The Scarletti Inheritance - By Robert Ludlum Page 0,49

prostitution. As an American citizen there are specific laws...'

'It's a lie!' broke in Janet. 'They told me that if I paid the money, the Arab could tell me where Ulster was! That's all I did!'

'No, it wasn't. You gave him a present. A little thirteen-year-old girl was your present to him and you know it. I wonder if you've ever thought about her.'

'I just wanted to find Ulster! I was sick when I found out. I didn't understand! I didn't even know what they were talking about! All I wanted to do was find Ulster and get out of that awful place!'

'I wouldn't pretend to dispute you. Nevertheless, others would.'

'Who?' The girl was shaking.

'The courts, for one. Newspapers, for another.' Elizabeth stared at the frightened girl. 'My friends... Even your own friends.'

'And you would allow... someone to use those lies against me?'

Elizabeth shrugged.

'And against your own grandchild?'

'I doubt that he would be your child, legally, that is, for very long. I'm sure he'd be declared a ward of the court until it was determined that Chancellor was the proper guardian for him.'

Janet slowly sat down on the edge of the chair. Lips parted, she began to cry.

'Please, Janet. I'm not asking you to enroll in a nunnery. I'm not even asking you to do without the normal satisfactions of a woman of your age and appetites. You've hardly restricted yourself during the past several months, and I don't expect you to now. I'm only asking a fair amount of discretion, perhaps a bit more than you've been exercising, and a healthy degree of physical caution. In the absence of the latter, immediate remedy.'

Janet Saxon Scarlett turned her head away, her eyes tightly shut. You're horrible,' she whispered.

'I imagine I appear that way to you now. Someday I hope you may reconsider.'

Janet sprang from the chair.

'Let me out of this house!'

'For heaven's sake try to understand. Chancellor and Allison will be here soon. I need you, my dear.'

The girl raced to the door, forgetting the lock. She could not possibly weam'Ce ^ ^ ' hCT PaniC