第37部分(第3/7 頁)

He　rapped　on　the　door。　〃Open　up；　Anne。〃

〃No。〃　She　was　mortified　by　what　she　had　said；　and　heartsick　that　it　had

e　to　this。

〃There　are　things　I　have　to　tell　you；　Anne。　Open　the　door。〃

Weeping；　she　only　shook　her　head。

〃Anne　。。　。〃

〃Go　away！〃　she　pleaded。　She　couldn't　face　him。　Nothing　he　said　mattered。

〃I　love　you；　Annie。〃　His　voice　filtered　soft　and　sensuous　through　the

ancient　wood　of　the　door；　and　suddenly　it　did　matter；　very　much。　If　this

was　a　cruel　hoax；　she　would　never　forgive　him。

Turning；　she　laid　her　wet　cheek　against　the　door。　Afraid　to　listen；

afraid　not　to；　she　waited。

〃Did　you　hear　me；　Annie？〃　Again　the　velvet　sound；　too　dear　to　be

dismissed；　too　real　to　be　denied。　〃I　love　you。〃

Her　pulse　raced。　She　wanted　to　believe　that　he　did；　wanted　to　believe　it

more　than　anything　in　the　world。　But　there　was　a　crucial　question　still

to　be　answered。

Slowly　she　turned　the　knob　and　drew　open　the　door。　Fearful；　she　raised

her　eyes　to　his。　And　she　saw　love；　surely　she　did；　unless　she　wanted　it

so　bad　that　she　was　imagining　it。

〃Do　you　love　Rachel；　too？〃　she　asked　in　a　faltering　whisper。

When　he　reached　for　her　arms；　she　didn't　resist。　Neither　did　she　melt

toward　him；　but　held　her　line；　waiting；　waiting　for　his　answer。

His　smile　was　sad　but　tender。　〃Yes；　I　love　Rachel。〃　His　hands　tightened

when　she　would　have　pulled　free。　〃But　I　love　her　in　a　very　different　way

from　how　I　love　you；　Annie。　Rachel　is　my　daughter。〃

Anne　was　shocked。　His　daughter？　She　had　been　jealous　of　his　daughter？

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　she　cried；　wanting　to　hit　him　but　slipping　her

arms　around　his　neck　instead