“The baby, you mean? Why, no, I haven’t forgotten him at all. I want him too. ‘The more, the merrier!’” He laughed unsteadily.
Tears gushing from beneath the heavy lids, she looked up at him.
“Oh, you are a dear, and I cannot bear to hurt you. But it is all impossible. Even if I didn’t love Alexis it would be impossible. I could never consent to a divorce. You see, I’m a Catholic!”
“A Catholic!” His startled gaze rested for a moment upon the ivory rosary at the head of the bed.
“Yes,” she whispered, “now you understand, don’t you? And you won’t think I’m ungrateful? Say you understand?”
His set face retained its look of determination.
“I suppose so! But it seems too awful. Don’t spoil both our lives.”
Hands upon her ears, Claire looked at him beseechingly.
“Stop, you have said enough. If I had met you a year ago, perhaps things might have been different, although I doubt it, for I’ve loved Alexis ever since I was old enough to know what love meant. Now that he is my husband, I never could live with another man. It would be shameful. I never could hold my head up again. But please say you understand?”
Sudden pallor upon his square young face, he walked over to the open window.