[ He imagines the tonal shift is because she misses her husband, not because of his mentioning of Sylvie... at least, he imagines that until her question, and he realizes just what's happened, perhaps. At the very least, he has a better idea of it. ]

No, [ comes his answer, matched to her quietness. He shakes his head a little. ] I don't know what I would do if she showed up here. Help her, definitely, but the rest? She doesn't know I love her, I never... I didn't manage to tell her. I tried, in those last few moments, but the words wouldn't come and I wasn't paying attention to anything else, and it was my downfall.

It's not the sort of thing she'd expect of me. For herself, either. We're... she's different than I am, in almost every way, but she is what I would be in her place. She doesn't trust, and she's had no one, no reason to try.

If she arrived here, and I told her that I loved her, she probably wouldn't believe me at all.