rekindled(英文版)-第62章

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but　it　vanished　the　instant　the　words　were　out。

The　older　woman　sighed。　〃All　right。　I'll　call　you　later。　Get　some　rest。〃

〃I　will。　And　thanks　for　calling；　Mom。〃

〃You're　wele；　darling。　Bye…bye。〃

She　hung　up　the　phone　thinking　that；　more　than　anything；　she　needed　a
shoulder　to　cry　on；　but　the　tears　refused　to　e。　For　a　time；　she
wandered　aimlessly　from　room　to　room；　window　to　window。　Eventually　she
changed　into　jeans　and　an　oversized　shirt　and；　barefoot；　returned　to　the
living　room。　She　felt　every　bit　the　hollow　shell　she　must　have　looked。
The　view　from　the　window　held　nothing　for　her。　Nor　did　a　glance　at　the
day's　mail。　Unable　to　muster　energy；　she　stretched　out　on　the　sofa。

One　hour　passed；　then　another；　and　the　enormity　of　the　day's　happenings
sank　in。　Mitch　had　deceived　her。　Oh；　it　might　have　started　innocently
enough　in　September；　but　in　time　she　had　mentioned　the　crash；　even　its
date；　and　the　uping　trial。　He　might　have　spoken　up　then。　He　might
have　spoken　up　last　night。

She　held　her　stomach　tightly。　If　only　she　could　cry。　If　only　she　could
scream。　Instead　she　felt　drained；　heartbroken；　half　whole。

The　telephone　rang　again。　She　tried　to　ignore　it　under　a　layer　of
pillows。　When　it　kept　up；　she　realized　that　if　it　was　her　mother　again
and　she　didn't　answer；　the　woman　would　be　on　at　her　door　in　no　time
flat。

With　an　effort；　she　dragged　herself　from　the　sofa　and　went　to　the　wall
phone　in　the　kitchen。　〃Hello？〃

〃Anne？〃　His　voice　was　deep　and；　in　spite　of　everything；　dear。

Stunned；　she　quietly　hung　up　the　phone。　Wobbly　legs　took　her　back　to　the
sofa。　She　doubled　over　there；　hugged　her　knees　to　her　chest；　and　waited
for　him　to　call　again。　In　a　matter　of　seconds；　the　phone　began　to　ring。
She　let　it　ring　and　ring　and　ring。　She　rocked　back　and　forth；　suffering
with　the　sound。　She　tried　covering　her　ears　with　her　hands；　but　the
ringing　seemed　to　grow　louder　and　louder；　more　and　more　harsh；　crueler
and　crueler。

At　last；　it　ceased。　Only　then　did　she　break　down　and　weep。

The　days　that　followed　were　pure　hell　for　Anne。　After　tears；　came
selfrecrimination。　She　had　been　naive；　she　had　been　irresponsible；　she
had　been　wanton。　She　should　never　have　returned　to　the　cabin　after　the
first　week。　She　shouldn't　even　have　stayed　there　then。

Self…recrimination　gave　way　to　anger；　and　she　railed　on　at　Mitch　for　a
while。　She　didn't　understand　how　a　person　could　do　what　he　did。　And　he
kept　calling　her！　She　cringed　each　time　the　phone　rang　and　answered　only
to　avoid　visits　from　her　family。　When　it　was　Mitch；　she　hung　up。

Her　seclusion　was　more　total　than　it　had　been　after　Jeff's　death；
because　no　one；　but　no　one；　knew　about　Mitch　and　her。　If　her　parents
sensed　that　her　reaction　to　the　deposition　was　extreme；　they　attributed
it　to　the　final　pain　of　losing　Jeff。　She　let　them　believe　that；　rather
than　having　to　tell　them　what　a　fool　she'd　been。

She　couldn't　begin　to　think　of　the　future。　Once　again；　it　was　a
frightening　void。　Each　day　was　a　challenge。　Her　only　hope　was　in　wiping
Mitch　from　her　mind；　and　it　was　easier　here　in　New　York。　They　hadn't
spent　time　together　here。　There　were　no　memories　of　him　here；　other　than
of　the　deposition；　but；　there；　he　hadn't　been　the　man　she　loved。

On　occasion　she　thought　of　Vermont。　Spring　would　be　ing　there。　She
would　have　liked　to　see　the　lilacs　bloom　and　smell　their　fragrance。　So
there　was　a　loss　in　this；　too。

He　stopped　calling　after　the　first　few　days；　but；　try　as　she　might；　she
was　never　able　to　push　him　far　from　mind。　Her　father　actually　mentioned
him　one　afternoon。

〃I　received　a　call　from　Mitchell　Anderson　the　other　night。　You　know；　the
head　of　SEAA？〃

Did　she　know　him？　Did　she　know　him！

〃Seems　like　a　nice　fellow。　He　wanted　to　make　sure　you　were　all　right；
since　you　seemed　so　upset　at　the　deposition。〃

〃Wasn't　that　considerate　of　him；〃　she　snipped　bitterly。　Guilt　feelings。
Good。　Let　him　suffer　〃How　did　he　know　to　call　you？　He　doesn't　know　my
maiden　name。〃　But；　of　course；　he　could　find　it　out。　He　could　find　out
anything　he　wanted。　Powerful　men　got　what　they　wanted　without　batting　an
eyelash。

〃He　called　Ted　first；〃　her　father　explained。　〃He　hesitated　to　call　you
directly；　for　fear　of　upsetting　you　more。〃

〃Wise　man。〃　Upsetting　me　more。　That　was　cute。

Anthony　Faulke　eyed　her　with　gentle　reproach。　〃It　was　considerate。　After
all；　his　airline's　been　found　innocent　in　the　matter。　Technically；　it's
no　concern　of　his　any　longer。〃

Anne　didn't　care　that　his　airline　was　innocent。　In　her　mind；　Mitch　was
still　a　deceiver。

She　was　angry　with　no　one　to　yell　at；　heartsick　with　no　one　to　hug；　and
if　she　moped　about　for　the　better　part　of　each　day；　the　nights　were　no
better。　She　was　obsessed　by　a　living　nightmare；　waking　and　sleeping。

By　the　middle　of　the　second　week；　she　was　at　the　end　of　her　rope。　So　she
lined　up　several　fast　interpreting　jobs　that　would　get　her　away　from
paper　translations　and　out　into　a　people…oriented　mainstream　again。　And
it　worked。　She　got　a　handle　on　her　emotions。

Then　she　was　thrown　a　setback。　Her　doorbell　rang　one　evening　when　she
wasn't　expecting　anyone。　Leaving　the　chain　latch　in　place；　she　opened
the　door　the　several　inches　allowed　and　peered　out　to　find　Mitch　there。
She　closed　the　door　with　a　slam。　The　bell　rang　again　and　again。　She　went
to　the　most　remote　corner　of　the　apartment；　crossed　her　arms　on　her
chest；　and　vowed　to　let　it　ring。

She　wasn't　prepared　for　the　loud　pounding　that　followed。　He　was　making　a
godawful　racket。

Fearing　that　he　would　have　her　neighbors　out　in　no　time；　she　returned　to
the　door。　〃Go　away！〃　she　yelled；　hoping　that　her　voice　would　carry
through　his　ruckus。

It　did。　His　returning　call　was　muffled；　but　she　heard　every　word。　〃Not
until　I've　spoken　with　you；　Anne。〃

〃Go　away！　I　don't　want　to　talk！〃

〃You'll　have　to。〃

Irate；　she　reopened　the　door　those　few　allotted　inches。　〃I　don't　have　to
do　anything。　Now；　please　leave；　or　I'll　call　the　police。〃　It　took　very
ounce　of　restraint　for　her　to　remain　calm　when　she　would　have　liked
nothing　more　than　to　run　him　through　with　a　carving　knife。

He　looked　agitated。　〃I'm　trying　to　be　patient；　Anne；　but　you　refuse　to
take　my　calls。　We　have　to　talk。　There　are　things　I　have　to　explain。〃

She　seethed。　〃Sorry；　bud；　but　you　had　your　chance；　and　you　passed　it　up。
You　had　all　those　days　and　nights　to　tell　me　who　you　were　and　what　your
business　was；　but　you　didn't。　You　were　so　cagey。　I'll　see　you　soon；
Annie；　soon。〃　She　contorted　her　voice　to　mock　him。　〃But　you　didn't
bother　to　tell　me　when；　did　you；　Mitch？　Well；　I　don't　want　to　talk　now。〃

She　leaned　against　the　door　to　shut　it；　only　to　find　he　had　a　foot　in
the　way。

〃Move！〃　she　ordered　hoarsely。　She　was　wearing　down　in　more　ways　than
one。

He　swore。　〃Hell；　Anne；　but　you　can　be　stubborn。　If　we　were　back　in
Vermont；　I'd　know　just　what　to　do。〃

〃We're　not　in　Vermont！〃　she　screamed；　uncaring　that　others　might　hear。
〃I'll　never　be　there　again。　Now；　leave！〃　Every　muscle　in　her　body
quivered。

〃Fine；〃　he　gave　in。　〃I'll　leave；　but　I'll　be　back。　If　not　here；　I'll
catch　you　somewhere　else。　On　the　street；　in　a　restaurant；　even　at　your