《rekindled(英文版)》第62章

〃Too　restful。　Tomorrow　is　my　last　morning　here。　Will　you　go　walking　with
me；　or　do　I　sneak　out　alone？〃
He　looked　back　at　the　fire。　〃I"ll　go　with　you。〃
She　had　expected　an　argument；　something　to　the　tune　of　You"re　not　well
enough　for　a　walk。　When　he　said　nothing；　she　knew　something　was
definitely　wrong。
But　he　wasn"t　the　only　one　who　had　lost　his　taste　for　the　fight。　She
didn"t　want　anything　to　mar　their　last　night。　So　she　let　it　go。　With　the
snowfall　still　fresh　on　the　deserted　mountain；　the　sight　greeting　them
the　following　morning　was　one　of　blinding　splendor。　The　sky　was　a　deep
blue；　the　air　cold　and　still。　Days　of　warm　sun　and　freezing　temperatures
had　created　a　crust　of　ice。　The　crunch　underfoot　echoed　as　they　made
their　way　across　the　hillside。　Bits　of　the　brook　that　weren"t　frozen　ran
through　crystalline　palaces　of　branches　and　weeds。　The　only　other　signs
of　life　were　those　frozen　in　the　snow；　the　tracks　of　the　snowshoe　rabbit
or　the　packed　path　of　the　deer。
It　was　a　scene　of　rare　beauty；　all　the　more　beautiful　for　the　week…long
wait　to　see　it。　But　time　was　short。　Too　soon；　afternoon　arrived　and　the
moment　of　parting。
〃Are　you　sure　you　won"t　stay　the　weekend？〃　Mitch　asked。　〃You　shouldn"t
be　driving　so　far　yet。〃　Her　car　was　packed。　They　stood　beside　it。
His　wistfulness　added　to　Anne"s　regret。　〃I　wish　I　could。　But　I　promised
my　folks　I"d　attend　a　hospital　benefit　with　them　tomorrow　night。　I　can"t
let　them　down。〃
He　wrapped　an　arm　around　her。　〃Even　if　you"re　letting　me　down？〃　His　eyes
dropped　to　her　lips。　Seconds　later　he　kissed　them。　It　was　a　gentle
caress；　sweet　torture　to　Anne"s　reawakening　body。　She　wound　her　arms
around　his　neck　and　felt　him　tighten　in　response。　She　was　well　now。　Her
departure　was　imminent。　If　ever　there　was　a　time　for　ardor；　this　was　it。
The　kiss　deepened　and　the　fire　grew　hotter。　With　a　wildness　borne　of
desperation；　he　thrust　his　tongue　deeper　into　her　mouth；　and　Anne　reeled
at　the　sensation。　She　would　have　happily　returned　to　the　house；　to　that
same　bedroom；　that　same　large　bed　if　he"d　asked　just　then。　But　he
didn"t。
With　a　shaky　breath；　he　drew　back。　He　took　her　hand；　pressed　something
in　it；　and　closed　her　fingers。　〃I　want　you　to　take　this。　It"s　a　key　to
the　place。　I　have　a　few　hectic　weeks　ahead；　but　I"ll　be　up　again　at　the
end　of　March。　If　you　want　to　e　at　any　time；　I　want　you　to。〃
Anne　was　deeply　touched；　but　that　wasn"t　the　only　reason　her　eyes　filled
with　tears。　Frightened　that　she　would　make　a　fool　of　herself；　she
whispered　a　soft　thanks　against　his　cheek　in　a　final　hug；　pulled　away；
and　got　into　her　car。　She　headed　down　the　sanded　road　without　a　look
behind。　Parting　was　getting　harder　and　harder。
March　in　Vermont　was　the　time　of　unlocking；　that　period　during　which　the
frozen　ground　gradually　yielded　one　frigid　layer　after　another　to　the
power　of　an　ever…stronger　sun；　when　the　brooks　and　ponds；　rivers　and
lakes　lost　their　ice　to　the　rush　of　the　downstream　current。　It　was　a
time　of　the　loud　thrashing　of　formidably　cold　waters　against　their
banks。　It　was　a　time　of　mud。
Anne　hadn"t　expected　that　when　she　left　New　York。　Taking　Mitch　up　on　his
offer　and　using　his　key；　she　arrived　several　days　in　advance　of　him。　The
excitement　was　in　being　there；　in　these　hills；　in　Mitch"s　house。　Nothing
could　have　kept　her　away　longer。
〃You"re　going　again？〃　her　mother　had　asked　in　surprise。
Anne　was　prepared　for　the　question。　She　had　done　her　homework。　〃It"s
maple…sugaring　time。　I　wouldn"t　miss　it　for　the　world。〃
Her　father　had　remarked；　〃I　wouldn"t　be　surprised　if　you　turned　around
and　bought　that　place。　Pretty　soon　you"ll　be　spending　more　time　there
than　you　do　here。〃
It　was　an　exaggeration；　of　course。　Still；　Ann　blushed。　The　cottage
already　had　an　owner；　a　hale　and　hearty　one；　who　appeared　to　be　in　no
way　interested　in　selling。　Fortunately　her　parents　had　never　learned　of
the　stranded　car　or　the　pneumonia　fiasco；　and　they　still　knew　absolutely
nothing　about　Mitch。
Anne　was　starting　to　feel　guilty　about　that。　She　had　always　been　close
to　her　parents。　They　had　been　understanding　and　solicitous　during　her
grief　It　occurred　to　her　that　they　would　want　to　know　when　she　was
happy。
For　she　was　happy。　Knowing　that　Mitch　would　be　with　her　in　Vermont；　she
could　face　just　about　anything　else　that　arose。　His　giving　her　the　key
was　a　significant　gesture。　Now　she　had　a　steady　tie　to　the　place。
Since　returning　this　last　time；　she　had　changed。　For　one　thing；　she　had
finally　been　able　to　pack　up　Jeff"s　things。　For　another；　she　was　smiling
more；　laughing　more；　eating　more。　For　a　third；　she　was　going　out　more
with　old　friends。
Strange。　For　so　much　of　the　last　year　her　apartment　had　been　her　private
retreat；　her　sanctuary　when　she　couldn"t　face　the　world。　Lately；　though；
it　was　nearly　as　lonely　as　it　had　been　in　the　dreadful　days　following
the　crash。
She　missed　Mitch。　The　longing　grew　with　each　day　that　passed；　until　her
only　refuge　was　in　work　and　the　pany　of　others。　Even　then；　he　was
never　far　from　her　mind。
Now；　with　mud　streaks　covering　the　bottom　half　of　her　once…bright　yellow
car；　she　turned　onto　the　familiar　private　road。　Twice　her　tires　began　to
spin　in　the　muck；　twice　she　was　able　to　back　down　and　charge　forward
around　the　offending　mud　hole。
It　was　early　Wednesday　afternoon。　Mitch　wasn"t　due　up　until　late　Friday。
Everything　seemed　larger；　emptier；　and　more　silent　without　him；　but　she
wasn"t　lonely。　His　mark　was　in　every　room　of　the　house；　surrounding　her
in　a　promising　cloak。
In　his　absence；　she　applied　herself　to　menial　tasks　like　dusting；
mopping；　scrubbing　sinks　and　the　top　of　the　stove。　Oh；　she　had　brought
several　translations　to　do；　but　she　didn"t　touch　either。　She　wasn"t　in
the　mood　to　concentrate。
During　those　two　days；　she　did　more　baking　than　she　had　in　the　past　two
years。　She　baked　bread。　She　baked　muffins。　She　baked　cookies。　Something
about　the　rural　life　was　conducive　to　it。
Same　with　hiking。　Despite　the　mud；　she　did　it　daily。　Without　a　motor
humming；　she　could　better　hear　sounds　of　the　world　emerging　from　winter。
The　first　of　the　geese　honked　as　they　flew