第23部分(第2/7 頁)

ming　her　hands　as　the

fire　warmed　her　feet；　and　it　suddenly　struck　her　that　she　was　beginning

to　feel。　It　had　been　months　since　she　had　smelled　coffee　brewing　or　felt

the　barefoot　plushness　of　a　carpet。　But　the　coffee　did　smell　good。　Same

with　the　burning　logs　and　the　pines　outside；　and　her　feet　did　feel；

albeit　smooth　sanded　oak　planks　rather　than　the　thick　carpeting　of　home。

Pushing　the　glasses　up　on　her　nose；　she　stared　at　the　biography；　but　it

wasn't　a　biography　kind　of　night。　Jumping　up；　she　returned　to　her　room

for　a　replacement。　Mystery　or　romance…the　choice　was　easy。　A　romance

might　appeal　to　her　later　in　the　week；　when　she　was　feeling　stronger。

She　took　the　mystery　and　set　off。

The　addition　of　several　logs　brightened　the　blaze　in　the　hearth。　Edging

her　chair　closer；　she　read　from　its　light；　and　the　book　drew　her　in。

Within　a　chapter；　she　was　the　heroine。　She　was　only　marginally　aware

that　the　rain　was　ing　harder；　beating　with　increased　force　against

rooftop；　windowpane；　and　clapboard。　It　was　a　fitting　backdrop　for　the

story　of　a　young　woman　stranded　in　the　deep　woods　in　a　cabin　not　unlike

her　oparison；　debated　switching　to

the　romance　after　all；　but　was　inexorably　drawn　back　to　the　tightly

written　piece。　Burrowing　deeper　into　the　chair；　she　gave　herself　up　to

the　plot。

She　read　for　two　hours；　pausing　only　for　more　coffee。　The　gold　watch　on

her　wrist　read　eleven；　but　she　was　wide　awake；　stimulated　by　caffeine；

her　new　surroundings；　and　the　riveting　edge　of　the　story。　As　Chapter

Four　became　Five　and　then　Six；　the　mystery　deepened。　Accidents　were

neither　accident　nor　coincidence。　Someone　was