of a pause in conversation. The other kind.
William's face moved through several expressions in rapid succession - disbelief, the particular blankness that preceded real shock, and then something that was working very hard not to become rage. His breathing changed.
He stood up.
"Excuse us," he said, and looked at Phineas.
They went into the adjoining sitting room. The door closed.
Eleanor sat down beside Aurora and touched her hand lightly.
"Giv
