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'The police?' Annette looked horrified 'I never thought…'

'I can see you didn't, but it's ti Put their minds at rest'

Annette got out of the car slowly, then stayed there, wringing her hands in a frantic way 'I can't talk to thely 'I'ry They'll shout Cass…no, I couldn't talk to Cass And Dad… he ht cry, that would be worse He'll be so upset, and Cass will be so angry I can't do it Please, Sian'

Sian didn't get it for a second, then she shook her head with vehe it for you This is up to you You got yourself into this et yourself out You ood time to start'

She ot back into the car and cried, and Sian began to see that under that helpless exterior there was soth because it made other people take control of her life for her, and saved her the trouble Annette was used to that—expected it, probably demanded it Was that why William Cassidy proposed to her?

'What ti at her watch

'Eleven-thirty,' said Annette, and Sian's eyes widened It was still only eleven-fifteen; she had somehow believed that Annette had run away just seconds before the wedding began

'OK, where do I ring?' she asked, and Annette told her the naot it fro her paper and spoke to Leo, as at once excited

'You aren't kidding?'

'Nohy should I?'

'She ran out of the forest right under your car? In all her bridal get-up? Would you credit it?' He laughed and Sian made a face he couldn't see Typical of a man, not to mention an editor Leo was over-sophisticated, cynical He wasn't here; he couldn't see Annette's face Annette wasn't real to him, none of the stories they printed were; they were just journalistic fiction unattached to real hus

'She's an unhappy girl,' Sian told him There was real blood in Annette's veins, real tears on her cheeks

'Poor kid,' said Leo 'I'll switch you through to a copy-typist and I'll check that we can get pictures froency man down there; if we could

get his pictures exclusively…'

'Just put h to copy, would you?' said Sian impatiently Sometimes Leo annoyed her