第22部分(第6/7 頁)

　apartment。

The　work　was　plentiful。　She　could　pick　and　choose。　Between　her

availability；　her　petence；　and　her　promptness；　she　was　in　demand。

On　occasion；　she　met　overeager　professors；　even　some　young　and

attractive　ones　who　were　aware　of　her　situation。　She　remained　courteous

and　professionally　efficient；　but　she　refused　to　date　them。　It　disturbed

her；　even　angered　her；　that　men　thought　she　would　want　to　date　so　soon。

Memories　of　Jeff　were　too　near；　too　vivid；　too　dear。　Those　memories

would　eventually　settle　in；　she　knew；　and　she　might　date　then。　For　now；

though；　she'd　had　enough　of　love　and　pain。

This　trip　was　good　in　that　sense；　too。　It　gave　her　excuses　to　avoid

dating。　Between　getting　ready　to　leave　with　a　million　errands　to　do；

being　physically　out　of　state　for　the　week；　and　eventually　returning　to

a　huge　pile　of　work；　she　was　safe。　She　didn't　have　to　worry　about　men　in

the　backwoods　of　Vermont。　She　was　hoping　she　wouldn't　see　anyone　in　the

week　she　was　here。

Pretty　reclusive　for　a　former　socializer；　she　mused　without　a　hint　of

remorse。

From　the　hearth；　the　sudden　crumbling　of　an　ash…split　log　startled　her。

She　whirled　from　the　window；　eyes　wide　in　alarm。　When　she　realized　what

the　sound　was；　she　took　a　breath　and　uncurled　fingers　from　fists。　After

months　of　being　bitten　to　the　quick；　her　nails　had　grown　into　nicely

tapered　tips。　And　there　was　her　wedding　band；　wide　and　gold；　gleaming

with　deceptive　brightness；　on　the　third　finger　of　her　left　hand。

When　the　fire　spoke　again；　cackling　for　a　feeding；　she　knelt　before　the

warm　stone。　Taking　a　piece　of　dried　birch　from　the　large　wood　basket；