The Kindling of the Flame
Maria brushes her fingers through her son’s hair as Tony cries onto her silk skirts. She and Howard had fallen into bed while still only betrothed as well, so she has no room to admonish her son now, even if she wanted to. But she doesn’t. She knows exactly who is the victim here and where the blame lies.
“Shhhh, darling, I know, I know,” she says soothingly, “We will make him pay. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, I promise you, Steven of House Rogers will pay.”