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It took the words a second to sink in When they did, she yanked her hand back and blinked up at hi—”

“I have your uncle Francis’s heart inside me”

She didn’t kno to respond

“Lina?”

She heard the fear in his voice, and it confused her She turned to him For a second she stared into his concerned eyes and felt as if she were falling through an endless darkness She thought crazily, I don’t know this man at all He’s my father, and I don’t know him at all…

Then she realized he was scared because he cared about her He was afraid she’d think he’d done so bad He was afraid of her Another tiny piece of the puzzle fell into place—lovea little afraid

She s, so breathtakingly cool, she wanted to scream out for the sheer joy of it “You have Francis’s heart,” she said softly

He went so still, he seemed not to breathe “Yes”

She knew she held it all in the palht then Whatever she said next would define their relationship forever Tears blurred her vision and she wiped them away “I kneouldn’t leave me,” she whispered

Relief flashed across his face “You’re really so, Lina”

Very slowly he opened his arms, and she ed her, and she knew she’d never forget it, not ever It felt like Francis… and it felt like Angel, as if they were both holding her, both of the men she loved so much

She had no idea how long they sat there, twined together on the top step, talking about anything and everything that came to mind But sometime around ten o’clock, about the time old Mrs Hendicott opened her back door for the last time and tossed her tabby to drops that caely, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky

Behind the squeaked and shot sideways, as if an unseen hand had given it a good shove Itnoise The wind picked up and whistled through the eaves, and it sounded—crazily—like Uncle Francis’s laugh

Chapter Twenty-four

Theto tow