rekindled(英文版)-第43章

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He　must　have　wondered　about　that　quiet；　because　he　asked；　〃Is　your
father　dead？〃

〃Oh；　no。　But　it's　been　years　since　I　lived　at　home。〃

〃Do　you　live　in　the　same　place　you　did　with　your　husband？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Does　it　bother　you？〃

〃Sometimes。〃　An　understatement。

〃Do　you　have　children？〃

〃No。〃　Regretfully。

〃You're　lucky。〃

Frowning；　she　lowered　the　gas　under　the　perking　coffee。　〃Why　do　you　say
that？　I've　often　thought　it　would　have　been　easier　to　have　part　of　him
left。〃

〃It　isn't；〃　Mitch　said　tightly。　〃Take　my　word　for　it。〃

Anne　heard　vehemence　enough　to　suggest　personal　experience。　She　wanted
to　ask　more；　but　it　seemed　against　the　rules。　When　he　didn't　offer　more
himself；　she　figured　he　agreed。　Anonymity　was　best。　Definitely。

He　finished　his　pie　and　coffee；　tossed　a　playful；　〃Getting　better！〃　over
his　shoulder　in　passing；　and　left　her　to　add　coffee　to　her　own　cuppa
Joe。　Soon　after；　he　left　the　cottage。

Noise　from　the　kitchen　late　that　afternoon　announced　his　return。　Anne
put　the　finishing　touches　on　the　piece　she　had　translated；　stacked　her
papers　neatly；　then　paused。　She　sniffed　the　air。　There　was　a　new；　vile
smell。

〃You　went　fishing！〃　she　moaned　from　the　kitchen　door；　staring　in　horror
at　the　mess　on　the　counter。　She　crinkled　her　nose　in　disgust。

〃Now；　now；〃　he　chided；　〃it　may　smell　bad　at　first；　but　once　this　bass　is
fried；　the　end　result　will　be　worth　it。　You'll　join　me　for　dinner；　won't
you？〃

The　invitation　sounded　sincere。　He　looked　sincere　issuing　it。　This　was
her　last　night　at　the　cottage。　She'd　had　a　week's　worth　of　time；　space；
and　her　solitude。

Oil　sizzled　in　the　skillet。　The　sound　oddly　inviting。

〃If　you　have　enough；〃　she　said　graciously　and　was　rewarded　with　a　smile。

〃Oh；　I　have　enough。　More　than　enough；　and　whatever　we　don't　eat　tonight
goes　to　waste。　This　is　great　bass。　Trust　me。　I'm　a　champion　fisherman。〃

〃And　an　immodest　one；〃　she　added；　smiling　back。　She　didn't　doubt　his
ability　for　a　minute。　She　half…suspected　he　would　be　good　at　whatever　he
did。　He　had　an　air　of　petence　that　went　well　beyond　an　arrogant　jaw。

Indeed；　the　fish　was　delicious。　As　was　the　fresh…squeezed　orange　juice
she　found　at　breakfast　the　next　morning。　He　was；　it　seemed；　a　handy　man
to　have　around。

This　was　Anne's　last　morning　in　Vermont。　To　her　surprise；　when　she
headed　for　the　woods；　Mitch　fell　into　step　beside　her；　and　it　was　as
peaceful　a　hike　as　any　she'd　had。　There　was　silence；　the　soft　sounds　of
nature；　and　Mitch's　occasional　ments。　He　was　knowledgeable　in　the
ways　of　the　forest　and　had　a　wealth　of　information　to　share。　He　talked
about　species　of　trees　and　flowers；　habits　of　woodland　creatures；　the
history　of　the　area　itself；　and　did　it　all　in　an　easygoing；
unpretentious　manner。　He　read　Anne　well；　and　knew　when　to　speak　and　when
to　be　still。　She　was　almost　sorry　when　they　arrived　back　at　the　cabin；
since　her　next　chore　was　to　pack。

Too　soon　that　was　done。　With　her　luggage　stowed　in　the　trunk；　she　put
her　key　in　the　ignition…and　for　a　brief　minute　hoped　her　engine　would
fail。　It　was　a　possibility；　wasn't　it？　She　hadn't　started　the　car　once
all　week。

But　it　coughed　to　life　at　the　first　turn；　and　hummed　smoothly　as　it
warmed。　Which　left　only　one　thing　left　to　do。

She　was　about　to　climb　from　the　car　when　that　one　thing　rounded　the
house。　〃You　weren't　going　to　leave　without　saying　good…bye；　were　you？〃
he　asked；　bending　to　talk　through　the　open　window　of　the　car。

〃I　was　just　going　to　e　and　find　you。〃

〃Do　you　have　all　your　stuff。？〃

〃Uh…huh。　I　left　the　rest　of　the　apple　pie　for　you。〃

His　eyes　sparkled　warmly。　〃Thanks。　You　do　make　a　good　one；　even　though
your　coffee　is　still　too　weak。〃

〃Then　you'll　be　glad　to　be　rid　of　me。〃　She　smiled　wryly。　〃When　do　you
leave？〃

〃Later　today。〃

〃Oh。〃　What　else　to　say？　His　fingers　curved　over　the　window　ledge。　They
were　strong　fingers；　nice　ones。

〃Will　you　be　back　up　here　at　all？〃　he　asked　quietly。

She　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　thought　too　far　ahead。　It's　been
a　good　week；　though。　I'm　sorry　to　be　leaving。〃

〃It　wasn't　all　that　bad；　was　it？〃　He　seemed　suddenly　hesitant。　〃Look；〃
he　began　tentatively；　〃I'll　be　ing　up　the　week　before　Thanksgiving。
Kind　of　to　give　myself　a　boost　before　the　holidays。　Keep　it　in　mind。〃　He
stopped　short　of　an　open　invitation；　but　the　implication　was　there。

It　struck　her　that　she　would　probably　want　a　boost　herself。　〃I'll
remember。〃　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Well；　good…bye；　then。〃

He　smiled；　hit　the　ledge　once；　and　pushed　himself　straight。　〃Safe　trip。〃

When　he　stepped　away；　she　put　the　car　in　reverse；　backed　around；　and
headed　for　the　road；　all　the　time　thinking　that　she　might　have　liked　a
kiss。　It　was　a　whimsical　thought。　Not　so　whimsically；　his　lank　image
shrank　steadily　in　the　rearview　mirror。　When　the　car　took　a　curve　and　he
disappeared；　she　narrowed　her　sights　on　reality　and　New　York。

How　different　the　road　looked　this　time　around。　Parched　brown　leaves
blanketed　the　ground；　forests　of　bare　branches　joined　evergreens　in　a
blur　of　gray…green　on　distant　hills。　Mountains　stood　stark；　more　harsh
without　greenery　on　their　slopes。　Leaf　peepers　had　long　since　gone　home
to　city　beat　and　thoughts　of　Thanksgiving；　barely　two　weeks　away。

Those　thoughts　had　precipitated　Anne's　trip；　or　so　she　told　herself　as
she　drove　steadily　north。　On　one　hand；　things　had　improved　in　New　York。
Her　return　trip　had　been　uneventful；　her　apprehension　at　facing　life　and
its　memories　eased　by　the　onset　of　autumn　and　a　renewed　strength。

〃You　look　marvelous！〃　her　mother　had　said　the　first　night　of　her　return。
〃I　like　that　pink　on　your　cheeks。　It　bees　you。〃

Even　after　the　long　drive；　Anne　was　full　of　energy；　which　was　why　she
had　stopped　at　her　parents　in　the　first　place。　〃It　was　perfect；〃　she
said。　〃Just　what　I　needed。〃

〃Sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　it；〃　the　older　woman　ordered；　and　Anne
had。　Almost。　She　didn't　mention　Mitch。　He　played　no　role　in　her　real
life。　She　didn't　even　know　his　last　name。

At　first　she　gave　little　thought　to　the　idea　of　returning　to　Vermont　in
November。　The　new　semester　had　begun；　and　she　was　up　to　her　ears　in
translation　work。　Friends　still　hovered；　but　she　had　more　patience　for
it　now。　In　turn；　they　sensed　her　calmer　state　and　began　to　ease　up。

She　still　refused　to　date。　But　she　was　excited　enough　about　one
professor's　project　to　agree　to　sign　on　as　a　part…time　assistant。
Assured　of　steady　work　to　off…balance　incidental　work；　she　faced　the
fall　and　winter　seasons　with　confidence。

But　Jeff　was　gone；　and　the　holidays　approached。　These　would　be　her　first
without　him。

When　she　first　heard　low　whispers　in　the　back　of　her　mind；　she　ignored
them。　After　Halloween；　though；　they　became　a　murmur。　Go　to　Vermont　go　to
Vermont　go　to　Vermont；　they　said。

But　how　could　she？

That　first　time　had　been　an　accident。　Sharing　the　cottage　with　Mitch　had
been　a　makeshift　solution　to　an　unexpected　problem。　If　she　went　this
time；　there　would　be　nothing　unexpected　about　it。

But　Mitch　was　right。　The　closer　Thanksgiving　came；　the　more　she　dreaded
it。　She　could　use　a　boost；　indeed；　before　facing　them　alone。　Rec