第28部分(第4/7 頁)

her　thoughts　jolted；　too；　up　and　down；　in　and　out。　She　shouldn't　have

e　she　had　to　e。　What　did　she　hope　to　acplish…why　did　she　have　to

hope　to　acplish　anything？　What　if　Mitch　wasn't　there…what　if　he　was？

She　had　deliberately　waited　until　Saturday　morning　to　leave　the　city。　If

Mitch　had　driven　up　on　Friday　night；　like　last　time；　she　would　reach　the

cottage　just　when　he　was　waking　up。

Her　heartbeat　quickened　when　she　rounded　the　final　curve　and　saw　his

sporty　blue　Honda　parked　in　front　of　the　house。　It　stood　out　clearly　in

the　dusky　November　day；　a　bright　and　promising　robin's　egg　in　a　dried

twig　nest。　Her　pulse　pounded　as　she　pulled　in　behind　it；　slid　out　of　her

car；　and；　pulling　her　navy　pea　coat　closed；　approached　the　door。

All　was　winter　silent；　such　that　the　heels　of　her　leather　boots　sounded

abnormally　loud　on　the　flagstone　walk。　The　grass　bordering　the　walk　was

aged　and　dying；　the　lilac　forlornly　naked。　But　Anne　felt　alive　as　she

knocked　on　the　door。

When　there　was　no　answer；　she　imagined　him　in　the　kitchen；　and　knocked

harder。

Still；　silence。

But　his　car　was　there。　She　wondered　if　he　had　broken　habit　and　gone　for

an　earlier　hike。　She　tried　the　doorknob；　but　it　didn't　budge。　Finally；

she　banged　on　the　door　with　a　full　fist。

It　opened　then；　and　she　knew　he'd　been　asleep。　He　was　bleary…eyed；

unshaven；　mussed　of　hair；　and　rumpled…looking　in　an　old　shirt；　tails

hanging　low　over　wrinkled　jeans。　He　was　as　tall　and　lean　as　she

remembered；　though　not　quite　as　enthusiastic　as　she　had　hoped。

She　swallowed　doitch。〃

〃Where　in　the　hell　have　you　been？〃　he　bellowed。　〃I　was　thinking　of

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