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"Please don't permit this to upset you, Mother," I said "Drink so warm in your stomach"

"I will," she said, "but you must sit here and tell me all you know"

The teacup rattled against the saucer

precariously when she took it froht it to her lips and barely sipped, her eyes searching e of the cup I sat beside her on the bed

"None of us should really be surprised by these events, Mother," I began calmly "We've always tried to protect Belinda from herself We've always tried to keep her sins and mistakes buried"

Mother winced at the word and I stopped, realizing the not so vague reference to the preround in the rear of our home

"When you k

eep things hidden, when you lie or leave out all or part of the truth, you always risk being exposed and looking even more dreadful That's what happened with Belinda Carson found out about some of her past indiscretions and was upset Belinda didn't kno to deal with it She actually told hi to be so virginal and innocent throughout their engagement The contrast between the illusion and reality probably frightened hi else," I said I paused, looked down at ?"

"What about it?"

"I hate telling you these things when you're so sick" "I'll be all right Tell me," she pleaded

"Sip your tea, Mother Please"

She forced herself to do so I saw frori

"You're seeing a doctor today," I insisted, "even if I have to take you there myself"

"All right, Olivia All right You were saying so?"

"She threw it out the car hen Carson became upset with the lies"