If everything else felt off-kilter, at least this still felt right, having his arms around her and holding her there. Only of course this time she was crying. It was not the first time he had seen her upset, not even close – but Elias wasn’t so used to feeling as though he was to blame for it. Those other times, he had known better how to comfort her – just being there for her had been enough – but now he felt rather like he had been the one to put her in this situation.

He swallowed the thought as best he could. Still, he didn’t know what to say – he wanted to say that he had perfect faith in her, but he didn’t think Daff would believe anything he said here and now, however much he meant it. And he could – hardly suggest that she think about taking her shop off her plate, because that place had been hers, her dream, and giving that up ought not be part of the bargain here, any more than he could have given up broommaking for her. She was tucked against his chest, so he couldn’t look at her; he put a hand, soothingly, against her hair. “Who says you’re not doing a good job?” Elias protested about her being a wife, trying to lighten the tone. “I have no complaints.”

He had to assume he was failing at being a husband, though, if she was this miserable and overwhelmed a mere few months into marriage.

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