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"My wife is very tired," reminded Chris softly "We've had a very busy schedule ith seeing our youngest son graduate, and all the parties, and then this trip"

Joel finally broke the long, stiff silence that kept us standing uncomfortably in the di servants Already he'd called an eency, and, in fact, had even said we could screen people for him He mumbled so inaudibly that I didn't catch half of what he said, especially when my mind was so busy with speculations as I stared off toward the northern wing and that isolated end room where we'd been locked up Would it still be the same? Had Bart ordere

d two double beds put in there, with all that clutter of dark, massive, antique furniture? I hoped and prayed not

Suddenly from Joel came words I wasn't prepared for "You look like your mother, Catherine"

I stared at hi what he must have considered a compliment

He kept standing there, as if waiting for so from me to Chris, and then back to me before he nodded and turned to lead the way to our room The sun that had shone so brilliantly for our arrival was a forgotten an to pelt doith the hard, steady drive of bullets on the slate roof The thunder rolled and crashed overhead, and lightning split the sky, crackling every few seconds, sending ed back from what seemed to me the wrath of God

Rivulets of water ran on the panes, sluiced down froardens and erase all that was alive and beautiful I sighed and feltand terribly vulnerable again

"Yes, yes," Joel muttered as if to himself, "just like Corrine" His eyes scannedhis head and reflecting so long five minutes could have passed Or five seconds

"We have to unpack," Chris said more forcefully "My wife is exhausted She needs a bath, then a nap, for traveling always makes her feel tired and dirty" I wondered why he bothered to explain

Instantly Joel pulled himself back from where he'd been Maybe monks often just stood with bowed heads and prayed, and lost themselves in silent worship, and that was all itat all about monasteries and the kind of lives monks lived

Slow, shuffling feet were at last leading us down a long hall He made another turn, and towhere once our ed to sleep in her glorious swan bed, sit at her long, long dressing table, bathe in her black marble sunken tub with mirrors overhead and all around

Joel paused before the double doors above tide, carpeted steps that curved outward in half," he said shortly

I paused and shivered outside those too familiar double doors Helplessly I looked back at Chris The rain had cal Joel opened one side of the doors and stepped into the bedroo Chris the chance to whisper to me, "To him we are only husband and wife, Cathy--that's all he knows"

Tears were inbug-eyed at what I'd thought burned in the fire The bed! The swan bed with the fancy rosy bedcurtains held back gracefully by the tips of wing feathers raceful swan head had the same twist of its neck, the sauard the occupants of the bed

I stared disbelievingly Sleep in that bed? The bed where my mother had been held in the arms of Bartholomew Winslow--her second husband? The same man I'd stolen from her to father my son Bart? The uilt No! I couldn't sleep in that bed! Not ever