It had been an awful thing to lose Henry the first time, to matrimony, but to discover what a false front he was capable of was another kind of blow, and it had left her almost speechless. Then there was the fury with herself—for she had known what Henry’s love was, and still she had gone back to suffer a little more at his hands.

After Henry's treatment of her she wasn't sure that men could honestly love women but she wanted to believe it. She wanted to be told pretty things and for the frightening clip of her heart to slow to something more reasonable.

So this is how life was, she thought with a faint smile: It wore you down until you emerged at its wildest, most unexpected ends.

He was just like summer, and she loved summer. If she had any wish, it would be to live a lifetime of summers.

She was full of some strange energy that morning. Her every movement had purpose and life and she seemed to find satisfaction in every little thing.

They were a society whose chief vocations were to entertain and be entertained.

But in that moment she realized how false most smiles were and what a tremendous waste of time.