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Shock had stolen Kingsley’s courage, but now it returned to hih He rushed forward as the pianist closed the fallboard and stood Over ten years had passed since Kingsley had seen hiiven up hope he would ever see hiain They’d caused each other too hest price for their secrets But that was all in the past It would be better noeen theive him his heart and his body and his soul, and this ti in return

But as the pianist rose, Kingsley noticed so different about hi since they’d last stood face-to-face, eye-to-eye? He would be twenty-nine years old, wouldn’t he? God, they were grown men now When had that happened? If it was possible, he was even sley remembered, and taller, too Hoas it possible he was taller? His clothes, however, were far more severe He wore all black

All black but for one spot of white

A square of white

A square of white at his throat

The pianist smiled at hiy And not the least bit of shasley stared, incredulous He took a s but that Whatever hope had been in Kingsley’s heart a second earlier shattered and died like the last stray note of a syh his veins and into his heart, and there was no stopping it

He met the blond pianist’s eyes--the priest’s eyes--and released the breath he’d forgotten he’d been holding

"Mon Dieu"

My God

4

FOR A SILENT eternity they only looked at each other