'But...' Justin's face was grey and she saw from his eyes that he was beginning to believe.

'Why didn't I know? Why didn't he tell me?' 'He couldn't -' 'And you, Romney?' Anger flared in his eyes. 'I wanted to, I thought you should know, but ... Don't hate me for this as well, Justin,' she pleaded piteously. 'I'd promised him, long before I met robe, donning it and coming back to sit on the edge of the bed. He touched her knee, almost tentatively. 'I think you must tell me everything now, Romney.' 'Yes.' She wanted the comfort of his arms about her then, but she knew he was incapable of offering solace at that moment, when he himself was so much in need of it. 'You know, when I first knew Kit at the art college, I didn't even like him much, but then one day ... He'd just had the verdict from his doctor, and I felt so sorry for him ... He loves life, and he was so frightened, especially of being alone when it happened, so I promised him he wouldn't be. I promised him lots of things ... For a while after that he would have nothing to do with proper doctors, and we went to Manila.' 'The healers in the Philippines,' Justin realised bleakly. 'The first one we went to ... Well, he did the operations publicly and Kit wanted to know what he was in for so we attended