第2部分(第5/7 頁)

d。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　He

followed　her　line　of　sight。　〃You　can　talk　with　him　later…〃

〃No；〃　she　interrupted；　〃no　need。〃　Embarrassed；　she　leaned　toward　Howard。

〃I'm　sorry。　There　are　。。。　memories。〃

〃There　must　be；〃　he　noted　softly。　〃And　from　the　looks　of　you；　they're

pretty　awful。〃

It　was　a　minute　before　she　said；　〃Not　all。〃

〃You're　white　as　a　sheet。　Can　I　get　you　some　water　or　something？〃

〃No。　I'm　fine。〃　At　his　quirked　brow　she　added；　〃Really；〃　before　glancing

at　the　podium。　〃Is　Huff　almost　done？〃

〃He'd　better　be。　I'm　next。　Take　notes　for　me；　will　you？　I　have　a

tendency　to　forget　what　I　say　from　one　minute　to　the　next。〃

〃Baloney。〃

〃Hmmm；　I　could　use　some　of　that；　too。　Supper　was　very　early。　It's　nearly

ten。〃

At　least　he'd　had　supper。　She　hadn't　eaten　a　thing。　〃How　much　longer　do

you　think　this　will　last？〃　She　still　had　to　make　the　return　trip　to

Little　pton　that　night。

Howard　checked　his　watch。　〃I　have　no　idea。　But　I　have　to　be　out　of　here

by　ten…thirty　to　make　it　to　Manchester　for　the　eleven　o'clock　news。

They're　doing　a　live　interview。　I　hope　good　old　Brad　speeds　it　up。〃

He　got　his　wish　within　minutes。　As　Chloe　sat　back；　the　long…winded　state

representative　transferred　the　podium　to　〃my　illustrious　colleague　in

the　New　Hampshire　state　government；〃　and　Howard　took　the　reins。

Chloe　did　take　notes。　It　was　the　one　way　she　could　keep　her　thoughts　in

the　present　and　her　eyes　away　from　Ross。　Once　upon　a　time；　he　had　played

a　cataclysmic　role　in　her　life。　So　much　had　happened　since　that　night。

When　Howard　finished　delivering　a　poignant　plea　for　the　preservation　of

the　coast；　the　croen