第21部分(第3/7 頁)

review　shows。　Maybe　a　little　shopping　trip　was　what　she　needed。　Audrey　had　said　that　nothing　bad　could　ever　happen　at　Tiffany；　but　surely　that　rule　applied　to　Barneys；　too。

After　her　shower；　Blair　pulled　on　a　pair　of　new　J　Brand　skinny　jeans　she’d　ordered；　pleased　that　they　felt　a　little　loose　around　her　hips；　and　pulled　on　a　thin　eggplant…colored　Theory　cashmere　sweater。　She　belted　her　Burberry　coat；　pausing　for　a　moment　at　the　door。　What　if　Pete　came　back　and　she　wasn’t　here？　She　shook　her　head；　dismissing　the　notion；　and　let　the　door　close　with　a　definitive　click。

She　rode　the　elevator　downstairs　and　tromped　noisily　through　the　parquet　floor　lobby　in　her　dusty　pink　Chanel　pointy…toed　boots。　She　passed　through　the　revolving　door　and　took　a　deep　breath。　The　air　felt　cold　but　fresh。　She　looked　hopefully　at　the　bright　blue　sky。　This　was　a　new　day。

Blair　stepped　into　one　of　the　yellow　cabs　idling　at　the　entrance　of　the　hotel。　“Sixtieth　and　Madison；”　she　manded；　feeling　better　than　she　had　in　almost　a　week。

It　is　called　retail　therapy　for　a　reason。

She　entered　Barneys；　invigorated　by　the　multicolored　purses；　the　scent　of　Creed　Fleurissimo　in　the　air；　the　upbeat　chatter　of　excited　shoppers　surrounding　her。　In　her　hotel　room；　time　had　felt　suspended。　Here；　people　were　moving；　buying；　laughing　in　a　way　that　was　reassuring。

Blair　followed　a　thirtysomething　Gucci…clad　woman　toward　the　elevator　bank。　She　had　honey　blond　hair；　an　Hermès　scarf　tied　around　her　neck；　and　a　huge　five…carat　diamond　ring　on　her　left　hand。　She’d　probably　never　been　left　by　her　boyfriend；　Blair　thought　jealously。

Upstairs；　she　idly　strolled　through　the　expansive　loftlike　space；　not　looking　for　anything；　but　shopping　purely　on　instinct。　She’d　know　what　she