第34部分(第5/7 頁)

　father　had　remarked；　〃I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　you　turned　around

and　bought　that　place。　Pretty　soon　you'll　be　spending　more　time　there

than　you　do　here。〃

It　was　an　exaggeration；　of　course。　Still；　Ann　blushed。　The　cottage

already　had　an　owner；　a　hale　and　hearty　one；　who　appeared　to　be　in　no

way　interested　in　selling。　Fortunately　her　parents　had　never　learned　of

the　stranded　car　or　the　pneumonia　fiasco；　and　they　still　knew　absolutely

nothing　about　Mitch。

Anne　was　starting　to　feel　guilty　about　that。　She　had　always　been　close

to　her　parents。　They　had　been　understanding　and　solicitous　during　her

grief　It　occurred　to　her　that　they　would　want　to　know　when　she　was

happy。

For　she　was　happy。　Knowing　that　Mitch　would　be　with　her　in　Vermont；　she

could　face　just　about　anything　else　that　arose。　His　giving　her　the　key

was　a　significant　gesture。　Now　she　had　a　steady　tie　to　the　place。

Since　returning　this　last　time；　she　had　changed。　For　one　thing；　she　had

finally　been　able　to　pack　up　Jeff's　things。　For　another；　she　was　smiling

more；　laughing　more；　eating　more。　For　a　third；　she　was　going　out　more

with　old　friends。

Strange。　For　so　much　of　the　last　year　her　apartment　had　been　her　private

retreat；　her　sanctuary　when　she　couldn't　face　the　world。　Lately；　though；

it　was　nearly　as　lonely　as　it　had　been　in　the　dreadful　days　following

the　crash。

She　missed　Mitch。　The　longing　grew　with　each　day　that　passed；　until　her

only　refuge　was　in　work　and　the　pany　of　others。　Even　then；　he　was

never　far　from　her　mind。

Now；　with　mud　streaks　covering　the　bottom　half　of　her　once…bright　yellow

car；　she　turned　onto　the　famili