shoulder； he let himself out。 Over。 Well； it certainly was that。 Anne"s heart might have grieved for what had been lost that day； but her mind simply shut down。 Exhausted and in need of escape； she dozed off within minutes right there on the sofa。 The harsh peal of the phone brought her awake with a jolt。 It was her mother； filled with concern。 〃Ted just called and explained what happened。 Are you all right？〃 〃Yes。 I"m fine。〃 〃You don"t sound it。〃 〃I was sleeping。 I"m worn out。〃 〃Would you like me to run over and take you out 。。。 for a late lunch； perhaps？〃 Anne shot a startled look at her watch。 It was nearly two…thirty。 Lunch had fallen by the wayside； along with her appetite。 The thought of food turned her stomach。 〃Anne？〃 〃Yes； Mother。 No； thanks。 I don"t feel like eating。〃 〃Was the deposition that bad？〃 It couldn"t have been worse； she thought。 〃It was 。。。 difficult。〃 〃Are you sure there"s nothing I can do？〃 〃I"m sure。〃 She forced a smile into her voice； for her mother"s sake； 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