your mouth。〃 She was a docile patient； too weak to protest his pampering； too pleased by it to want to protest。 He kept her pumped with broth and aspirin for most of the night； dozing beside her under the quilt。 One part of his body always touched her。 She couldn"t so much as turn over when he was up on an elbow； concerned。 In other circumstances； the sleeping arrangement would have been heady。 But Anne"s senses were blunted by fever。 The next day was a mass of hours blurred together。 Her fever stayed high despite the medicine。 Increasingly； her whole body suffered when she coughed。 〃What is the matter with me？〃 she cried in frustration； when she awoke late in the afternoon feeling no better。 Mitch took her hot hand in his。 〃I"m not sure。 As soon as the road is plowed； I"m taking you to the doctor。〃 〃Has it stopped snowing？〃 〃Finally。〃 〃How much is on the ground？〃 〃A little over a foot。 It makes the plowing slower； though the folks up here are well…equipped。〃 〃Mitch？〃 She rolled onto her back to see his face； as he sat beside her on the bed。 Her voice was weak； but something had been nagging at her。 〃Yes？〃 〃If you own this house； then you have access to the names and addresses of the renters。 Yes？〃 He looked amused。 〃Yes。〃 〃Then you know who I am。〃 〃No。〃 〃But you have that information。〃 〃Miles has that information。 I suppose I could see it if I wanted to； and I"ve been tempted a time or two； but I haven"t peeked。〃 Anne wasn"t sure whether to be relieved or hurt。 He laughed。 〃What"s so funny？〃 she grumbled。 〃You。 Your face hides nothing！〃 〃I"m that transparent？ It"s not fair； y"know。〃 〃What isn"t fair？〃 〃Me 。。。 here 。。。 at your mercy。 With my transparent face and all； I feel naked。〃 〃Except for the good graces of my shirt； darling"； you are；〃 he drawled。 〃That"s not what I mean； and you know it；〃 she scolded and broke into a spasm of coughing。 When she quieted； he ran cool fingers across her hot cheek。 It felt good。 〃You talk too much； Annie。 Rest your voice now。〃 At the silence that followed； a sound filtered in from outside。 〃The plow！〃 Mitch was on his feet； stopping only at the bedroom door to call； 〃Don"t move until I get back！〃 Then he was gone。 She lay there for what seemed hours。 Finally； she struggled out of bed to use the bathroom。 Her reflection in the mirror appalled her…pale skin； red cheeks； dark and sunken eyes。 Her hand trembled as she sorted through Mitch"s toiletries for a b。 Halfway bing her hair； her knees began to knock。 Dropping the b； she clutched at the edges of the sink for support。 That was when the bathroom door opened。 〃What are you doing out of bed？〃 He scooped her up and carried her back； and the bed felt like heaven； the quilt even more so。 〃Next time；〃 he taunted； 〃you might just pass out in the middle of the floor。 Will you stay in bed？〃 〃I just went to the bathroom。〃 〃Good。 You should be set for a while。 Where are the keys to your car？〃 She tried to remember。 〃I think I put them in the pocket of my jeans。〃 He vanished and returned moments later with the keys in hand。 〃I"m hitching a ride with the plow down to your car。 It may take me a little while to dig it out。 Does it have snow tires？〃 When she nodded； he said； 〃Good。 I"ll be back as soon as I can； then I"m taking you to the doctor。〃 〃Mitch…〃 Her hoarse call caught him at the door。 〃Your arm…is it all right to shovel？〃 She heard a sharp intake of breath； then a grunt。 〃It"ll do。〃 While he was gone； she suffered。 Her head hurt； her sinuses hurt； her throat hurt； her chest hurt； her legs hurt。 Curled up in misery； she prayed for sleep。 She must have dozed off； because it seemed only minutes before Mitch returned with a gruff foot…stamping at the front door。 Lacking the strength to call out； she waited until he appeared by her bedside； ruddy checked from the cold； but eager to pack her up and leave。 He did it without a fuss； simply snatching her up； quilt and all； and carrying her out。 He stopped short at the front door。 Swearing softly； he back tracked and deposited her on the sofa； went into the kitchen； and returned with her wool hat； which was now warm and dry。 He put it on her head； scooped her up again and didn"t put her down until they reached his car。 She wheezed heavily for most of the trip into the village。 Between darkness and the new walls of snow lining the roads； there wasn"t much for the headlights to pick out。 He parked in front of a tiny clinic； ran around the car； and hoisted her up。 He had had the driver of the plow call ahead。 A doctor was waiting inside。 Thirty minutes later he carried her back to the car。 〃Bronchial pneumonia。 Good show； Annie；〃 he teased gently as he tucked her into the passenger"s seat again。 Weary； she caught his eye。 〃Do you have my pills？〃 He patted the spot where the upper…left breast pocket of his shirt would be。 〃Right here。 Are you fortable？〃 〃fortable？〃 she shot back hoarsely。 〃I"ve been poked； X…rayed； stuck with needles； and carted around like I had no feelings at all。〃 She scowled。 〃I feel hot and cold and achy。 And you ask if I"m fortable？〃 She looked away。 〃Don"t ask。〃 Mitch chuckled。 Slamming the door； he circled the car to the driver"s side and slid behind the wheel with remarkable ease； given his length。 〃At least your good humor is intact；〃 he teased。 〃Let"s go home。 The doctor ordered warmth； rest； and lots of hot liquid。 We"d better get to it。〃 For the next three days they followed the doctor"s orders to a tee； with Mitch in mand； dictating when each pill was to be taken； when she was to eat and sleep。 She felt miserable for another full day before the medication began to take effect。 Only then did she dare to balk at the strict regimen。 〃I"m going to turn into a chicken if I drink one more drop of this soup。 It"s awful；〃 she plained when he appeared on Tuesday morning with another mug of broth。 〃I feel better today。 Honestly I do。〃 She was sitting up against the headboard of the bed； dressed in her own flannel nightgown。 〃You still sound lousy；〃 he informed her； as though that s