She smiled faintly."Nesling?"
"Much more thannesling,"he said softly.
"She's a fine woman. Goodfortune, Li Sung." The happiness she felt for him was free of thewistfulness she had known before. How foolish she had been not to realize thatthough they were going different ways, the bond between them would always bethere, too strong to break. "So you came to tell me I must complete therailroad without you?"
His smile disappeared."No, I came to see Ruel."
"Why?"
"To tell him he is afool."
She stiffened warily. "Afool?"
"A blind fool. Hebelieves you ordered the rails that caused the wreck at Lanpur Gorge, doesn'the?"
She stared at him inbewildered horror. After all this time, how could he have learned—
Medford. She should haverealized this would happen with Li Sung and Medford working so closely togetherduring these last weeks. "Medford told you?"
"You should have been theone to tell me. Are we not friends?"
"I didn't want—"
"I know why you did nottell me." He met her gaze. "But why did you not tell Ruel? Why didyou not tell the rest of the world?"
"I didn't have thechoice," she said wearily.
He studied her for a momentand then nodded slowly. "Patrick. I thought as much. A promise?"
"And a debt paid."
"Well, I made no promise.I will tell Ruel."
"No!"
Li Sung stared at herincredulously. "You wish him to continue to think badly of you?"
"That's all in thepast."
"He should know you wereinnocent."
"I was not totallyinnocent. I deliberately blinded myself to—" She saw his jaw setstubbornly and hurried on. "Ruel now feels more guilt than I do about Ian.I won't let him be alone in this."
He nodded slowly. "Ishould have known it was something of that nature. But carrying this burden isbeyond the realm of caretaking, Jane."
"It's no burden."Jane smiled, eager to make him understand. "Don't you see? I want to doit. Ruel loves me in spite of what he thinks I did. It takes a great deal oflove to overcome an obstacle like that. He's given me a great and wonderfulgift."
"You will never tellhim?"
She shook her head. "Andyou must not either."
"You cannot keep such athing a secret forever. He could not live with you and not come to realize youcould never do this."
"Promise me you won'ttell Ruel." steps. "More bad news, Li Sung? I thought theconstruction was going well."
Jane tensed, her gaze flyingpleadingly to Li Sung's face.
"It is." Li Sunghesitated and then said, "Jane wanted to break the news to youherself."
