Why did women insist on wanting more? Respect, friendship, were enough. He did not want more. He couldn’t predict how he’d react if he fell in love. His father had been brought to his knees by love. His father’s world destroyed. He refused to be put in that position.He realized what the problem was. He’d seen the light in her eyes. Whenever any woman he was seeing looked at him like that, the liaison was over. He walked away.But he couldn’t walk away from a wife. This marriage wouldn’t work if she fell in love with him. Love was turbulent and riotous and led to a battleground. He refused to be ruled by his emotions.As he walked up the steps to Clarice’s house, memories of what had happened in her boudoir five months ago raced through his head. It was surprising how much a man could change in only five months. Prior to Doogie’s death all he thought about was his own pleasure and what he wanted. Not only had his base desires put Doogie in a position where he’d been killed, he had altered Beatrice’s life and that of his sisters as well.Marisa’s and Helen’s reputations and perhaps lives hinged on ascertaining the truth.
