第27部分(第7/7 頁)

and　was　rewarded　with　a　smile。

〃Oh；　I　have　enough。　More　than　enough；　and　whatever　we　don't　eat　tonight

goes　to　waste。　This　is　great　bass。　Trust　me。　I'm　a　champion　fisherman。〃

〃And　an　immodest　one；〃　she　added；　smiling　back。　She　didn't　doubt　his

ability　for　a　minute。　She　half…suspected　he　would　be　good　at　whatever　he

did。　He　had　an　air　of　petence　that　went　well　beyond　an　arrogant　jaw。

Indeed；　the　fish　was　delicious。　As　was　the　fresh…squeezed　orange　juice

she　found　at　breakfast　the　next　morning。　He　was；　it　seemed；　a　handy　man

to　have　around。

This　was　Anne's　last　morning　in　Vermont。　To　her　surprise；　when　she

headed　for　the　woods；　Mitch　fell　into　step　beside　her；　and　it　was　as

peaceful　a　hike　as　any　she'd　had。　There　was　silence；　the　soft　sounds　of

nature；　and　Mitch's　occasional　ments。　He　was　knowledgeable　in　the

ways　of　the　forest　and　had　a　wealth　of　information　to　share。　He　talked

about　species　of　trees　and　flowers；　habits　of　woodland　creatures；　the

history　of　the　area　itself；　and　did　it　all　in　an　easygoing；

unpretentious　manner。　He　read　Anne　well；　and　knew　when　to　speak　and　when

to　be　still。　She　was　almost　sorry　when　they　arrived　back　at　the　cabin；

since　her　next　chore　was　to　pack。

Too　soon　that　was　done。　With　her　luggage　stowed　in　the　trunk；　she　put

her　key　in　the　ignition…and　for　a　brief　minute　hoped　her　engine　would

fail。　It　was　a　possibility；　wasn't　it？　She　hadn't　started　the　car　once

all　week。