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“You ask this question after the Shoah? After countless instances of genocide? Hus can be incredibly cruel

“In the case of Old Hut, I was the cruel one and I paid for it But that see, with interest”

“I’ave me the chance to make my peace I will always be in his debt, which means I feel a special responsibility for you”

“Were you able to see your friend?”

“Mrs Hutton’s aunt fell ill While she was visiting her, I ed to see the professor By then, he was near death, but ere able to talk

“I cah my depression But I never told Gabriel the entire story, or why it was so important for me to see John before he died” Katherine pursed her lips, looking as if she were divided about soed

“All the important players are dead, with the exception ofit a secret” She looked at Julia over her glass “I don’t expect you to keep things from your husband, but I ask that you be discreet”

“Of course, Professor”

Katherine wrapped her aged fingers around her pint

“Old Hut and I were involved while I was his student, and afterward, when I taught at Cae He was married Lucky forhere in Oxford But eventually, there were rumors, and the rumors followed lanced at her, her blue eyes sparkling in what could have been amusement

“I see you’re surprised But I wasn’t always this old In my day, I was considered attractive And is it really so surprising? People work closely together on soo somewhere Dante speaks of it when he describes Paolo and Francesca”

Katherine replaced her glasses on her face

“When I was trying to get an acadeossip beca ues ere jealous of Old Hut’s attentions and the fact that he clearly preferredstories that he authored my research In fact, soe after I’d applied for a job there, clai that Old Hut wrote a letter of reco with hihed

Then she clapped a hand to her mouth

“I’m so sorry That isn’t funny”

Katherine’s eyes twinkled

“Of course it’s funny You should have seen his recommendation letter He wrote, Miss Picton is competent in the study of Dante I was his lover, for God’s sake Don’t you think he could have troubled himself to write more than one sentence?”

While Julia stared in horror, Professor Picton chuckled

“I can ht of it now, but I was unhappy for many years I fell in love with ahian presenting my research, the rureed with Old Hut’s positions, and they realized I knehat I was talking about I worked very hard to make a name for myself and to co, the only other person who knehat had transpired between me and Old Hut was his wife”