Redeeming-Love-By-Francine-Rivers

R E D E E M I N G L O V E
High-class clientele, Paul thought cynically. And for all her prim and
proper clothing, Angel was as brazen as ever. No decent woman would let a
man kiss her on a public street. Not even on the cheek.
Miriam’s words haunted him. “You’ve always judged her. And so wrongly.”
Paul’s mouth pressed tight. Miriam wasn’t here to witness this scene. She
didn’t know anything about women like Angel. He had never been able to
convince her. She had never quite believed in the existence of a girl called
Angel and what she’d done in a brothel in Pair-a-Dice. “You’re not even talking
about the same person,” she said. But he knew what Angel was, even if
Miriam and Michael never faced up to it.
What on God’s green earth had they ever seen in that worthless woman,
to love her with such solid, unchanging devotion? He would never understand
it.
He followed Angel to a simple, two-story clapboard building not far from
Portsmouth Square. There was a sign on the front door. He had to cross the
street to read it. House of Magdalena. There it was, printed for any man to
see. He had known all along. Now what was he going to do? Even if he told
Miriam, she would never believe it. And convincing her would only hurt her
more.
Dejected and angry, Paul walked for a long time. It was Angel’s fault he
was in this situation! She had been a destroyer ever since he first laid eyes on
her. First she’d come between him and his money. He had thrown away gold
once in a vain attempt to spend half an hour with her at the Palace. Then
she came between him and Michael. Now, she was coming between him
and his wife!
He spent the night in a cheap hotel. He ordered supper in the dining
room and then couldn’t eat it. When he went to bed, he couldn’t sleep. He
kept imagining Miriam’s tear-streaked face. “You never even tried to understand
her, Paul. And you don’t understand now. Sometimes I wonder if you
ever will!”
I understand all right, and I want the witch out of my life forever! I wish she
was dead, buried, and forgotten.
Paul slept fitfully and awakened long before dawn with the decision firm
in his mind to go back to the valley. He would lie to Miriam. There was no
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