第28部分(第3/7 頁)

as　excited　enough　about　one

professor's　project　to　agree　to　sign　on　as　a　part…time　assistant。

Assured　of　steady　work　to　off…balance　incidental　work；　she　faced　the

fall　and　winter　seasons　with　confidence。

But　Jeff　was　gone；　and　the　holidays　approached。　These　would　be　her　first

without　him。

When　she　first　heard　low　whispers　in　the　back　of　her　mind；　she　ignored

them。　After　Halloween；　though；　they　became　a　murmur。　Go　to　Vermont　go　to

Vermont　go　to　Vermont；　they　said。

But　how　could　she？

That　first　time　had　been　an　accident。　Sharing　the　cottage　with　Mitch　had

been　a　makeshift　solution　to　an　unexpected　problem。　If　she　went　this

time；　there　would　be　nothing　unexpected　about　it。

But　Mitch　was　right。　The　closer　Thanksgiving　came；　the　more　she　dreaded

it。　She　could　use　a　boost；　indeed；　before　facing　them　alone。　Recalling

with　pleasure　the　land；　the　air；　and　the　cottage；　she　figured　that

whether　he　showed　up　or　not　the　week　would　be　good。

This　time　her　parents　raised　no　objection。　As　a　precaution；　she　made　a

reservation　at　an　inn　thirty　miles　from　the　house。　It　was　the　nearest

one；　but　would　assure　her　a　place　to　stay　if　Mitch　either　didn't　want

her　or　wasn't　there。

She　didn't　have　a　key；　because　she　hadn't　called　the　rental　agent。　What

would　she　have　said？　Is　Mitch　going　up　this　weekend？　No；　I　don't　know

his　last　name；　but　we　spent　the　week　together　there　last　time。

Embarrassing！

She　made　the　sharp　turn　off　the　highway　onto　the　rutted　road　that　lead

up　the　hill　to　the　house。　The　ruts　were　harder　now；　more　jolting　in　the

cold　of　a　raw　November　than　they　had　been　in　September。　In　that　instant