[ She isn't surprised to hear him say something like this, although she might be surprised to believe it. At least he can't be worse than any other man, one who seems to mourn everything and everyone that Anne has never known.

Squeezing his hand, she stops to sit on the edge of the dais, behind the podium, tugging his hand so that he must remain beside her. He seems unwilling to leave, at any rate, but who could blame him? He was just whisked away. ]

There is nothing so terrible as to take away the selfish joy I now feel at seeing you alive and well. I hope you have not let their hurtful words make you believe things that are untrue.

[ 'They', whoever 'they' are. The people who locked him up? Whoever he went home to? ]