Chapter 14: Five Minutes

Delaney sat down beside Weston and smiled at Claire across him.

"Mrs. Crane," she said softly. "I hope there are no hard feelings. I'd hate for us to be strangers."

"We won't be," said Claire.

"Oh, good. Friends?"

"I'll answer that in a little while."

Preston sat down on Claire's other side without a word.

He did not look at her.

A muscle moved in his jaw, and the knuckles on his water glass were white.

At the head of the table, Thurston Vanderveer stood and lifted his glass.

He thanked the donors by name, one after another, and made them laugh twice.

Then he looked down the table, straight at Claire.

"Tonight a guest has asked to say a few words. Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Crane."

Claire stood.

Weston's hand touched her wrist once, and let go.

"Preston," Thurston said pleasantly. "You have something for the lady."

Preston stared at the tablecloth.

"Later," he said.

Claire walked to the stage alone.

The room went quiet table by table, and then she was at the microphone with four hundred faces turned up to her.

She unfolded the sheet from her bag.

"My name is Claire Winslow," she said. "For four years I was engaged to Preston Vanderveer."

A rustle ran through the tables.

"Nine times he set a date for us to be married. Nine times I sat in a chair at the city Marriage Bureau and waited."

"Nine times, a reason came. And every reason was the same woman."

She did not look at Delaney, but she heard a spoon drop.

"The ninth was this Tuesday. I was told Ms. Rhodes had hurt her ankle at rehearsal, and that Mr. Vanderveer had to take her to the hospital."

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