It was a small Pennsylvania town at the turn of the century. A world of corruption and greed, where secrets were public knowledge and love was for innocents.

This was the world of Jason Garrity. A man of passion and principle. A man who had pulled himself up from the slums and now had everything he thought he wanted.

What he wanted most was beautiful Patricia Mulligan, daughter of the town's wealthiest man. Jason fantasied about her, longed for her from afar - never dreaming that this great beauty would soon be his.

For Patricia had fallen i love with Jason's best friend. And even now was bearing his child. but he loved another...

Thus it began.
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Lionel said with caution, "You act as if you've got a wonderful secret. What is it darling?" he forced himself to smile.
Patricia clapped her gloved hands together in joy, and her smile was wide. "I have, I have!"
"Tell me," he said and wanted to slap the silly fool. An awful premonition came to him. There had been that one time, just that one accident. though one time was enough to knock a woman up.
"We're going to be married!" she exclaimed, and now tears rushed into her eyes, tears of happiness. "Right away!"
He said, and even his knees felt cold with fear, "Right away?"
She wanted to say "We're going to have a baby."
But she could not. Her throat worked, but a hot shame came to her, an enormous embarrassment. Her face turned red, and seeing that, Lionel was aghast. He thought of her father, Patrick Mulligan. He was ruined, ruined, because of this idiot.. creature. He wanted to kill her!
"But your father wants you to marry Jason Garrity."
"I'll never do that," she said. "Never."