第21部分(第5/7 頁)

their　similarities　and　their　differences。　She　pointed　out　that　if　the

tables　had　been　turned；　and　Crystal　had　had　the　affair；　I'd　have　reacted

differently。　In　other　words；〃　she　sighed；　sad　but　hopeful；　〃Crystal's

reaction　was　part　of　her　personality；　just　as　the　guilt　I've　lived　with

all　these　years　is　part　of　mine。〃

〃Is？〃　Ross　asked　softly。

〃Was；〃　she　corrected　herself；　looking　directly　at　him。　He　couldn't　miss

the　pleading　in　her　gaze。　〃I'd　like　to　put　it　behind　me　now。　Will　you

help？〃

Her　pulse　tripped　for　a　minute　until　Ross's　wide　smile　sent　it　racing

on。　〃That's　why　I'm　here。〃

She　frowned。　〃Why　are　you　here？　I　mean；　how　did　you　know　to　be　at　the

airport？〃

〃Your　parents。〃

〃You　talked　with　them？〃

〃Yesterday。〃　He　looked　pleased　with　himself。　〃You　were　overdue　in　Little

pton。　Lee　called　me；　we　plotted　your　course；　and　put　two　and　two

together。　When　I　realized　you'd　gone　home　I　knew　why。　It　was　all　I　could

do　not　to　join　you　there。　But　it　was　something　you　had　to　do；　wasn't

it？〃

She　nodded。　〃I　told　them　about　you。〃

〃Lucky　you　did。　It　made　the　explanations　simpler。〃　He　paused；　vaguely

playful；　vaguely　curious。　〃What；　uh；　exactly；　did　you　tell　them？〃

〃That　you　loved　me；　that　I　loved　you；　that　you'd　asked　me　to　marry　you。

But　I　also　told　them　that　I　had　to　work　things　out　there　with　them；　to

finally　accept　Crystal's　death；　if　I　ever　hoped　to　be　as　much　of　a　woman

as　you　deserve。〃

At　the　last；　all　playfulness　drained　from　Ross's　face；　leaving　a

vulnerability　that　was　the　flip　side　of　his　usual　strength。　His　hand

trembled　slightly　when　it　cupped　her　face。　〃Have　I　told　you　h