I wonder what it is ?
The sound of the engine changed as the pilot throttled back for landing.
I wonder who it is, landing on my strip ?
He returned his attention to Father Welner and saw that the priest had just about reached the door.
"Father," Clete called out, and when the priest stopped and turned to look at him, Clete heard himself blurting, "Father, I've... uh... I've made a girl pregnant."
Welner looked at him for a long moment.
"You don't consider that a moral problem?"
"The morality of it will have to sort itself out. What I'm ignorant about is how to tell her father."
"You love her?"
"Yes, I love her."
"You intend to marry her?"
"Of course."
"Who is she?"
"I'm reluctant to give you her name."
"You may not like this, but in my mind you've come to me as a priest. What you tell me will go no further. At least tell me, is she of your background?"
The already faint sound of the aircraft engine died as the pilot shut it down, and then there was a backfire.
What the hell is that engine? Who is that?
"Dorotea Mallin," Clete heard himself saying. "Her father is Enrico-"
"I know him well," Welner said. "He will not like this at all."
"He's a hypocritical sonofabitch," Clete was shocked to hear himself blurt-ing. "Great wife, great family, and he was keeping a mina" -mistress- "on the side."
" 'Judge not,' et cetera," Father Welner said. "I must say I admire your taste. And, now that I think about it, I can see why Dorotea was attracted to you."
"I think they call that 'stupidity,'" Clete said. "For one thing, she's just a child..."
"Not any longer," Welner said.
"... who really had no comprehension of what she was letting herself in for."
"Because of your connection with the OSS?"
"Where did you hear about th- What was that you said, 'OSS'? Never heard of it."
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"Where do you think?"
"Yeah," Clete said.
"You might consider that in the United States, there are probably many thousands of young women with child, whose husbands are off fighting a war. Is Dorotea's situation so different?"