hi TS,
i'm not a professional consellor but here's my take on your situation.
firstly, i always think that in matters of the heart no one can judge it better then the person himself/herself and will depend largely on the emotional maturity of the person(s) involved.
hmm.. by the way, why dont you guys stay as friends till you know each other better? (knowing her for more then a decade doesnt mean u know her character now.. there might be hidden agenda especially if it comes out of nowhere.... )
anyway, if you are confused about your own feelings, you should ask yourself, did u feel really comfortable chatting/being with her? is there any reason/pressure why did she wanna go into a relationship?
1) if u feel good when you are with her (not just physical attraction, think communication!!), then it could be possible that she has the feel for u and vice versa. this could lead to a proper relationship/friendship or even marriage.
2) if ever you feel that there could be any question marks then clear the doubt. dont ever try guessing or procrastinating.
PS: think the above does not just apply to your current state n it could be helpful for you if you are in doubt of any r/s
if u dont wanna give her a chance then no need to read further.
but in case you do wanna be with her,
1) look at her character now and not in the past. who does not have a past? (but of course if you really do end up with her u need to brave more pressure esp if your family is very traditional)
2) try to understand her like a gal u have never known b4. try to eliminate the urge to think back about the past. what is past had passed now.
3) it is definitely good if she can come clean with u about her past but it might be difficult especially if she feels ashamed about it(give her time and guide her in divulging her innermost memories.. it might be very hurting for her if she went through alot...
sorry for the long post. do let me know if this helps..
good luck bro!