Fallen Hearts (Casteel 3)

"Is that when you asked her to marry you?" Randall did not respond. He looked at Fanny and then he looked down. "Mr. Wilcox?"

"Please answer the question," the judge commanded.

"Yes."

"Not until you were told she was pregnant," Camden emphasized. Randall nodded. "Did you want to marry her then because you believed she was having your child?" Randall looked up sharply. "You felt you had to do the right thing by her, isn't that right, Mr. Wilcox?" Camden demanded, sounding as if he had just then realized it himself.

"You were lied to, weren't you?" Camden pursued. "And you wouldn't have married her otherwise, isn't that correct? Isn't it?"

"No. Fanny's been through a great deal of hardship in her life." He looked at her. I could tell by the expression on his face that he meant what he said, that he really did feel sorry for her. "A great deal of what she has done is understandable."

"But she did tell you you were the father of her child, did she not?"

"Yes."

"And now she's saying it's Mr. Stonewall who is the father. Is she lying now or did she lie to you?" Randall didn't reply.

"I know you can't answer that, Mr. Wilcox. Mr. Wilcox, why didn't you marry her before she told you she was pregnant?"

"I wasn't ready to get married."

"And two days ago you were?"

"Yes."

"But how have your circumstances changed, Mr. Wilcox?"

"I dropped out of college and got a job in Winnerow."

"Working as a short-order cook?"

"Yes."

"Your parents are upset, are they not?" "Objection, Y'Honor. Mr. Wilcox is not on trial here. His family relationships are--"

"Your Honor, I am trying to establish the climate of the Wilcox household, a clim

ate Drake Casteel might be living in."

"Objection overruled."

"You left an expensive college education with a promising career on the horizon to get married, isn't that so, Mr. Wilcox?"

Randall's eyes began to tear. He looked out at the audience in the direction of his parents.

"Yes."

"Mr. Wilcox, I ask you, isn't it possible that Fanny Casteel used you, lied to you about her pregnancy, just so she could get you to marry her and come to this hearing a married woman?" Randall simply stared ahead. "Please answer the question, Mr. Wilcox." He shook his head. "Mr. Wilcox?"

"Maybe," he said and the audience broke out into loud chatter again. The judge rapped his gavel.

"No further questions, Your Honor," Camden said, and walked toward our table smiling widely.

"Mr. Burton?" the judge said. Wendell Burton smirked.

"No questions, Y'Honor," he said.

Randall got off the stand and started toward Fanny's table and then turned and walked out of the courtroom.