All afternoon Susanna had worried about getting together with him. It was only going to make things worse. But then he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Also, she questioned her own intentions. Over and over, she had tried to convince herself that she didn’t want to see him again. It was a lie. Susanna wanted to see him, very much. But she couldn’t change for him, and sooner or later, he would expect her to. Possibly over dinner she could convince him of his bad choice. To pursue her would lead to unhappiness for Tomas, instead of bringing joy to her life, as she knew he wanted to. It was kind of him, and that was one thing that really got to her. But it was too late. Maybe if she had met him sooner, or wasn’t so set in her ways. Or if her adoptive parents were still alive, Susanna might be able to grip onto the ledge and pull herself up. As it was, she was slipping down the slope, and though Tomas thought he could catch her, she knew differently. And he persisted in telling her a fairy tale in an attempt to persuade her that he was a prince and she was a maiden.
