2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Phoebe, Lady Clare holds a grudge against West Ravenel because of how he bullied her deceased husband Henry when they were at Eton as young boys. Was this her cause to champion or should it have died with Henry? Had Henry’s experience with West defined him that strongly?

Phoebe is very protective of her husband. Henry's pain is her burden because no one else can fight for him. (At least that is her mindset.)

I believe it did cause him problems because he was so weak physically and emotionally. However, as Gabriel to Phoebe, "Henry's parents are to blame... he was not suited to that environment."

Just because Henry is dead doesn't mean that Pheobe would forgive and forget. She was standing up for the wrong that she believes was done to her late husband.

Henry must have been very affected by the bullying at school. He seemed to dwell on it.

West was very mean to Henry, and it did affect him deeply. Phoebe's reaction to West when she met him was exactly what I would have expected considering all she knows of West was what Henry told her and that wasn't good.

Even by West recollections his treatment of Henry at Eton was pretty bad. It left a permanent imprint that may have changed Henry. While this was his thing to fight, he and Phoebe loved each other deeply and I can understand why it became her grudge, too.

I tried putting myself in Phoebe’s shoes and quickly could recall similar situations from my past where I took up a close friend’s opinions that were formed from serious slights.