She reached out to clasp his hand for a moment, smiling, "Sometimes it takes the present to bring the past into focus. Looking back now that I have my freedom I can see hundreds upon hundreds of chances I had to take it before, but I wouldn't have thought to then."
She tilted her head, ever birdlike, "Do you understand?"
It was her way of saying that he was forgiven, really, for what was in her power to forgive.