You might wonder how I could so quickly fall in love with another man when you and I have been so close, living together these past months. I wonder, too. I think I was more vulnerable to someone else than I had been willing to admit to myself. Although it wasn’t a conscious thought, I think I had come to know that you would have the greatest difficulty making a permanent commitment to me, and I know now that permanence is what I wanted most. I had meant to talk seriously with you about this while we were on the sailing trip to St. Marks, to see if we could work through it. I dreaded bringing it up, hoping for a long time that you would do so. When you didn’t, I planned to make the try.

But fate and the weather were against us, and I have to admit to you that when I couldn’t go, I felt relieved. I think that later, if I had thought you were pining away for me, I would have gone, but then you became involved in the Allison Manning business, and I knew from what I read in the press and saw on television that you had your hands full.

I want children, and Vance does, too; that’s a big part of this. But I’m making it sound logical and carefully planned when, really, it was entirely spontaneous, growing day after day, until it overwhelmed us both. The only flaw in my happiness is that I could not resolve my relationship with you before this happened. I certainly did not wish to cause you pain.

I know you have your own very independent life to live and over the long haul, I know that I couldn’t have fit into it without changing the things I loved about you most—your spontaneity, your love of your life, and your singularity as a man.

I hope that you and I can remain friends, and that you can wish Vance and me well. We truly are deliriously happy. After some time has passed, and when we’re in New York again, I’ll call you, and perhaps we can have lunch and talk about things. Vance was very impressed with you when you met, and he would like to know you better.

I hope this time hasn’t been too bad for you and that you get that poor woman off. From what I’ve heard she is so obviously innocent and those people down there are prosecuting her for their own ends. I know you’ll do your very considerable best.

Until I see you again, I remain your good friend and feel nothing but affection and admiration for you.

Arrington

Stone folded the letter and put it into his pocket.

“Are you all right?” Allison asked. “You look as though you’ve had the wind knocked out of you.”