There were sins one could control, and should atone for, there were other sins that were quirks of fate – a cosmic joke- to crib a line from Shakespeare –‘We are fortunes fools’. His family blamed Peter, but the same path that ‘caused’ the thing they blamed him for, was also the path that led to his success, that provided the lifestyle that they now enjoyed. She would and should, in her view – get over it. He wasn’t to blame, a blind man could see that.

Adrestia didn’t think about life after this she had money and status enough to be comfortable, she still had the home in India in which she had grown up, but so far she had lived for this plan, she wasn’t sure how she would be able to live without it.

Returning to the topic they had discussed before, her brow furrowed, ’Will my being here make it better or worse with them?’ she pressed, his mother could take it one of two ways – a marriable ward here to smooth over his rough edges, or a pretty distraction that could exacerbate the behaviours his family already disdained. ’Your plate is full enough without my plans, if you need to put more distance between us?’ she offered and examined the lapel of his jacket, where her hand fell with great interest. ’We can engineer some falling out and you can step away?’

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