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There's nothing between us." "Miss Samson, don't let this prevent you from marrying," he pleaded
softly. "It isn't the end of the world." ,ýÿ "Oh, yes it is," she whispered. "Adoption is a very attractive
alternative," he added. "You might consider it if you marry." It might be attractive to some men, but it
wouldn't be to Cade: she knew that already. He had such pride in his family's heritage. For years he'd
talked about the heirs he was going to have someday, his sons who'd inherit Lariat after him. Now
those children would be born to some other woman. As long as she'd been whole, she couldn't stop
hoping. But now she felt that she was only half a woman. What good was hoping after what he'd said
in her apartment anyway? He'd admitted that he'd never marry a woman like her, that all he could
have offered her was a brief affair. So it was just as well that he didn't care, because this was one
obstacle she couldn't overcome, even if she could have changed Cade's mind about her uselessness on
a ranch and her inability to adjust to the hard life there. This was a stone wall, separating her from
Cade forever. Her eyes filled with tears as they searched the doctor's. "You're telling me that it's
completely impossi- ble, that there isn't a chance that I could ever have a child of my own?" "Let me
explain. You have one ovary left, but it was slightly damaged too. It is possible that you could
conceive, it just isn't too likely. Not unless you married a man who was incredibly potent and all the
factors were just exactly right. No, it isn't completely impossible, and I've seen too many miracles in
my work to discount God's hand in things. But being realistic is best in the long run." "I see." She had
a little hope then, but not much. She managed a smile for him. "Thank you for being honest with me."
"It's the best thing, you know. I'll check on you again. Try to get some sleep." "I'll do that." She
watched him go. When she was alone, the room seemed to close in around her. She was scared to
death, and there was no one she could tell. Least of all Cade.
Chapter 10 Gussie came in early the next morning to see her daughter, and this time she was alone. It
was the first opportunity Bess had had to talk to her without anyone else present. "You look a little
brighter this morning," Gussie said, sitting down heavily in the chair beside the bed. "How do you
feel, darling?" "Worn," Bess said stiffly. Remembering what Cade had said about Gussie made her
sick all over. It wasn't really all that hard to imagine Gussie chasing after a married man, despite the
way she'd defended her to Cade. Gussie was a butterfly and she loved male adulation. And while
Bess had always believed her mother loved her father, perhaps it was another part of her act. Gussie
had been poor and she said herself that she'd tricked Frank Samson into marrying her by getting
pregnant. Besides that, she'd ruined things between Bess and Cade and had indirectly caused the
wreck. Bess was going to find it difficult to forgive her mother this time. "You gave me quite a
scare," Gussie said, a littie hesitant because Bess didn't seem very glad to see her. In fact she seemed
quite remote. "I'll be all right," the younger woman said brusquely. Gussie leaned back in her chair.
"Why were you driving that late at night, and why in such a hurry? It was Cade, wasn't it?" she added
coldly. "He came to see you, he said so. He caused you to have the wreck." "We argued, but it wasn't
anybody's fault," Bess said simply. "And don't start again about Cade," she added when her mother
looked ready to argue. "He's been kind enough to let you stay at Lariat, and he's invited us both there
while I recuperate. Isn't there some old saying about not biting the hand that feeds you?" she
concluded with a flash of cold brown eyes. Gussie's eyebrows went up. "Perhaps you're having a
reaction to the medicine, Bess dear." "Perhaps I'm having a reaction to you, Mother dear," came the
terse reply. "Why did you impose on the Hollisters, of all people?" Gussie grimaced. "Well, I
couldn't find anywhere else to go," she muttered. "Jamaica went stale." "They threw you out," Bess
translated coolly. Her mother ruffled. "They did not. I left of my own free will. Sort of." She shifted
restlessly. "I told you, Bess, I can't make my own living. I don't know how to do anything." "That's no
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