第39部分(第4/7 頁)

ence　Carpenter　leaned　sideways　to　explain　in　a　low　voice；　〃They　want

to　know　the　extent　of　your　loss　in　terms　of　future　parenthood。　If　you

and　Jeff　wanted　a　child　and　he's　no　longer　here　to　sire　it；　the　loss　is

greater。　Do　you　understand？〃

She　nodded。　Yes。　She　could　understand　that。

She　took　a　breath。　〃We　wanted　to　have　a　child；　but　it　just　never 。。。

happened。〃

〃You　mean；　you　never　conceived？〃

〃I　did　conceive。　TWICE。　I　miscarried　both　times。〃　In　the　silence　that

followed；　her　father…in…law　took　her　hand。

〃Did　you　see　doctors？〃　the　lawyer　prodded。

〃Of　course！〃　Her　voice　rose。　As　if　the　memories　weren't　painful　enough；

the　humiliation　of　airing　them　before　this　hostile　group　was　traumatic。

〃They　couldn't　find　a　cause。　They　insisted　that　another　time　the　baby

would　be　fine。〃

〃And　you　kept　trying？〃

〃How　could　I；　Mr。　Parks？　My　husband　died。〃

Her　words　brought　silence　to　the　room。　Anne　sat　stiff；　clenched　her　jaw；

and　looked　nowhere　but　at　the　lawyer；　who　quickly　redirected　the

discussion。

〃Do　you　date；　Mrs。　Boulton？〃　When　she　frowned；　he　rephrased　the

question。　〃Have　you　begun　to　date　since　your　husband's　death？〃

The　sudden　hammering　in　her　chest　threatened　to　rob　her　of　breath。　She

refused；　absolutely　refused　to　look　at　Mitch。　〃No；〃　she　whispered。

〃I'm　sorry；　I　couldn't　hear　that；　Mrs。　Boulton。〃

She　raised　her　voice。　〃No。〃　It　was　a　technicality；　she　knew；　but　she

didn't　care。

〃That's　hard　to　believe；　if　you'll　excuse　me　for　saying　so。　You're　an

attractive　young　woman。　Aren't　you　planning　to　date？〃

〃Not　now；〃　she　said　with　a　bitter　laugh。　After　what　Mitch　had　done；　she