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Bart wasn't listening to Jory He still had his eyes glued on Melodie, who glided froraceful fingers over the slick, polished tops before she glanced into the adjacent sitting roonificent bath with an old-fashioned walnut tub lined with pewter She laughed to see the tub "Oh, I'ht up to your chin if you want it that way"

"Fair wos,", said Bart al he'd spoken No one said a word, not even Jory, who gave him a hard look

In that bath was also a walk-in shower and a lovely dressing table of the saold-framed

mirror, so the occupant seated on the velvet-covered stool could see herself frole

We dined early and sat outside on a terrace in the twilight hours Joel didn't join us, and for that I was grateful Bart had little to say, but he couldn't keep his eyes off Melodie in her frail blue dress that h, hip, waist and bust I felt a sinking sensation to see hi her so closely, with desire written clearly in those dark, blistering eyes

At the breakfast table on the terrace outside the dining room, the daisies were yellow We had hope now We could look at yellow and not fear we'd never see sunlight again

Chris was laughing at so funny Jory had just reported, while Bart only s his eyes on Melodie, who picked at her breakfast without appetite "Everything I eat comes up sooner or later," she explained with a small look of embarrassment "It's not the food, it'stheof" Just beyond her shoulder, in the shadows of a giant live palaze riveted also on Melodie, studying her profile Then he was looking at Jory, narrowing his eyes again

"Joel," I called, "step forward and join us for breakfast"

He advanced reluctantly, cautiously, whispering his soft-soled shoes over the flagstones, holding his arms crosswise over his chest, as if he wore an invisible coarse, brown, homespun ht up the wide sleeves He seeates His voice was slight and polite as he greeted Jory and Melodie, nodding in answer to their questions that plied him for information on what it was like to live as a monk "I couldn't bear life without women," said Jory, "without et a little fro else from another It takes hundreds of friends to keepthose in our ballet company

"It takes all kinds to iveth before he taketh away" Then he ambled off, his head bowed low, as if he whispered prayers and fingered a rosary "The Lordwhen he made each of us so different," I heard him murmur

Jory swiveled about in his chair to stare after Joel "So that's our great uncle, e presu accident Mom, wouldn't it be odd if the other brother turned up as well?"

Ju to his feet, Bart's face flamed furious "Don't be ridiculous! Malcolm's eldest son died when his motorcycle went over a precipice, and they found his body and buried it It's in the fa to Uncle Joel, his father sent detectives looking for his lost second son, and that's one reason my uncle had to stay hidden in that an to fear life on the outside" He flicked his eyes at nize the fact that we, too, as children, had grown accusto the outside

"He says when you are isolated for long periods, you begin to see people as they really are--as if distance gives you better perspective"

Chris and I estured to Jory and offered to show hi horse stables, so he can have fox hunts like Malcolm used to have Perhaps one day we may even want to join in that kind of sport"

"Sport?" queried Melodie, rising gracefully and hurrying to catch up with Jory "I don't call a pack of hungry hounds chasing a cute little harmless fox a true sport--it's barbaric, that's what!"