"She was in considerable distress when they brought her in. I—I didn't ask her."
In spite of the raven-black hair and youthful face, there was something about Clifford that Webb didn't like, a hardness, a lack-luster indifference verging on boorishness. The thought of losing Anne completely for more than eighteen years to this man was more painful even than Webb had anticipated.
Impulsively he said, "For old time's sake, Cliff, will you do me a big favor?"
The engineer stared at him and waited.
"Take a vacation. Disappear for a few months."
The dark eyebrows remained in a straight line. "And run out on Anne? You aren't serious."
"I am."
Clifford laughed without smiling. "You'd better head for hormone harbor and take yourself a vacation, old man. You're becoming senile."
"Then you won't withdraw?"
"Of course not. You're asking more than a favor. You're asking me to offend Anne. These things are important to females."