That only leaves the third contender to discourage," Alex said happily. "Who is he, and what do we know of him? Do I know him?"
It was the moment Elizabeth had been dreading. "You never heard of him until a few weeks ago, when you returned."
"What?" she asked, nonplussed.
Elizabeth drew a steadying breath and nervously rubbed her hands against the sides of her blue skirts. "I think," she said slowly, "I ought to tell you exactly what happened a year and a half ago-with Ian Thornton."
"There's no need to ever tell me if it will cause you unhappiness to speak of it. And right now, we surely ought to be thinking of the third man-"
"The third man," Elizabeth interrupted tightly, "is Ian Thornton."
"Dear " Alex gasped in horror. "Why? I mean-"
"I don't know why," Elizabeth admitted with angry confusion. "He accepted my uncle's proposition. So it is either some sort of complete misunderstanding or it is his idea of a joke, and neither makes much sense-"
"A joke! He ruined you. He must be a complete monster to find it amusing now."
"The last time I saw him, he did not find the situation amusing, believe me," Elizabeth said, and, sitting down, she told the whole story, trying desperately to keep her emotions under control so that she would be able to think clearly when she and Alex finalized their plans.
It was the moment Elizabeth had been dreading. "You never heard of him until a few weeks ago, when you returned."
"What?" she asked, nonplussed.
Elizabeth drew a steadying breath and nervously rubbed her hands against the sides of her blue skirts. "I think," she said slowly, "I ought to tell you exactly what happened a year and a half ago-with Ian Thornton."
"There's no need to ever tell me if it will cause you unhappiness to speak of it. And right now, we surely ought to be thinking of the third man-"
"The third man," Elizabeth interrupted tightly, "is Ian Thornton."
"Dear " Alex gasped in horror. "Why? I mean-"
"I don't know why," Elizabeth admitted with angry confusion. "He accepted my uncle's proposition. So it is either some sort of complete misunderstanding or it is his idea of a joke, and neither makes much sense-"
"A joke! He ruined you. He must be a complete monster to find it amusing now."
"The last time I saw him, he did not find the situation amusing, believe me," Elizabeth said, and, sitting down, she told the whole story, trying desperately to keep her emotions under control so that she would be able to think clearly when she and Alex finalized their plans.
( Judith McNaught )
[ Almost Heaven ]
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