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the long version

It was years since Johnny Carruthers had broken Henrietta's heart, and she supposed she had got over it by now - Johnny's infatuation for, and subsequent engagement to, the glamorous Deirdre: Henrietta's own short-lived marriage and the eventual breaking off of Johnny's engagement. All the same, Henrietta was far from happy when Johnny came back into her life; she would far rather forget all that had happened in the past, avoid any more emotional entanglements and concentrate on living once more at her adored Dragonshill. But Johnny, it seemed, had more to offer her; this time he was offering marriage — but only a second-best love, as he made clear. Pride told Henrietta that she ought to refuse, but would her heart decide that half a loaf was better than no bread? And while she was still trying to make up her mind what to do for the best, Deirdre appeared on the scene, to complicate matters still further.