第39部分(第3/7 頁)

Then　why…〃　Mitch　cut　in。　〃That's

enough；　Peter。　She's　upset。　Is　this　necessary？〃

The　lawyer　called　for　a　short　recess　and　led　Mitch　from　the　room。

Anne　bowed　her　head　and　put　a　hand　to　her　forehead。　Inhaling　deeply；　she

tried　to　steady　herself　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　her　father…in…law　asked。

Her　plea　was　a　barely　audible　whisper。　〃I　have　to　get　out　of　here。　How

much　longer　can　this　go　on？〃　She　reached　into　her　purse　for　a　tissue　to

wipe　her　eyes。

〃Not　much　longer。　Try　to　hold　up；　Anne。　Once　this　is　over；　you'll　never

have　to　face　it　again。〃

In　her　heart　Anne　knew　that　the　agony　was　just　beginning；　but　she　had　no

time　to　dwell　on　it。　Mitch　and　his　lawyer　returned　to　their　seats。

The　lawyer　said；　〃My　client　feels　strongly　that　we　have　all　the

information　we　need。　I　have　no　further　questions。〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　broke　in　the　man　who　had　been　introduced　as　counsel　for　the

manufacturing　pany。　〃If　you　have　nothing　more　to　ask；　I　do。〃

His　tone　was　ominous。　Clearly；　he　wasn't　having　his　client　go　down

without　a　fight。

Simmons　spared　Mitch　a　glance　before　saying；　〃Certainly；　Mr。　Parks；　but

try　to　be　brief　Mrs。　Boulton　is　under　a　strain。〃　To　Anne；　he　said；　〃Are

you　up　for　a　few　more　questions？〃

Anne　dared　a　look　at　Mitch；　but　his　expression　was　masked。　Angry　at　him；

angry　at　the　world；　she　turned　back　to　the　lawyer　and　nodded。

Parks　picked　up　where　Simmons　had　left　off。　〃On　the　matter　of　children；

we　want　to　know　why；　after　so　many　years　of　supposedly　wanting　them；　you

never　had　them。〃

Anne　stared　at　the　man　in　astonishment。　She　couldn't　imagine　any　greater

invasion　of　her　privacy　than　this。

Terr