with him.

“I—I can't promise that," I replied honestly, touched by Dr. Proctor's fatherly kindness. "I have to act upon my judgment at the moment. I must protect Granger."

"You love your husband, don't you?"

"I love him," I said. But I wanted to add, But I'm not in love with him. I'm still in love with Jan. It's always Jan. But I want to protect Granger from hurt.

"Granger Macy is a good man," Dr. Proctor remarked. Then he smiled, "But I don't have to tell you that. You're his wife."

My mind played a trick on me then. I felt my wedding ring, but it didn't seem to be there on my finger

and instead I lifted my hand to my throat, and though it was unadorned, I could feel the little heart locket that Jan had given me on my eighteenth birthday. The doctor didn't know what I was thinking, of course. It was.....I'm Jan's wife. I'm Granger's friend.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Bob continued to be included among the guests Granger and I had at our home. Of course he brought along Elena, the girl in whom he was now interested.

Whenever I looked at the small, red-haired, adoringeyed bundle of fluff who clung to his arm as if it represented a bulwark against all adversity, I hoped he would be kind to her.

Maybe he can be kind, I reasoned. From childhood he has followed a pattern of taunting me, of trying to get even for my disinterest in him. But Elena adores him, so maybe she'll bring out the tenderness in him.

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I tried to blot out the memory of the brutality he had shown to me.

When Elena displayed a diamond ring and cooed, "Bob and I are engaged," I believed that his persecution of me would soon be ended. I reasoned that a happy man has no time for making others miserable.

In front of Elena and my husband, Bob behaved like a gentleman. But whenever he saw me alone for even a moment, his antagonism flared.

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During one of our dinner parties, as I passed a tray of canapes, Bob said in a low tone, "You don't seem to be worried as to whether or not I knocked you up.' Smiling, so anyone seeing us would suppose our conversation was pleasant I replied, "No, I'm not worrying. Because I know you didn't."

"You passed out. So how can you be so sure?”

"Ask Dr. Proctor." I turned from Bob and passed the tray to other guests.

When Elena and Bob were saying goodnight, he hurt my hand as he went through the polite gesture of shaking it.

It was then I knew that Bob Kemp had not yet had his fill of attempting to cause me pain.

I wondered if the day would come when I'd have to rip aside Bob's charming mask of social amity and expose him to my husband for the revengeful person he was. If this happened I could count on Dr. Proctor to back me in my accusation.

Four days after the party, I had new evidence of how unspeakably cruel Bob Kemp could be.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon. I had just finished talking with Granger on the telephone. He wouldn't be home from his office until around five thirty. I was planning the menu I'd have for dinner, when the door chimes rang urgently.

I fluffed out the skirt of my yellow dress, and hurried to the door. When I opened it, surprise filtered 103