placed opposite him, and I leaned forward with
breathlessness, when already I'd heard the worst--or
so I thought. But then, I was still an innocent, not
accustomed to the complexities of human nature and
all the devious ways it had of maneuvering to salvage
its self-respect, when some things could never be salvaged.
He began, lowering his eyes as if ashamed now,
now when it was too late. "In the year when your
mother ran from this house, I had flown to G
ermany
to confer with a manufacturer there who does some of
our small-part mechanical work."
"I don't care about your toys at a time like this."
I intervened.
He flicked his eyes upward. "I'm sorry, I'm
digressing, but I wanted you to understand why I was
away. Anyway, your mother had tried to tell Jillian a
number of times that I was making improper advances. And on this day, she screamed at Jillian, who
didn't want to listen, that she had missed one of her
monthly periods. 'Does that mean I'm pregnant, Mother, does it?' Jill whipped around and tore into her, refusing to believe anything she'd said. 'You filthy-minded little slut,' she shouted. 'Why would a man like Tony want a girl like you, when he has me, me? If that's the way you're thinking, I'll send you
away."
"You don't have to bother,' whispered Leigh,
her face gone dead white, go and you'll never see me
again! And if I'm pregnant, I'll be the one to have the
Tatterton heir!"
I was caught unprepared for those words. "How
did you find out, how?"
Tony's hands bowed into his hands. His voice
came out wretched and torn. "I knew a long time ago
Jillian envied Leigh's beauty, which needed no