Emmeline stood stock still as he approached her again, intent on listening to his words. She had to know. Needed to know what was going on. For too long she'd sat back and just floated through life without ever really knowing what was going on in her life or what others thought. Ridiculous as it may be, she wanted to know what others thought of her. Especially when they were charming men to suddenly show up into her life and take care of her.

"Because.." she paused, not even sure where to go with it or what to say. Saying Mr. Whitledge had enjoyed her company wouldn't have helped even if she'd never known he had enjoyed her company as more than a friendship. "Because that's how it had started with him," she finally said, "And I was left in the dark with how he truly felt until he was drunk and thought to tell me. Because I don't want to be left in the dark again."

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