《rekindled(英文版)》第74章

With　more　poise　than　Anne　could　seem　to　muster；　the　child　extended　a
small　hand。　〃Hello；　Anne。　I"m　pleased　to　meet　you。　Daddy"s　told　me　all
about　you。〃
Anne　held　her　hand；　loving　its　fragility　and　its　warmth。　〃Only　the　good
things；　I　hope？〃
Rachel"s　eyes　rounded　quickly。　〃Oh；　my　daddy　would　never　say　anything
bad　about　you。　He…〃
〃That"s　enough；　pumpkin；〃　Mitch　cut　her　off　with　a　squeeze。　〃You　can"t
give　away　all　our　secrets；　now；　can　you？〃
The　child　broke　into　a　wide　grin；　displaying　a　mouthful　of　small　white
teeth　with　a　wide　gap　smack　in　the　middle　of　the　top。
Anne　was　enchanted。　〃That"s　quite　some　hole　you"ve　got　there。　Did　the
good　fairy　bring　you　something　nice　for　those　teeth？〃
Again　the　grin；　along　with　owl　eyes。　〃I　got　a　whole　dollar　for　each　of
them。　Daddy　says　he　only　got　a　quarter　when　he　was　a　little　boy；　but
that　the　good　fairy　was　afraid　I　might　swallow　a　coin；　so　she　gave　me
paper。　I"m　really　glad；〃　she　bubbled　and　lowered　her　voice　in
confidence；　〃"cause　you　can"t　buy　much　for　a　quarter。〃
Anne　laughed。　〃You"re　a　perceptive　little　girl。〃
Mitch　appeared　to　agree。　Pride　was　written　all　over　his　face；　and　he　had
a　right　to　that　pride　where　the　child　was　concerned。　Not　where　his　own
behavior　was　concerned；　though。　For　starters；　he　should　be　ashamed　of
himself　for　using　her　as　a　shield。
〃Uh；　perhaps　you　ladies　are　ready　to　go。　The　sooner　we　leave　the　city；
the　sooner　we"ll　reach　the　cabin。〃
The　cabin？　Her　heart　stopped。　She　couldn"t　go　to　the　cabin。
But　Rachel"s　eyes　were　glued　to　hers　and　Mitch"s　held　clear　warning。
〃Rachel；〃　she　began　softly；　checking　back　over　her　shoulder；　〃do　you
think　you　might　wait　here　while　your　father　helps　me　out　with　one　last
thing　upstairs？　Maurice；　the　doorman；　will　keep　you　pany。〃
The　child　looked　to　her　father　for　permission。　He　kissed　her　and　set　her
back　in　the　car。　〃We"ll　be　down　in　a　jiffy。〃　He　spoke　gently；　repeating
the　same　for　the　doorman。　Taking　Anne"s　elbow；　he　escorted　her　inside。
As　soon　as　they　rounded　the　corner　and　were　out　of　the　child"s　sight；
Anne　turned　on　him。　〃You　arranged　this　with　my　parents；　didn"t　you？〃
He　grinned。　〃They"re　wonderful　people。　When　I　explained　the　situation；
they　were　more　than　glad　to　help　out。〃
〃Well；　that"s　just　fine；　but　I"m　not　going！　For　all　your　smugness　and
your　crafty　little　plans；　I"m　not　going！〃
His　grin　died。　〃I　told　Rachel　that　you"d　be　spending　the　week　with　us。〃
〃You　had　no　right　to　do　that。〃
〃But　it"s　done。　She"s　counting　on　your　being　there。　Would　you　disappoint
her？〃
Anne　was　exasperated。　〃How　can　you　use　her　like　this？　You　know　I　can"t
hurt　her。〃
〃I　was　counting　on　that。〃
〃So　you"re　going　to　go　out　there〃…she　pointed　a　shaky　finger　toward　the
street…〃and　tell　her　I　can"t　go。〃
〃But　you　can。　Your　bags　are　packed　and　loaded。　Your　work　has　been
cleared　for　the　next　two　weeks。　There"s　nothing　left　to　hold　you　here。〃
Anne　felt　trapped。　With　a　tired　sigh；　she　slumped　back　against　the　wall。
〃Why　don"t　you　leave　me　alone？　Can"t　you　see　that　I　don"t　want　to　be
with　you？〃
He　was　sober　then。　〃That"s　because　you　won"t　listen　to　reason。　I"ve
tried　to　explain；　and　more　than　once；　but　you　wouldn"t　answer　my　calls
or　let　me　in　when　I　banged　on　your　door。　You　wouldn"t　give　me　the
courtesy　of　hearing　me　out。　So　now　I"m　asking　you；　for　Rachel"s　sake；　to
e　with　us。　Just　this　once。　At　the　end　of　the　week；　if　you　still　feel
this　way；　I　will　leave　you　alone。〃
Anne　wondered　if　it　was　the　only　way　out。　She　couldn"t　bear　the　thought
of　hurting　a　child　who　had　already　been　so　badly　hurt　in　life。　And　the
little　girl　would　be　a　chaperon　of　sorts。　What　harm　could　there　be？
〃Is　that　a　promise？〃　she　asked　cautiously。
〃Yes。〃　There　was　no　point　belaboring　the　matter。　With　a　defeated　sigh；
she　pushed　away　from　the　wall　and　returned　to　the　car　with　Mitch。
Within　the　hour　they　left　the　traffic　of　the　city　behind　and　sped
northward。　〃When　did　you　get　the　new　car？〃　Anne　asked；　groping　for
conversation　with　Mitch　as　Rachel　knelt　on　the　backseat；　studying　the
receding　skyline。
〃About　a　week　ago。　This　is　her　maiden　voyage。　The　Honda　was　a　bit　small
for　three。〃　The　eyebrow　that　arched　her　way　was　subtle；　but　Anne　had　to
marvel　at　his　presumption。　If　the　three　included　her；　he　had　paid　a
whole　lot　for　a　single　trip。
Rachel　poked　her　golden　head　between　the　bucket　seats　and　rubbed　her
cheek　against　the　soft　velour。　〃I　like　this　car。　Daddy　says　the　color
matches　my　eyes。〃
〃It　does；　at　that；〃　Anne　said　with　a　warm　smile。　How　not　to　smile　at　a
child　who　exuded　sweetness　like　this　one？　She　prayed　there　would　be
pouts；　crankiness；　and　temper　tantrums　as　the　week　progressed。
Otherwise；　she　could　be　in　big　trouble。
There　weren"t　any　pouts；　crankiness；　or　temper　tantrums；　and　Anne　grew
more　and　more　attached　to　the　child。　Even　knowing　that　Mitch　contrived
it　didn"t　detract　from　the　pleasure　Anne　took　in　simple　custodial　things
like　bathing　her；　bing　those　long　blond　curls；　helping　retie　the
shoelaces　that　came　undone　after　Rachel　laboriously　tied　them　herself。
There　were　substantive　things　to　cherish；　like　cookie　baking；　hikes　in
the　woods；　and　reading　stories　before　the　fire　at　night。
And　if　Anne　was　in　love；　she　felt　it　ing　right　back　from　Rachel。　Such
innocent；　heartfelt；　freely　given　affection　was　the　most　precious　thing
in　the　world。
Staying　indifferent　to　Mitch　was　a　problem；　but　she　did　her　best　and；　to
his　credit；　he　didn"t　push。　She　slept　upstairs；　he　slept　downstairs；
with　Rachel　in　a　sleeping　bag　on　the　floor　of　his　room。　By　Wednesday
morning；　though；　Anne　felt　she　was　walking　a　tight…rope　of　conflicting
emotions；　with　Mitch　watching　from　morning　to　night　to　see　which　way　she
would　go。
Memory　nagged。　She　remembered　beautiful　times　here　with　Mitch；　innocent
times　of　fulfillment　and　love。　She　might　put　them　aside　in　New　York；　but
they　were　more　real　here　and　harder　to　flee。
Still　she　tried。　〃I"m　going　for　a　walk；〃　she　announced　after　a
postbreakfast　bit　of　brooding。
〃That"s　a　good　idea；〃　Mitch　said　without　mockery；　but　then；　his
gentleness　was　part　of　the　torture。　〃Take　your　time。　I　think　I　can