a sordid past?

I can't do it. I can't tell you about anyone's past - I just can't make that judgement. Even if its only in my imagination I haven't got it in me to give details about anything anyone has done, sordid or otherwise. Its not right.

Please believe me I had no idea that it would come to this. I had no idea that she was once involved in so much, well, so much activity. No I will not tell you what kind of activity - lets just leave it at that.

After all, when one is young one is prone to all kinds of nonsense. Its easy to fall in with the wrong sort of people, particularly if one has lost parents and friends in some tragedy or other. Vulnerable, you understand. Its not as if the girl was born bad, oh no, she was perfectly innocent. At first.

Its inexplicable, this horrible event now. After all, we've come to trust her. We know she isn't capable of it. She can't be. No - she told me everything, all the dark details of her whole life. Why would she do that if she was planning to betray us?

There's nothing more to be done - we must ask her ourselves - confront her. Surely even one with such a history as hers is incapable of a bald-faced lie. She wouldn't dare, not to me. Not after everything I've done for her, taking her in, giving her a home, a name, a new identity. I taught her everything I know about living among decent, civilised society.

Yes, ask her yourself. Let her tell you her secrets, her shame. Let her speak for herself, and you can make up your own mind. But I won't say another word against her.

My lips are sealed.