Henry’s panic upon returning home and finding Clare gone puts things into perspective for him—while it’s rare for Henry to wonder where Clare is, it’s rare for Clare
not to wonder where Henry has gone and when he’ll return. This underscores the asymmetry of their relationship, despite their mutual love for each other. Henry’s decision not to tell Clare about his death is another example of him exercising agency where he can: though he cannot prevent his death from happening, he can choose to protect Clare from the pain that knowing about his impending death would cause her.