Arthur brought his eyes back to meet Maria's, and he continued to beg her, "When I left you in the library it was because I was hurt. I didn't think you returned my feelings. But then at dinner, when I saw you look at me from across the table and when we locked eyes, I could see that I had made the wrong assumption. I knew at that moment that you loved me too. And maybe you don't want to love me, but I just don't know, and I need to know. So I need you to tell me why you want to marry Henri and not me."
By the time he was done talking, he had looked so completely broken and defeated.
Maria hated herself for being the reason he was suffering, and she knew that she owed him an explanation, as difficult as it would be for her to muster.
She had been questioning herself all morning on if she should tell Arthur the truth about her feelings, and here he was directly asking for them, but she still had no idea what the right decision was.
