第37部分(第4/9 頁)

in　the　world。　But　there　was　a　crucial　question　still

to　be　answered。

Slowly　she　turned　the　knob　and　drew　open　the　door。　Fearful；　she　raised

her　eyes　to　his。　And　she　saw　love；　surely　she　did；　unless　she　wanted　it

so　bad　that　she　was　imagining　it。

〃Do　you　love　Rachel；　too？〃　she　asked　in　a　faltering　whisper。

When　he　reached　for　her　arms；　she　didn't　resist。　Neither　did　she　melt

toward　him；　but　held　her　line；　waiting；　waiting　for　his　answer。

His　smile　was　sad　but　tender。　〃Yes；　I　love　Rachel。〃　His　hands　tightened

when　she　would　have　pulled　free。　〃But　I　love　her　in　a　very　different　way

from　how　I　love　you；　Annie。　Rachel　is　my　daughter。〃

Anne　was　shocked。　His　daughter？　She　had　been　jealous　of　his　daughter？

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　she　cried；　wanting　to　hit　him　but　slipping　her

arms　around　his　neck　instead。

He　held　her　tightly。　〃I've　wanted　to　so　many　times。　But　it　never　seemed

appropriate。　At　the　beginning；　there　was　a　part　of　me　that　wanted…God

forgive　me…that　wanted　to　forget　her　existence　while　I　was　up　here。

Fatherhood　has　its　merits；　but　it's　been　my　greatest　challenge　since

Bey's　death。〃

He　had　a　daughter。　Anne　could　only　begin　to　imagine　that；　much　less　the

challenge　of　going　it　alone。　〃Maybe　I　could　have　helped。〃

〃You've　had　enough　to　face　without　having　to　cope　with　a　child。〃

〃How　old　is　she？〃

〃She　turned　six　last　w