第37部分(第7/7 頁)

　sky　when　they　finally　awoke。　They

lay　in　bed；　face　to　face；　studying；　marveling；　smiling。

〃How　am　I　going　to　drive　back　to　New　York　today？〃　she　finally　asked。

Forget　her　heart。　Her　body　was　done　in。

〃You're　not。　When　I　go　to　make　my　phone　call　later　today；　I'll　make　any

you　need　to　make。　I'm　sure　the　O'Gradys　won't　mind。〃

〃The　O'Gradys？〃

〃Our　neighbors；　about　two　miles　to　the　east。　I　found　them　by　accident

once；　but　they're　used　to　me　now。　I　always　call　Rachel　from　there。〃

Anne　smiled。　〃Rachel。　You're　daughter。　That's　so　special；　Mitch。　I'm

glad　you　keep　in　touch　with　her　while　you're　away。　I　feel　guilty　that

you　left　her　at　all　to　meet　me；　especially　when　she　was　sick。〃

〃She　was　better　by　the　time　I　left。　But　don't　worry　your　pretty　head

about　that。　What　you　need　to　worry　about　is　whether　I'll　let　you　out　of

this　bed　before　Monday。〃

She　feigned　shock。　〃You　wouldn't　keep　me　here　that　long。〃

〃No？〃

She　took　another　tack。　〃You　couldn't。〃

〃No？〃　His　eyes　held　a　naughty　gleam。　Then　he　slid　over　her　and　proved

her　wrong。

Saturday　night　they　had　cause　to　celebrate；　toasting　each　other　by　first

and　last　names；　making　merry　despite　the　fact　that　they　had　both　decided

to　leave　the　next　day。　Mitch　had　a　Monday　morning　board　meeting；　Anne

needed　to　deliver　a　promised　piece　of　work。　The　real　world　waited。

She　dreaded　the　moment　of　parting。　What　they　had　was　so　new；　so　fragile；

so　precious　that　she　would　h