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It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless Tony worked unsuccessfully to hide his grin She’d just confir, he retook his seat Refusing to relinquish contact, he allowed their knees to touch

"I know you have no reason to believe ht you should knohy I caaze was too innocent as she asked, "Why?"

He couldn’t lie "To take you back to Iowa"

Claire stared Finally, a smile briefly fluttered across her lips He wondered what it meant She replied, "Well, since this ti to say no"

Tony tried another route "Catherine misses you"

"I miss her, too" With a hint of hesitation, Claire asked, "Does she believe that I tried to kill you?"

God, he hated this It was just one of the s he couldn’t take back The anguish in Claire’s voice tugged at his heart He couldn’t tell her the truth, not now If he told her that Catherine not only knew, she was also involved, it could alienate Claire forever Trying to focus his thoughts, Tony carefully worded his response It wasn’t lying; it was more a minimization of facts "I’m not sure We’ve never discussed it I know at first she orried about me Then once I ell, she was upset, but I don’t know for sure if it was at you or at me The subject’s never come up"

"Then how do you know she misses me?"

"I just do When word cary"

Red knocked at his thoughts--e when Preston called, the i her location This tiaze Stopping at the large s, the beautiful vieas lost behind the i him He couldn’t lose his temper; he wouldn’t He knehat he’d done to Claire--and so did she If she were ever to trust hiain, he needed to be honest Perhaps someday the whole truth could be revealed, but Claire wasn’t ready for everything, not yet

Forcing restraint, he weighed his words and began "I was I admit, I was… stunned Governor Preston inforry at everyone: at you for being pardoned, at Jane Allyson for presenting the petition, at Governor Bosley for signing it Hell, I was even mad at the clerk who filed it" He turned toward her, continuing to maintain control She didn’t turn away The intensity of her stare frightened him as much as it exhilarated hilared at hiured out that the person I was the most upset as me For the first time in years--yes, more than three, you know that now--I’d lost track of you" His voluone!"

He waited as she remained silent Only her stare intensified and prodded, as if she could see deep into his soul The sudden vulnerability chilled his skin Could she see his pain? Yes, he was responsible for her consequences and pain that she’d endured, but he had pain, too With all his heart he wanted toStepping toward her, he saw anxiety in her expression increase His chest ached at the realization that she was frightened of hi, he ed ahead "Da has been the sa, empty hole"