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"I didn't mean to worry your wife," I continued "I just was curious, but don't worry about it It won't happen again"

He shook his head

"You're hter," he said as if the fact just had settled in "My God, this is "

"Terrible, I know"

"No, no I didn't mean to imply that" He nodded and smiled "The fact is I've often fantasized about this Ito be born and I couldn't help but wonder about you"

"Everyone couldn't help but wonder but no one cared to do anything about it," I said dryly "Except my adoptive mother who turned out to be the only one who ever loved me"

"Yes," he said "That's probably very true What sort of relationship do you have with Frances Hudson? As I recall, the Hudsons were one of those old Southern aristocratic families"

"I have a very good relationship with her She's even included me in her will"

"Is that right? A lady then How long are you supposed to remain in London?"

"The school year," I said

"Well" He sipped his tea, which I iined was quite cool by now "Well I'll have to see et to know each other a bit"

"Why?" I asked coldly

"Why? Why, simply because we should know each other Look," he said, putting his cup down quickly "You have to understand Megan and I were rebellious young people then We had no sense of real responsibility We were both infatuated with ourselves, our youth, our idealisht for a neorld When she becanant, it was as if someone had thrown cold water in our faces and woken us to the reality of ere doing

"Even so, I volunteered to do right by her, but her parents were devastated, especially her father, and they swept her off She disappeared froht and I heard from her only once afterward That's how I knew you had been born and given away for adoption"

"Sold away," I reminded him