“He's mine. I love him, and you can't have him, Christine. You can't have them both.”

“I didn't ask you if you loved him. I asked you if you liked him. Love is important but like is the more important. If you don't like him, all the love in the world can't make you have a good relationship.”

“But you can't marry someone to fix him, even if you love them.”

“The boy is destined for greatness, but with you, he is in danger...You must leave him. This is what I have seen.""I can't," was all I said to her, and quietly."Then you will love him to ruins," she said, and let my hands go.”

“I can't think about him, but I can't forget him, either. It's not right to forget someone you love.”

“I know you adore Father, but he isn't the white knight you imagine him to be. He never was. True, he's charming and loving in his way. But he's selfish. He's a limited man determined to bring about his own end-""But-"Tom grabs both my hands in his and gives them a small squeeze. "Gemma, you can't save him. Why can't you accept that?"I see my reflection on the surface of the Thames. My face is a watery outline, all blurred edges with nothing settled. "Because if I let go of that" - I swallow hard, once, twice - "then I have to accept that I am alone."The ship's horn howls again as it slips out toward sea. Tom's reflection appears beside mine, just as uncertain."We're every one of us alone in this world, Gemma." He doesn't say it bitterly. "But you have company, if you want.”