[gentle music] [bird screeching] [owl hooting] - In the very heart of the city of Memphis, there is a forest as old as history and just as tangled.

[gentle music] When the pioneers first settled this region, sometimes their women would run off into these woods and never be heard from again.

Perhaps the loneliness and isolation drove them mad.

Mad enough to leave the security of their cabins for something dark and unknown.

Or maybe those women didn't run away at all, but were carried off by Indians.

Whatever the truth is, men here have always been wary of this place.

God knows it caused enough trouble in my life.

In the summer of 1937, I became engaged to Caroline Braxley.

I never had to worry about Caroline's running off.

She was far too attached to the comforts of home and the pleasures of Memphis society.

- She can't.

- Whoa, whoa, honey, don't run over your sister.

- She can't handle the pain.

- Taylor's bridesmaids wore roses widow.

- That's right.

- Caroline and her friends took considerable pride in their old family ties in Tennessee, and even back in Carolina and Virginia.

They felt they were heirs to something, if only to the old country manners and country connections.

[festive music] [guests chattering] - Daddy, the flood is bound to hurt the market.

- No, no, not necessarily.

If we get the cotton in the ground by the end of the month, it's still a chance.

[guests chattering] - I don't know what you boys are talking about.

- How are you?

- Oh, I'm so excited and I'm so happy about this boy.

- Bye-bye.

- Caroline?

- Oh, I thought I lost you.

- Not a chance.

Don't you look good?

[Caroline laughs] - What?

- You've got a leaf in your hair.

- Miss Caroline, your mama's looking for you.

[guests chattering] [festive music] - Listen, pal, are you coming with us later?

- Boy, are you kidding?

- We're going to The Cellar.

- Mike, I can't leave here.

Fern's coming with us.

- Come on, Mike, that's over with.

- Well, don't forget, we're going down to the river after work next Tuesday and we need your car.

- I know, I know.

I'll be there, don't worry.

- Excuse me.

- During the first month of my engagement, I sometimes still ran around with girls of a different soul.

These girls weren't heirs to anything and they couldn't have cared less.

[festive music] - All right, all right.

- Goodbye, civilization.

- Hey, Lee Ann, get down from there.

- Yes, Lee Ann, we mustn't upset Natty.

[festive music] [engines rumbling] - These were perfectly respectable girls.

While they were out on their own and had to work for a living, they all had respectable jobs and lived in respectable rooming houses.

They were much better read than we were, and had more interest in politics, art, and the world in general.

Their interest in us was a casual one.

Of course, we weren't serious about them either.

For us, the girls were a break from the country club crowd, and we kind of enjoyed their disrespect.

- Well, one thing's for sure, I ain't lost nothing at the Memphis Country Club.

[everyone laughing] - There was something different about Lee Ann Deehart.

- A lot of money, then I could get out of that room myself.

- She was more levelheaded and serious than the others, and I was very fond of her.

- Going to school at night after working all day, I don't know.

Besides classes cost money.

What about you, Nat?

- Me?

- Mm-hmm.

- What do you mean?

- What are you gonna do with your life?

- Oh hell, I don't know.

Just doing what I've always been doing.

Be a cotton man.

- What about your Latin?

- You can't make a living off of Latin, Lee Ann.

- But you don't have to work for your daddy the rest of your life either.

Nat, there's a whole world out there.

You can do anything you wanna do, live any place you choose.

If I had your money, I'd go.

- You'd go where?

- Nothing, it's stupid.

Come on.

If we're gonna go dancing, let's go.

[festive music] - That's a nice light inch and a 16th cut.

- I'll go check on the market.

- Okay.

Thanks, Eddie.

I'll be back in a minute.

Here.

This isn't a business for men who stay out past three.

- Disobeying my father was not a habit of mine.

But with my marriage so close, I was running out of chances to stay out past three.

[energetic music] [people chattering] On these adventures, we all preferred rough spots like The Cellar.

Even Caroline went there once, but that was before our engagement.

Lee Ann was the one person who'd never joined us there.

She had the place depressed her, and she objected to the day call.

[energetic music] [people yelling and giggling] - Here you go, chickabiddy.

- Are you her chickabiddy?

- Yes, Martha and I once were lovers.

So I'm not ashamed.

[friends laughing] [energetic music] [people chattering and laughing] [energetic music continues] - Nat.

Fern.

- Fern was the one girl with whom I'd had a real affair.

Unlike the others, she didn't have a job, and she'd taken our relationship a bit too seriously.

I'd put an end to it months before my engagement and hadn't seen her since.

[people chattering and laughing] Hey, you doing okay?

- Yeah.

Listen, Natty, I've gotta get back to my date.

See you later.

[people chattering] - And Martha, boys in blue, five minutes.

- Cops, chickabiddies.

Go get your car, hurry up.

Not that way, the side door.

I'll get the girls.

[people yelling] [energetic music] - Come on, come on, hurry up.

Let's go on the front of the car.

[energetic music continues] - By the time December came, things had more or less settled down.

Or so it seemed.

- Are you sure that's gonna be enough?

- Please excuse my daughter, Mr.

Allen.

She doesn't mean to be difficult.

- It's just that Sarah Buford's wedding party was such a mess.

A girl only does this once.

- Excuse me, Miss Caroline, telephone for you.

- I'm sorry, I'll be right back.

- I'm sure it'll be just wonderful.

- Hello?

- Hi, honey, what are you up to?

- Well, I'm getting ready to get married, of course.

- Why don't you take a break, come on over to Southwestern with me.

- Oh, Nat, do you have any idea of all the things I have to do in the next seven days?

- Oh, honey, you're right.

Look, I oughta come over there and help you.

- Here we hold off on the wedding a whole month so you can take this Latin class you don't need to be taking, and here you are so desperate not to study and wanna come over and help me.

So go study on your own.

If you don't, you can't blame me.

- I guess you know me too well.

- Yes, I do, but I love you anyway.

See you tonight.

- Mother, I'm gonna go over to Southwestern to study.

- Well, button up, it's getting pretty nasty outside.

[Nat speaking in foreign language] [phone trilling] I've got it for you.

Hello?

- Nat, I'm bored to death.

Can you please think of something fun for us to do?

- Lee Ann, you're shameless.

- Shameless, why?

- As if you didn't know.

I'm getting married a week from today.

- So what?

You think I wanna marry you?

Nat, this weather's driving me crazy.

- Look, I have to cram for a Latin test on Monday.

Why don't you come on over to school with me?

You can fool around some while I study.

- Well, it couldn't be more boring than sitting around this place.

- All right, I'll pick you up in 15 minutes, bye.

- Nobody, including myself, could understand why I had returned to school to study Latin poetry.

I was a bad student and did very few of the assignments.

Perhaps this was the only way I could safely experience the very isolation I dreaded so much.

[rain pattering] [gentle music] [engine humming] - Is your daddy gonna let you off work long enough to take your test?

- Oh, yeah.

[gentle music continues] - Is he gonna let you off next Saturday, too?

[engine rumbling] [gentle music continues] [suspenseful music] - Damn.

- Left road, Nat.

Nat.

- Listen, I can handle this.

- Just a few more steps, Nat.

- Mom, he didn't even need stitches.

- Nevermind Steve Ramsey.

Anyone knows how serious a blow to the head can be?

- That boy's gonna be just fine.

Thank you, John.

- Come on, you two, let's get out of here and let that boy get some rest.

- Now if you need anything at all, John's gonna be right here.

If not, you don't pay him any mind.

[tense dramatic music] - Does your head hurt bad, boy?

[gentle music] - I hope you've seen now what a bother this Latin is.

How are you feeling?

- A whole lot better now that you're here.

- Nobody else was hurt?

- No, thank God.

- You're probably just trying to get out of dinner tonight.

- Because you're too short, Melanie.

- I'm not short.

Mama, tell her.

I'm just as tall as you.

- Dahney, don't pick on your sister.

- I didn't say she was too short for everything, just the junior court.

- Dahney.

- It's my turn to be in the Cotton Carnival.

- Everybody already knows you're gonna pick Saunders' Cobb to be the board for the fourth grade class.

[dramatic music] - Telephone for Mr.

Nat.

- Nat?

- I think it's your daddy on the phone.

- Thank you.

Excuse me.

- Hello.

- Son, I've just had a call from Dick Sutton at the newspaper.

He got the police report on the accident.

There was a girl in the car with you?

- Yes.

- The other driver claims she ran into the woods and didn't return.

- That's right.

- Now Dick doesn't plan to bring the girl's name into this, son.

He probably won't even print anything until Monday, but he needs to know her name.

- Her name is Lee Ann Deehart.

- Where can we reach her?

Dick's a good friend, but he made it clear.

The paper must be assured she wasn't seriously hurt.

- I don't think she was hurt, not from the way she ran off into the woods.

- And that no harm came to her after she ran off.

- She lives at 2820 Tutwiler.

It's a boarding house.

- Good.

- I'll be home in a little while.

- Are you all right?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

- Good.

I'll be waiting up for you.

- Damn.

- Hello?

- Hello, Mrs.

Truxler, this is Nat Ramsey.

May I speak to Lee Ann?

- I don't think she's been back since you two left this afternoon.

- All right, thanks.

- Bye.

- Everything's gonna be fine, I promise.

Is everything all right now?

- Yes, fine.

Caroline, I think I ought to go home now.

I really am tired.

I'd just like a minute with Caroline before I leave.

- Oh, of course.

- Come on, dear.

- You do look tired, Nat.

- I wasn't alone in the car today, Caroline.

There was a girl with me.

It wasn't anyone we know.

Just a girl I knew when I ran around with Mike and Bob.

The problem is she ran off right after the accident.

I called her landlady a few minutes ago and she still hasn't come home.

Now the newspapers.

- Daddy has friends with the papers, too.

- And you know about?

- We've known since this afternoon.

- I hadn't seen her in months, Caroline.

She called right after I got off the phone with you this morning.

She was bored and just wanted to come along to school for the ride.

- Where could she be now?

- I don't know.

- How did she seem on the telephone?

- I just told you she wasn't home when I called.

- No, I mean earlier when she called you.

- What do you mean?

- Did you seem upset?

You do know, don't you, that you're going to have to find Lee Ann.

And you're probably gonna need help.

[footfalls echoing] - How do you feel?

- Mr.

Braxley has friends with the papers, too.

- I called the police just a few minutes ago.

They say Lee Ann still hasn't come home.

Nat, do you have any idea why she might want to go into hiding?

- It was bad enough that Caroline and her parents knew I had a girl in the car.

No, sir, I don't.

And even if Lee Ann wasn't hurt, her running off like that only made matters worse.

People would assume there had to be something between us, and girls like Caroline had broken off engagements with far less provocation.

- That was Caroline.

Her aunt has canceled tonight's dinner party for you two because of the weather.

- And she didn't ask to speak to Nat?

- No, she had too many calls to make.

- Why?

She wasn't the one who was giving the party.

- At 2:00 PM.

- Well, she wasn't, was she?

- Driving is still hazardous.

But the freezing rain will be ending tonight and roads should be safe by night.

For today, just relax with rhythm and romance.

- People and the rest of the country just don't realize how much cold weather we get down here.

[unsettling music] [gentle music] - I thought you was fixing to go hunting this weekend.

- I was fixing to.

I ended up doing every damn chore Betty May's mother could think of.

- Some weekend.

- Yeah.

[gentle music continues] - I don't think there's anything to worry about, Mr.

Ramsey.

Nobody in their right mind would be out here in weather like this.

- Sure, some people just decide to get scarce a few days.

She hasn't been missing that long at all.

Hell, it isn't even an official police matter yet.

[gentle music continues] - Was she wearing this?

- I don't think so.

No, she wasn't.

[gentle music continues] - I'm sure she's all right.

- What do we do now?

- Where does her family live?

- I don't know.

- You know where her friends live?

- Some of them.

- Well, let's start there.

[light music] [engine revving] - We talked to the girls' landladies and parents.

Some of these girls were the daughters of salesmen and day laborers, while others were actually distant cousins of girls like Caroline.

But they didn't care about any such distinctions of origin.

[light music] [engine revving] - Any luck?

- No, but nothing bad turned up either.

We're gonna talk with some of her friends after lunch.

- Are you going with him?

- Yes.

- Good, we're going to the exchange.

Ed is still here.

He'll get you a sandwich.

- Okay.

[gentle music] [phone trilling] - Hello?

- [Lee Ann's Friend] Nat, Lee Ann wants you to stop trailing her.

- Who is this?

Where is Lee Ann?

- [Lee Ann's Friend] We're not gonna let you find her.

And you're making her very uncomfortable going around with the police and all that.

- They just wanna make sure she's all right.

- [Lee Ann's Friend] She'll be all right if you'll lay off and stop chasing her.

Don't you have any decency at all?

Don't you have a brain in your head?

Do you know what this is like for Lee Ann?

We all thought you were a friend.

- I am, just let me speak to her.

- Don't suppose Lee Ann called during lunch to say hello, did she?

- No such luck.

[engine revving] [gentle music] Okay, Nat, let's see what you can find out.

- Aren't y'all coming in?

- Just ask her if she'd rather step out here, so it's not so obvious.

- Excuse me, ma'am.

I'd like to see Lucy Phelan.

- Ms.

Phelan's very busy right now.

If this is a personal matter, she gets a break at three o'clock.

- I apologize, but this is urgent.

- Please keep this as brief as possible.

- Yes ma'am, thank you.

Hi, Lucy.

- What are you doing, Nat?

- I'm here with the police.

Lee Ann has disappeared and they just want to talk with you.

- Well, maybe she's disappeared because you've been hounding her.

- You know where she is, don't you?

- I didn't say that.

- All right, the point is, we don't want to embarrass you.

Why don't you just come on out in the hall.

- It's gonna cause a scene no matter what I do.

- We understand you're a friend of hers.

- No, honestly, I've met her out a few times dancing, but that's all.

- A few times?

- Now Mr.

Ramsey, if she said she hardly knew the girl, then she hardly knew her.

- Well, we're sorry we troubled you, Ms.

Phelan.

[phone trilling] - Good luck.

- Christina, we just wanna make sure Lee Ann's all right.

- I appreciate that, Mr.

Ramsey, but I hardly know her any better than I know you.

- Officer, I really must get back to work.

- Of course, thank you, miss.

[gentle music] [engine rumbling] - I've been expecting you, gentlemen.

- I suppose your friends have been calling ahead.

- I could draw you a map of the route you've taken this afternoon.

And I can answer any of your questions without you wasting your breath.

I haven't seen Lee Ann for almost a week.

I don't know anything about where she might be and I don't know anything about her family.

I was always under the impression Lee Ann came from Texas.

- That's a big state.

- Well, I've never been there, but I understand it's a mighty big state.

[Fred laughs] - We understand that you're her best friend.

- I don't know her any better than the rest of the girls.

I can't imagine they would've told you that.

Oh, look, officer, I gotta clear these docks now.

- Sure, thanks, miss.

- Hello, Nat.

- Lee Ann must be all right or they wouldn't be closing ranks like this.

They've got more sense than that.

They're smart girls.

She wouldn't be pregnant by any chance, would she?

- They got too much sense for that.

They're smart girls.

- You're damn right they are.

- You get your mind out of the gutter, Fred.

They're just kids.

All of them.

[engine revving] [footfalls echoing] - Come on in.

- I wanna know where Lee Ann is.

- You think I'd tell you if I knew?

- Look, I wanna know what the hell is going on and why you lied to the police.

- You don't know that by now, Nat.

You probably never will.

- She wouldn't be pregnant by any chance, would she?

- Well, one thing's for certain, Nat.

If she were, it wouldn't be any business of yours.

- The trouble is they're too damn smart for their own good.

- You mean too smart for our own good?

- Like hell they are.

Maybe Caroline doesn't read all those books or discuss Picasso when she's half plastered.

But I'll tell you something, she'd never cause you this kind of grief.

You think she'd ever run off like that?

- No, but she wouldn't have any reason.

- Phone for you, Mr.

Nat.

Young lady, thought you may want to take it in the back.

- Hello?

- [Lee Ann's Friend] Lee Ann doesn't want another day like this one, Nat.

She's had about enough.

- Who is this?

- [Lee Ann's Friend] Look, we want you to leave her alone.

- It's not me.

There's nothing I can do to stop them.

- And I guess you can't get married 'til I find her, can you?

- It's not worth it.

Don't even talk to him, I don't care.

- Is that Lee Anne?

- [Lee Ann's Friend] We mean it, Nat.

You better stop hounding Lee Ann.

She's been very depressed.

- Depressed about what?

- [Lee Ann's Friend] About life, you idiot.

But I guess you wouldn't understand anything about that, would you, Nat?

- Listen, let me speak to Lee Ann.

Hello?

[gentle music] - Nothing's gonna stop us from getting married.

- Don't let anything, Nat.

[gentlemen chattering] - Damn.

The next morning, I had to repeat the trip to some of father's friends, including the editor of the newspaper and the mayor of Memphis.

Investigation was still unofficial, and these men wanted to keep it that way.

- Good morning.

- Nat.

- Hello.

- Mr.

Braxley.

- Nat.

- I think we're all here now.

We can just decide which car.

- I didn't tell them about the calls I had received.

I was afraid they might start listening in and I couldn't stand the thought of their hearing the way that girl had spoken to me.

[light music] - [Lee Ann's Friend] I just don't know where she would go.

- Well, I'm sure you understand that our primary concern is Lee Ann's safety.

- [Lee Ann's Friend] Yes.

[pensive music] - Despite their lies, I had to admire the girls for their boldness.

And I began to realize how much stronger they were than someone like me.

[pensive music continues] The men soon gave up on the girls and had me take them to Lee Ann's landlady.

A woman their own age would be more likely to cooperate and not question their right to interfere.

- Well, she was always a moody sort of girl, but lots of these girls living on their own are moody.

- Where was Miss Deehart from?

Who were her people?

- Well, she always claimed she was from Texas, but she never could make it clear to me where it was in Texas.

- Where do you suppose she might have gone, Miss Truxler?

- Well, even these modern girls, when there's trouble, they go to their mothers.

Women turn to women when there's real troubles.

- You're probably right, Miss Truxler.

Thank you for your help.

- Oh, you're quite welcome.

Good day, gentlemen.

- Good day.

- I hope I never see the day your sister Nancy lives in one of these places.

- I realized how differently I saw these girls, Lee Ann, in particular.

[gentle music] It seemed I was discovering my true feelings toward her.

She was the only person I really talked to about things outside my own narrow existence.

All that I was not, but could perhaps become, suddenly seemed linked to her.

[gentle music continues] Even though it was impossible, I suddenly felt she was the girl I should marry.

I had fantasies in which Caroline broke off our engagement, and I found consolation in the arms of a safely returned Lee Ann Deehart.

[gentle music continues] [engine humming] - I think she'll turn up soon, Jack.

I really think she's safe somewhere.

- Well, I don't know.

It's gonna be an official matter for the police after all if we can't do any better than this.

- I just couldn't tell those men about the calls, but I had to tell you.

Caroline, what I said about Lee Ann is the truth.

That's all that ever happened.

Please believe me.

- All right, Nat.

I believe you.

Nat, I don't want you to go to work at all tomorrow.

Don't explain to your father or to anybody.

Just get up early and come get me.

I want you to take me to meet some of those city girls.

- What in the world?

- But I need to know the truth.

Now there must have been some with whom.

I have to know who I'm talking to tomorrow.

- There was just one, Fern Morris.

- Tell me about her.

[light music] I wanna see Lucy and Christina.

I met them the night you took me to that place.

- You mean The Cellar?

- Yes.

They'll remember me.

[dramatic music] Nat, please wait in the car.

[dramatic music] - Don't miss it.

MGM's largest revelation of the secrets of the act, the women.

[radio announcer chattering] - According to her, we've never met.

And she says she's never met Lee Ann at all.

[radio announcer chattering] - Well, you still wanna see Christina?

- Yes.

I spent a lot of time with her that night.

She'll help us.

[dramatic music] [footfalls echoing] Miss Sanford?

- Yes?

- I'm Caroline Braxley.

May I talk to you for just a moment?

- Just for a moment, I gotta get to work.

- We met one night last fall when Nat took me to The Cellar.

- Nat?

- Nat Ramsey.

- I've never been to the Cellar.

- I suppose you don't know Lee Ann Deehart?

- slightly.

- I see.

Thank you.

[footfalls echoing] She certainly is taking her time for a girl, who's in such a hurry.

I don't think she wants to face you.

- I bet she's calling ahead to Lee Ann.

Had enough?

- No.

I wanna see Fern Morris.

[gentle music] [engine revving] - Y'all sit down.

- I'm sure you know about Lee Ann's disappearance.

- Of course, I do.

- You think it's funny?

- It's all a big joke.

- A joke?

- Oh, it's only my opinion, of course.

But I think Lee Ann wants to make you two suffer.

Everybody knows Caroline isn't going to marry you until Lee Ann turns up safe.

- What do you mean everybody?

- Everybody in the world, practically.

- Fern, do you know where Lee Ann is?

Do you know where her family is?

Is she with friends?

- I'm not going to tell you anything.

- Come on, Caroline.

[gentle music] - You're a smart girl.

You'll probably be going to Lee Ann's boarding house.

If you go there, and if you are a smart girl, you'll look in the left hand drawer of Lee Ann's dressing table.

[gentle music] - Yes?

- We're friends of Lee Ann Deehart, and she wanted us to pack a suitcase and bring it to her.

- Oh, hello, Nat.

You know where she is then?

- She's with her family.

- Where is her family?

She's never told me anything about them, and I never think it's my business to ask.

I'll have to unlock the door for you.

Where did you say her people live?

- I don't know, but we're going to meet her down at the bus station.

- Is she all right?

Do you think she'll be coming back here?

- Oh, she's fine.

And I do think she'll be coming back here.

She just wanted us to bring her a few things.

- Yes, I wondered how she's been getting along without a change of clothes.

I'll go upstairs and fetch her suitcase.

[gentle music] - Nat.

- What have you found?

Martha.

- That's her family.

- She's at The Cellar.

[engine rumbling] - Nat, this is one thing I have to do without you.

- But Caroline, I'd like to see her if she's here.

- I know you would.

Of course, you would.

- Caroline, I told you, Lee Ann and I.

- I know.

That's why I don't want you to see her again.

[melancholy music] Mr.

Braxley, please?

This is his daughter.

- My grandmother's name mustn't be mentioned at all.

- Don't worry.

Daddy, Nat's found Lee Ann Deehart.

Yes.

Of course.

Now Daddy, I promised her there won't be any embarrassing publicity for her family.

Yes, sir.

Hold on.

- Hello?

Yes, that's right.

No, I'm fine.

I just thought it was the best thing to do.

It was personal.

It had nothing to do with Mr.

Ramsey.

I appreciate that.

Bye.

- Daddy.

Yes, we will.

Yes, we're both very relieved.

See you at home, bye.

- Thanks a lot for the clothes.

Please, just go home.

This has nothing to do with you or with Nat.

- How can you sit there and say that?

Do you have any idea what you've put me through?

- Close the door.

- I felt Lee Ann was my last chance to reach out and understand something that was beyond my own narrow circumstances and outside my own narrow nature.

[pensive music] - I spent three years making a life for myself.

A new life that had nothing to do with this place or with my grandmother.

Nobody in that life knew anything about us.

She was just old Martha at The Cellar.

So after the crash, I was scared and I ran.

If there was something in the paper about it, about my grandmother, I guess I was ashamed of her.

- But all by yourself in those woods?

- Really.

It was a kind of a relief.

I'd been feeling pretty depressed.

I thought Nat would be good for a laugh, so I called him.

Then we had that stupid wreck.

There in the woods alone, it was so peaceful.

I stayed there a long time.

Finally, I realized how cold I was.

It was getting dark and I wanted to go home, but I didn't really know where to go, the boarding house or here with my grandmother.

So I went and stayed with some friends.

After a couple days, I came here.

[melancholy music] So when I was very young, my mother left me with my grandma, and we hadn't seen her since.

But she always sent money back for boarding school.

She said kids just want her dish, but she didn't wanna be responsible for a little girl growing up with no education, and ending up a slave to some man.

- Thank you for telling me all this.

- Caroline.

[footfalls echoing] - She's all right.

Everything's all right.

Can we go?

- Okay.

[engine revving] - Nat, I don't want you to take me home right now.

Let's just drive, please?

[gentle pensive music] [Caroline sobbing] No, go as far as you can.

- We drove east along the old road, which our forebears had traveled when they came to Memphis.

It was as if Caroline wanted to go back, back far enough to put this day and all it meant, forever behind us.

[gentle music] - It's not just Lee Ann and what she might be to you.

It was her freedom to jump out of your car, to run off into the woods, to just vanish.

She was so free from you and everybody.

- You'd like to be able to do that?

- Who wouldn't?

Men could always do it, but never women.

It's all different for girls like Lee Ann and her friends, and they know how to protect each other.

They treat men as they please and you like them better for it.

But you'll never admit it.

I envy them.

At first, of course, I thought I'd have to break the engagement, or at least postpone the wedding.

That's what everybody thought.

- Your parents, too?

- What if Lee Ann was dead or pregnant, or some other terrible thing?

We had to think about that.

But I had to think about me, too, about what would happen to me if the wedding was called off.

I would be the rejected girl, the jilted fiance.

Well, that's what everybody would think even if I were the one breaking off the engagement.

I'd have no way to protect myself.

The only power I had to save myself was to save you.

And the only way I could do that was to find Lee Ann Deehart.

I'm not free like those other girls are.

Everyone has to have some kind of power or strength if they're gonna survive.

I have to protect what strength I have.

[gentle music] - During the long trip back, I said almost nothing.

And I think Caroline mistook my silence for more understanding than I was capable of at the time.

It would take years of marriage, children, too many dinner parties, and far too many hours in the cotton office for me finally to understand.

In middle age, I sold everything, went back to school, and started over.

A new life in a new place with much less money.

And through it all, Caroline encouraged and sustained me, even though it meant leaving her home and her friends, and all that she had known forever behind her.

[gentle music] [gentle music continues] [gentle music continues]