“I gave you my promise,” she said, “and I will abide by that promise. It is for you to decide, and no one else. My life, your own and—and the life of another is in your hands—three futures, Johnny, decide—”
“You want to—to give me up?”
“Is that generous?”
“No, it isn’t,” he admitted. He took a turn up and down the room. “And you say this other—this girl—cares for me?”
“I know she does?”
“Did she tell you?”
“Must I answer?”
“Why not?”
“Why not?” Joan repeated. “Yes, she did. She came to me, openly and frankly, straightforward child that she is, and she said to me, ‘Why are you marrying him, not loving him? If you loved him, and he loved you, I would not come to you; but you do not love him, and it is not fair. You are taking all and giving nothing!’ And, she was right!”
“And she—she—” he said in a low voice, “would give—”