"I know this is difficult to hear," Penelope said carefully. "But there were reasons we chose not to tell you."
"Oh, I am certain there were."
"Francesca—"
"No, please. Tell me." Her voice trembled despite her effort to control it. "I should like to know what reasons were important enough to make you believe I could not be trusted with the truth about my own family."
Penelope shook her head immediately, trying to explain. "That is not what we believed."
"Then what did you believe?"
Penelope drew a slow breath.
She needed to be careful now. It wasn't because she wished to avoid the truth, but because she could see how deeply her sister had been hurt, and she did not want another careless sentence to make matters worse.
