第1部分(第5/7 頁)

esident　of　the

Hansen　Corporation；　Ross　Stephenson　。。　。Chloe　stopped　writing

mid…stroke。　Ross　Stephenson？　Ross　Stephenson？　She　would　never　forget

that　name。　Heart　pounding；　she　glanced　at　the　fourth　member　of　the

panel。　He　was　the　taller；　darker　one。　Was　it　the　same　Ross　Stephenson？

This　man　was　nattily　dressed　and　impeccably　groomed。　The　Ross　she　had

known　had　been　bearded　and　wore　faded　jeans；　high　boots；　and　a　peasant

shirt　of　Indian　cotton。　Eleven　years　had　passed。　He　might　have　changed。

How　could　she　know？

His　eyes。　They　were　the　same　memorable　amber。　Eleven　years　ago　they　had

cut　through　all　pretense　and　snagged　her　in　the　space　of　a　breath。　They

were　just　as　striking　now…and　they　were　looking　at　her。　He　knew。

As　all　else　faded；　she　felt　shock；　remembrance；　pain。　Then　she　tore　her

eyes　from　his　and　lowered　them　to　her　paper。　Ross　Stephenson。

Unbelievable。

〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Howard　whispered；　seeming　to　sense　her　distress。

She　contemplated　lying。　The　society　belle　of　New　Orleans　would　have　done

that。　But　today's　Chloe　was　too　honest。　She　whispered　back；　〃I　knew

him…Ross…a　long　time　ago。　I　never　expected　to　see　him　here。〃　Or　again；

for　that　matter；　she　added　silently；　struggling　to　keep　her　thoughts

from　racing　back　in　time。

〃He　shakes　you　up？〃

She　smiled　ruefully。　〃He　shakes　me　up。〃

〃Will　you　be　able　to　go　on　and　speak？〃

She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I'll　be　fine　once　we　get　going。〃　Unfortunately；

Felix　Hart　continued　to　talk；　gesticulating　more　emphatically　than　ever。

〃He's　been　sidetracked　on　the　background　of　your　pal。　Listen。〃

Chloe　had　no　choice。

〃As　many　of　you　know；〃　F