“She is going to be all right.”
“Oh, Christ,” Dillon sobbed as his head fell back against the cold tiles of the waiting-room wall. “Oh, God.”
“She had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic Dr. Gaultier prescribed. It is no one’s fault,” he was quick to add. “We consulted Dr. Gaultier. There was nothing in her medical records sent from the United States to indicate that she had an allergy to this particular—”
“Look, I don’t intend to sue anybody,” Dillon interrupted him, coming to his feet. “Debra’s alive and is going to be okay. That’s all I care about.”
Dillon was so relieved, his knees felt rubbery. It had all happened so fast. Life was precious. Life was fragile. Here one moment, gone the next. Every second should be milked for all it was worth because you never knew when the bottom was going to drop out. He would have to remember that. He would have to tell Debra about this revelation. They would make it their philosophy, live by it, hand it down to their—
His happy thoughts came to a sudden standstill.
“Doctor,” he croaked. He knew before asking what the answer was going to be, but he had to ask. His lips were parched and his mouth was dry with dread. “Doctor, you haven’t mentioned the baby. Is the baby all right?”
“I am sorry, Monsieur Burke. There was nothing we could do for the child. It was dead when Madame Burke arrived.”
Dillon stared at the doctor without really seeing him. He had bargained for Debra’s life, but had left the terms openended. Now he knew what the price had been.
Chapter Ten
Morgantown, South Carolina, 1977
Dr. Mitchell R. Hearon, Dean of Student Affairs and Financial Aid at Dander College in Morgantown, South Carolina, opened Jade Sperry’s application folder and passed her a slip of paper across his cluttered desk. “That’s a voucher. Present it at the bursar’s office on the day you register.”
Her eyes moved from him to the stiff card he had handed her. Printed across the background etching of the college’s administration building was a check made out to her. She tried to blink the figures into focus, but even that was beyond her.
“The amount will cover your tuition, books, and all fees,” the dean said. “You’ll be responsible for your living expenses, although the college will be happy to supply you with a list of available low-budget housing.”
She could barely hear him over the clamor in her ears. “I… I don’t know how to thank you, Dr. Hearon.”
“You can thank me by doing your best. Study hard. Apply yourself. Make your goals realities.”
“Yes, yes. I will.” Relief and joy burst from her in the form of a laugh. She stood up abruptly, almost unbalancing herself. “Thank you! You won’t be sorry. You—”
“You’re very welcome, Miss Sperry. I think you’ll be an asset to Dander College. We’re small, but we have a sterling academic reputation. We pride ourselves on the diligence and integrity of our students.”
Circumstances had forced Jade to forfeit the scholarship to South Carolina State. After working for more than a year in a large discount store in Savannah, she had begun applying to other universities and colleges for financial assistance. Again she glanced down at the check in her hand, barely allowing herself to believe that it was genuine.
To conclude the interview, Dr. Hearon stood and extended his hand. “I would appreciate a visit once you’ve been matriculated. I’ll be interested to see what courses you choose for your first semester. The faculty takes a personal interest in each student.”
“I’ll come see you, I promise. Thank you again.” Jade rushed to the door. After pulling it open, she glanced back at him over her shoulder. “Oh, and thank the other members of the scholarship committee, too.”
“I will. Goodbye, Miss Sperry.”
“Goodbye.”
The long corridor beyond his office suite was empty and hushed. Jade wanted to shout her elation toward the Gothic arched ceiling but managed to contain herself. Nevertheless, she ran for the doors at the end of the corridor with far more abandon than the stateliness of the architecture ordained.
Once outside, she gave her exuberance free rein. She leaned against an imposing, fluted column and stared at the voucher before clutching it to her chest like a gleeful miser. Then, tucking it safely inside her handbag, she left the shade of the colonnaded porch of the administration building and walked into the late summer sunshine.
It seemed brighter and friendlier than when she had nervously entered the building. The flowers blooming along the landscaped sidewalks were brilliant. The sky was exceptionally blue, the clouds white and without blemish. She had never noticed how intensely green grass was, or was the grass on the campus of Dander College inordinately verdant?
It was as though she, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, had suddenly been thrust from a world of black and white into one of vivid Technicolor. She had been through pure hell, but had emerged on the other side to discover that life might be worth the struggle after all.
The Westminster chimes in the campus chapel’s bell tower struck the hour as she jogged past the library. She was imbued with a sense of peace and optimism that she hadn’t experienced since before the rape. Today, she had been granted a new beginning.
Her car was reluctant to start and even more reluctant to go over thirty miles an hour without the heat indicator flashing on. It had barely survived the trip from Savannah. Since the drive took several hours, they had come the day before. After checking in to the Pine Haven Motor Court, Jade had used the remaining daylight hours to acquaint herself with the college community.
The campus formed the nucleus of the town, which Jade thought had charm and character. The only local industry was the college, and the domed administration building was the town’s only skyscraper. Surrounding the campus were gracious neighborhoods comprised of stately homes that housed faculty members. Morgantown’s commercial district was compact and sufficient to fulfill her needs.