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me?' she asked suddenly, and he leaned on her front door to consider her drily

'The local journalist toldhim at the church When I tried to talk to your editor on the phone I got nowhere, so I drove up to London myself to shake your address out of him'

'I' you where Annette is You've wasted your ti to adh; he didn't have the face of a man who easily admitted defeat, and she could well understand why Annette had fled hi material for any woman to ith; Sian was not easily daunted by men, but for hi

'You don't understand yet—' he began, but she interrupted, shaking her head

'I do, I assure you! I know o'

'Oh, you know that, do you?' He eyed her drily 'And although I've only known you a short tiiven quite a few o' He watched the surprise and then the resent else he shrugged his powerful shoulders and said crisply, 'This is just wasting time Look, Miss Christian, it's essential that I find Annette Her father had a heart attack when he discovered she had run away'

Sian gave a sharp gasp, and stared at hi the truth?

He read her expression and sive you the name of the hospital and the ward he's in!'

'Poor Annette,' Sianhim then 'Is it serious?'

William Cassidy hesitated, his brows drawn 'I' that he knew'Now, can I have Annette's address?' he demanded

She thought quickly 'I promised not to tell you'

'Circued, surely?' he snapped, and she nodded

'I know, but I can still keep my word if I take you there rather than tell you, and anyway, I think it would make it easier for Annette if I was there when she heard the news This is going to be a real blow for her'

His face was sombre 'I'm afraid it is, they were very close There are no other relatives, and Lewis, her father, has aggravated his condition by fretting over Annette being left alone when he's gone'

Sian's intuition leapt, and she looked hard at him 'You mean, this heart condition hasn't suddenly shown itself? He's been ill for a long time?'