When you asked people to keep a secret, it often spread without wings.
As for being Scottish, Georgiana had told only two people: Sophie and Gaudin, who loved writing plays.
Given the current circumstances, Gaudin seemed more likely. But past lessons had taught her not to judge by appearances alone. Even if Sophie was not as innocent and kind as she appeared, she might still be used because she truly was innocent and kind.
She had merely asked where someone came from. How serious could that be?
The message sent by Pete's Messenger reminded her of Venice. Back then, she had stood with a Japanese Muggle girl in St. Mark's Square, chatting. She had believed their lives would never intersect, that Severus could never possibly learn she wanted a divorce.
Yet he had found out anyway. Sometimes she truly wished she were the sort of woman who could throw a tantrum and casually say, "Break up. Divorce." Boys never took such threats seriously. They would coax them a little, let them vent their tempers, and everything would return to normal afterward.
Severus was good at enduring. It was an essential skill for a double agent. He had waited until they were about to leave for Paroldo before telling her that he agreed to the divorce.
He truly understood what kind of people white wizards and their students were. Whether faced with temptation or danger, they always retained a measure of clarity and reason.
No one would associate sugar with opium, yet too much sugar caused diabetes and obesity. Those damaged the body, preventing many young men who could have become soldiers from enlisting because of such illnesses.
For France, which dominated Europe through the size of its army, that was a terrifying prospect. Even without obesity, the underlying conditions caused