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"Terrified," he said, his smile so lopsided there was no way she could believe he was serious

She turned to face him, her hands on her hips "We all must learn to face our fears"

"Exactly," he said softly "Open the door, Henry"

She took a deep breath, wondering why this was so difficult She supposed that childhood fears stayed with a person long into adulthood Finally she pushed open the door and looked inside "Why, look!" she exclaie very much"

Dunford followed her in and looked around The interior was e still ed to retain a certain hohtly colored quilt, faded a bit with age but still cheerful Sentimental knickknacks adorned a set of shelves, and tacked to a as a drawing that only a child could have made

"I wonder what happened to them," Henry whispered "There was obviously a faested "It isn't uncoe, much less a family"

She kneeled in front of a wooden chest at the foot of the bed "I wonder what is in here" She lifted the lid

"What did you find?"

"Baby clothes" She picked up a tiny s her eyes "It's full of baby clothes Nothing but"

Dunford got down on his hands and knees next to her and peered under the bed "There is a cradle down here, too"

Henry felt crushed by an overwhel melancholy "Their baby must have died," she whispered "It's so sad"

"There now, Hen," Dunford said, obviously touched by her grief "It happened years ago"

"I know" She tried to smile at her foolishness, but it came out wobbly "It's justWell, I knohat it is like to lose one's parents It must be a hundred times worse to lose one's child"

He stood up, took her hand, and led her to the bed "Sit down"

She perched on the edge of the bed and then, unable to get coainst the pillows resting against the headboard She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye "Youwas that she was very, very special He'd seen her brisk, efficient side and he'd seen her joking, teasing side But he'd never guessed she had such a sentimental streak It was buried deep within her, to be sure, underneath layers of men's clothes and cheeky attitude, but it was there nonetheless And there was soliazed at the yellow dress with such a deep and unconcealed longing But now It quite une of the bed and touched the side of her cheek with his hand "You will ratefully at him "You're so kind, Dunford, but I probably will never have children"

"Why not?"

She giggled even beneath her tears "Oh, Dunford, one's got to have a husband to have children, and who is going to want ht that statement an obvious lure for co bone in her body He could see in her clear, gray eyes that she truly didn't believe any man would ever want to ned pain he saw on her face He wanted to shake her and say that she was foolish, utterly foolish But most of all he wanted to make her feel better

And he told himself that that was the only reason he swayed toward her, his face drawing ever nearer to hers "Don't be silly, Henry," he whispered "A man would have to be a fool not to want you"