第33部分(第4/7 頁)

an；？　he　stammered；　？my　bedroom？s　being　repainted　and　the　fumes　are　killer。？　Blair

narrowed　her　eyes　and　remained　silent。　That　was　about　the　lamest　excuse　she？d　ever　heard。

？I　didn？t　even　know　it　was　scheduled　to　be　done　until　I　got　home　last　night；？　Nate　offered

weakly。　？Really。？

？Let？s　go　to　the　Plaza；　then；？　Blair　suggested；　doing　her　best　to　shrug　off　the　nagging　sensation

that　things　were　just　not　right　between　them。　She　knew　Nate　was　lying；　butwhy？

？Blair；　I　can？t。？　He　was　starting　to　get　annoyed　with　her？she　could　hear　it　in　his　voice。　？Itold　you；

I　have　some　stuff　to　do　right　now。　Maybe　later？？　？Fine。　Whatever。？　She　closed　her　cell　phone　with

a　hard　snap　and　threw　it　across　the　room；　where　it　landed　with　a　thump　on　a　pile　of

needing…to…be…hand…washed　Wolford　stockings。Why　was　Nate　being　so　secretive　all　of　a　sudden？

Blair　heard　the　low　murmuring　of　voices　in　the　hallway　and　her　bedroom　door　flew　open　to

reveal　her　mother；　dressed　in　a　gray　silk　Oscar　de　la　Renta　blouse；　black　Cynthia　Rowley　pencil

skirt；　and　gray　suede　Manolo　sling…backs。　A　woman　in　her　early　forties　stood　behind　her　carrying　a

red　crocodile　Herm？s　Birkin　bag；　her　whip…thin　body　encased　in　a　red…and…brown　tropical…print

Diane　von　Furstenberg　wrap　dress。　Her　definitely…not…natural…red　hair　was　pulled　back　in　a　neat

chignon；　and　black；　rectangular…framed　Alain　Mikli　glasses　perched　on　her　nose。　She　sniffed　the

air　delicately。

？Blair；　this　is　Diana　Riggs　from　Sotheby？s。　She？s　the　real　estate　agent　in　charge　of　selling　our

apartment！？　The　real　estate　broker？s　eyes　swept　the　room。　？Another　great　bedroom；　Eleanor。？　She

attempted　to　wrinkle　her　Botoxed　forehead　and　counted