Dear Libera (#2),

Thank you for your wonderful compliments. I'm so glad you enjoyed CRY FOR PASSION (Il Grido Della Passione). I, too, hope SCANDALOUS LOVERS will be translated. I would love to share the "splendid dinosaurs" with my Italian readers. *smile*

Is Jonathon a villain? Or was he a product of his time, where society judged a man based upon his ability to procreate, and the law allowed him to do, essentially, whatever he wanted to a woman, because her only worth was in her ability to bear his children? I don't know; I'm still uncertain if Jonathon is a villain or a victim. Actually, I think he's both. But whatever he is, he does love Rose in his own way. Like Rose, he loved that innocent, perfect love they briefly shared, love that was full of happiness and laughter rather than sadness and tears. A fantasy love. Is it real? Rose found in the end that it wasn't, that it was an illusion; some people never get beyond the illusion, the fantasy, of love. I think Jonathon was stuck in the past, and would always be so. Much as I didn't like him, I did feel his pain when he felt the baby inside his secretary kick. In the end, he lost in every way: He would be alone for the rest of his life.

As to the happy ending. . . . I answered Marianna that the law did not allow Rose and Jack to marry at the end. I wanted to stick to history, as I had up to that point. I hope it came across that while they couldn't marry, they would be together, and that they would be happy, even though they would have to live with the disapproval of society for the rest of their lives. They knew the price, and they gladly paid it to be with one another.

I hope that answers your questions?

Grazie!

Robin Schone