Gentle Persuation

7/23/2019 Gentle Persuation

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CHAPTER I

The magazine was there, along with the morning paper on the

floor in front of the store. When Lorna leaned over to ath them,the mailman has left a few envelopes and politel! waved thro"gh

the window.

Instintivel!, she losed the ollar of his ro#e. There was

something in that man that made her remem#er fa$e %o"gan and

sh"ddered at the tho"ght of it. There "sed to thin$ of his past, had

trained for it, #"t he was there, #ringing its ontri#"tion to the

person she was toda!. Alwa!s #e there ... &ort"natel!, had

reahed a stage where it o"ld p"t the past, all of it, #ehind. He

greeted the postman #a$ and too$ the envelope from the floor.

'ormall!, onl! going down after #eing f"ll! dressed and made("p,

so that !o"r image reflets preisel! what it was) the owner of

&elina, the most elegant #o"ti*"e Windsor. Well, at least this was

his opinion.

It is tr"e that the shop was small, #"t had onl! lothes aref"ll!

seleted, tastef"l and of good *"alit!. In +"st "nder a !ear, &elina

had ahieved a great lientele. Lorna offered impea#le servie,

honest and ompetent advie, alwa!s loo$ing for her lients

satisfied. o the! did not #other to pa! dearl! for what the!

#o"ght.

However, she wo"ld not lose time in loo$ing at the shop as it

"s"all! did. This morning wo"ld #e pro"d with the vitor! of Cath!

instead of !o"rs. He pressed the magazine against his hest andwent "pstairs to the apartment #a$ on the #o"ti*"e, thin$ing that,

li$e her, her half sister had wor$ed hard to ahieve something and

deserved the s"ess that was #eginning to have. %espite #eing

+"st nineteen, Cath! had a ver! hard life, #oth had had a ver!



hard life. The need to overome the instint of s"rvival were as

strong as in Cath! herself.

I $new I sho"ld not worr! a#o"t Cath!. -"t worried. Perhaps o"t

of ha#it. When ared for her !o"nger sister and alwa!s worr!. Alwa!s proteted him, with all his might.

Lorna smiled remem#ering her sister, opened the magazine and

fo"nd the pages I was loo$ing for. There she was among other

models, with evening dresses for a"t"mn(winter fashion. n the

ne/t page, o"p!ing all of it, Cath! showed a o$tail dress, her

#londe hair lifted to the top of the head, the #ea"tif"l fae

refleted p"re happiness. he loo$ed #ea"tif"l, "nto"hed #! life.

itting in a hair near the gas heater, Lorna helped himself to tea

and ontin"ed to loo$ at the photos. The! had #een ta$en several

wee$s for this speial iss"e of a"t"mn, and Cath! had #een ver!

#"s! with that ontrat. The photographer responsi#le for the

wor$ was 0an der -"ren. Lorna read the magazine.

o Cath! was a#le to #e photographed for a ma+or fashion

magazine, she tho"ght, losing !o"r op!. over time, no do"#t, it

wo"ld over. Certainl! had a talent for it.People often ommented as the two were similar, #"t Lorna did

not agree with that. he was ver! high, #"t Cath! was higher still,

it was lean, #"t Cath! was m"h thinner, and, as Cath! had long

#lond hair, hers was short. -oth had inherited the #ea"tif"l green

e!es of his mother.

-"t there was reall! one thing in ommon #etween her and her

sister, aording to Lorna) irresisti#l! attrated #oth men. -"tCath! is delighted with it, as she tho"ght it onl! #ro"ght him

tro"#le. As to their attit"des toward men, the two sisters o"ld not

#e more different.

ne !o" wear a dar$ green fine wool, whih was e/pensive even



at ost, Lorna is e/amined in the mirror. he wore a #ea"tif"l

sarf that ompleted its elegane. There were da!s when she felt

too depressed, not wanting to dress "p and paint, #"t reated as

it had to #e alwa!s impea#le. In a wa!, was an advertisementfor his own store. 'eeded to maintain an image. &ort"natel!, I

o"ld rela/ on "nda!s, when the feline was losed.

( h, toda! is a #it old1 ( %"lie, his assistant, said when he

arrived at five to ten, as "s"al. Had a old shiver when he entered

the store and was heated diretl! to the #ottom p"t a $ettle on the

fire for offee. ( Let2s hope the old does not sare the remnants

of the to"rists1

( Let2s hope that ( Lorna agreed, smiling. I was ta$ing note of his

sto$ of pant!hose. He sold two of the more e/pensive #rands of

so$s, whih were "s"all! #o"ght on imp"lse. Things li$e so$s,

tights, sarves and #elts gave little profit for the store, #"t at the

same time o"p!ing little spae. 3oreover, Lorna learned from

e/periene that sometimes a small aessor! o"ld help sell an

e/pensive mahine.

He sh"t the note#oo$ and went to the door t"rn the poster of4pen4. Then went to tal$ to %"lie.

( How was !o"r wee$end5 4 ( As$ed.

The! were on a Th"rsda!, #"t as %"lie onl! wor$ed on

Th"rsda!s and &rida!s, the! had not seen for almost a wee$.

Lorna had other assistants on at"rda!, was a st"dent and also

wor$ed for another seond, third and fo"rth. f the three, she

preferred %"lie, a woman of almost fort! !ears and that helped#ea"se not need the mone!, #"t #ea"se I wanted to fill their

time.

( 6reat ( %"lie said, smiling. ( We went o"t for dinner on

at"rda! and had a ho"se f"ll of visitors on "nda!. And !o"5



Lorna smiled, not #othering to answer, #ea"se the other $new

she had spent her wee$end as alwa!s. n at"rda! nights, gave

ever! sto$ in the store and p"t the da!s in the #oo$s, and on

"nda!s it was deided to leave +"st to go to a resta"rant near#!and ma!#e ta$e a wal$. asionall! going to a onert or a

theater in London, or right there in Windsor.

Lorna loved to Windsor, a it! so f"ll of personalit! and histor!,

and d"ring the season so f"ll of to"rists who ame from all over

the world. ine he2d #een living there a !ear ago, had seen all

there was to see and $now almost ever!thing !o" sho"ld $now

a#o"t the plae. ome loals did not li$e the flo$ of to"rists, #"t

for Lorna, the! meant sales, and sales meant profits.

( I $now that this store is ever!thing for !o" ( %"lie said aref"ll!

( #"t seems to have a personal life, Lorna. I thin$ ...

The so"nd of the #ell on the door o"tside the store did %"lie "p

immediatel! and Lorna left to meet the lient. %"lie was

ompetent and a good salesperson, and ver! deliate to"h.

While ta$ing his offee, Lorna made an effort to dispel the slight

irritation that the last words of %"lie had a"sed it. %id !o" $nowthat the other fo"nd it a little m!sterio"s. In general all had that

opinion. 'o#od!, e/ept Cath!, to "nderstand, no one, "nless she

$new what motivated them, what provo$ed her, what frightened or

pleased.

-"t that was e/atl! what Lorna wanted things to #e. He had the

ha#it of tal$ing a#o"t herself and even less a#o"t his famil! and

his past. He $new that his assistant was thin$ing, what she wasgoing to sa!, and it was tr"e. &or a girl of twent!(five !ears, led a

*"iet life too. His world revolved aro"nd !o"r #"siness. he was a

$ind person. Treat their wor$ers and her lients. -"t he saw no

reason or need to tal$ a#o"t herself. Wh! tell others what he had



str"ggled to esape povert!5 What reason wo"ld have to reveal

that he had sworn to herself that she never, never, it wo"ld #e

a#"sed again5

In fat, it too$ a *"iet life too, was #! !o"r hoie. &or almost a!ear for the first time in his life, $new what was to have peae. &or

the first time he was happ!1

When the #ell rang again, Lorna awa! those tho"ghts and rose

*"i$l!. He entered the store and fo"nd Eve "mmers, happ! as

a at after a #owl of mil$.

( 6ood da!1 7o" seem ver! happ!1

( Lorna nie da!1 ( Eve la"ghed as a teenager. ( I have news.

P"lling and news1 ( He gave a loo$ to the side of %"lie and then

t"rned to Lorna ( 7o" an go for a offee5 I will ta$e onl! fifteen

min"tes of !o"r time.

( f o"rse ( she agreed immediatel!. 'either tho"ght of telling

Eve that +"st offee. Eve was a great lient, who #o"ght man!

lothes for the whole !ear. He was twent!(nine !ears and spent

m"h, #ea"se I wanted to #e alwa!s well dressed. When he

went to London to renew their sto$, Lorna pi$ed some dressesthin$ing speifiall! Eve $new ver! well the taste of it and had

given "p tr!ing to infl"ene it. The tr"th is that Eve wore

onstantl! things that did not math its t!pe, #"t ref"sed to aept

the advie.

The two got along wonderf"ll! well and oasionall! have l"nh

together. Eve was a law!er e/pansive, ed"ated and o#vio"sl!

from a wealth! famil!. The offies where she wor$ed were in Par$treet, near the &eline and Eve who had treated the legal

proed"res when Lorna opened her shop. And sine then, had

t"rned in their #est "stomer.

( %o I p"t m! oat5 ( Lorna as$ed, "rio"s to hear the news and



$nowing that he wo"ld #e something important to ma$e Eve p"t

o"t of the offie.

( P"t, !es ( Eve s"ggested. ( I thin$ winter has arrived.

( %o not sa! s"h a thing1 We2re still in to#er, in the fall.( A"t"mn, to#er, whatever. The tr"th is o"t there is an ie. ( Eve

smiled so happ! that Lorna had to smile along.

The two went o"t and wal$ed h"rriedl! to the #ar of the Castle

Hotel, where the! ordered two offees for the waitress. Aross the

street o"ld see the Windsor Castle, anient, statel! and #right,

overloo$ing the town. &or he was more a"stomed to that view,

Lorna never failed to marvel at it, #"t at that moment his attention

was all on Eve

( I2m waiting ( she said, impatient and happ!.

( 7et g"essed5 ( Ca"sed Eve

( 7o" gave me no l"e. ( I o"ld not even imagine what wo"ld

have happened to ma$e Eve so happ!, so radiant.

( 8"lian as$ed me to marr!1 ( The words ame at one and then

repeated the Eve, waiting for the reation of Lorna.

Ta$en #! s"rprise, she had to ma$e a great effort to give thee/peted response. He smiled and ongrat"lated, #"t o"ld not

stop as$ing *"estions.

( -"t ... #"t !o" alwa!s told me that he was not interested in

marriage1 His areer ... alwa!s said that his areer ...

( I love m! profession ( Eve has vigoro"sl!. -"t I love 8"lian.

&"rthermore, I have #oth, I an not5

( I thin$ so. -"t is that ...( I $now, I $now. ( Eve raised her hand. ( When I val"e m!

freedom. I am happ! in m! wor$, I love m! ho"se, #"t after a

while that I miss something in m! life. 7o" are alone, Lorna. The

onl! famil! she has is her sister, right5 I never felt something



missing in !o"r life5

( 'o ( Lorna replied, laoniall!.

( A man, for e/ample5

( 'o. ( Closel! Lorna smiled. Answered ver! alml!, maintainingontrol over himself to Eve, "naware that a man was the last thing

he so"ght in life.

( As soon as 8"lian was wor$ing at the firm ( Eve told ( I $new

what was missing in m! life. I s"spet that I #egan to love him so I

saw him. To #e honest, I m"st onfess that three months ago that

he as$ me to marr! him.

Eve and 8"lian were oming together in the last si/ months.

hortl! #efore that, he entered as a partner in the law firm. Lorna

had met him several times, when Eve aompanied to the store,

and m"h s!mpathized with 8"lian.

( Then it will #e a famil! of law!ers, no5 ( aid, grinning. ( Where

to live5 8"lian2s apartment or in !o"r home5

( In none of the two. Let2s #"! something #igger. 'ot far awa!, of

o"rse.

( And he2s glad !o" ontin"e to wor$5( I have not had time to as$ him that ( Eve onfessed, p"tting a

lo$ of hair #ehind her ear. Her hair was smooth and #rown, and

did not are a damn with them. &ell loose to her sho"lders and

she too$ them off the road when the! were dist"r#ing.

( I had a great time, I have almost thirt! !ears, I am read! to settle

down now.

( I s"ppose so. ( Lorna wo"ld not omment on an!thing else. After all, it was not !o"r ao"nt, and if Eve was happ!, so I was happ!

for her. There was onl! s"rprise at the news.

He motioned for the waitress to as$ for the ao"nt as soon as

Eve glaned at his wath.



( I an not ta$e ( said Eve ( I have a lient shed"led for eleven

and !o" promised not to hold long.

( Wait a min"te1 I have not !et said when it will #e the #ig da!.

( We do not hoose, 8"lian spo$e to me onl! !esterda!, !o"$now5 We2ll have to tal$ to #oth families #efore we deide.

( I tell them5

( 7es, at least that we have done. And we deided to formalize

their engagement on m! #irthda!.

( h1 ( Lorna was s"rprised again. Was finding it ver! formal. An

engagement is not offiial, after a part! to ele#rate the offiial,

then the need to om#ine with the families the wedding date ...

( Is it a #irthda! part! pl"s another engagement Eve ontin"ed. (

7o" left the reservation date, no5

( f o"rse. ( Two wee$s ago, Eve said he wo"ld give a #irthda!

part! in %eem#er and invited. he aepted, #"t did not even

remem#er what was the preise date. ( It2s the twent! ... fear not

remem#er well.

( Twent!(nine ( ompleted Eve ( Well #etween Christmas and

'ew 7ear. -"t things have hanged. I will not give the part! at m!ho"se, now give the ho"se of m! parents. r rather, the! give

#a$ in Hampshire, where the! live. I hope it2s not too o"t of hand

for !o". And still to ome. pend the night with "s, of o"rse.

( f o"rse I will1 And I will #e happ! to spend the night there, if

the! have a room for me.

( We have lots of rooms. ( Eve stood. ( The part! will #e #igger

than I had planned. ( He p"t his hand on the arm of Lorna as the!left the hotel #ar. ( Lorna, what will !o" do at Christmas5 8"lian

and I are going to sta! with m! parents at Christmas "ntil the 'ew

7ear. I wo"ld li$e to spend these da!s with "s5 It wo"ld #e so

good ...



Lorna was pleased #! the invitation, #"t had to ref"se.

( That2s ver! $ind to me and I am gratef"l. -"t I will spend

Christmas with m! sister, Cath!. When that date passed together.

( -ring with !o" Cath!1 ( Eve s"ggested, #"ttoning his oat to$eep o"t the old. ( 3! parents love to reeive g"ests. Will #e

delighted.

Lorna hose not to aept. I o"ld not #elieve that two strangers

were welome in someone2s ho"se d"ring Christmas, the! were

more hospita#le hosts. 3oreover, Cath! saw less and less and

those holida!s, !ear(end wo"ld #e a great opport"nit! to tal$.

aid good#!e to Eve one again than$ing the invitation and

ens"ring that this wo"ld #e for the engagement part!.

&eeling good a#o"t life, wal$ed #a$ to the store. Life was good,

now, was reall! good. 'ever do"#ted that he wo"ld win, had

resolved that when he was !o"ng. It had #een a hard wal$, mainl!

#ea"se of its origins, #"t she managed. And the reward was

great. 'ow not onl! had his own #"siness, #"t also a small and

oz! apartment in one of the most #ea"tif"l regions of England.

Lived with ed"ated people, as %"lie and Eve, the people whof"ll! aept that it was. 'othing made her give "p #eing a winner.

Even 8a$e %o"gan, despite the things he had fored her to

fae ...

( %o not tell me he was em#arrassed #! !o"rself5 ( As$ed when

he entered the store and saw %"lie s"rro"nded #! almost the

entire sto$ of meshes. ( r were !o" loo$ing for the right size,

the right olor in the st!le right5( 3ore or less1 ( %"lie said, ver! pleased with himself as he #ent

the mesh and p"t #a$ in plasti #ags and then the shelves. ( -"t

worth it. I +"st sell eight1 9"e tal5

( Wonderf"l1 His "stomer was someone with $nitting raze of



otland5

( The! were two foreign ladies. 6ree$, I thin$. %id not spea$ a

word of English, #"t $new e/atl! what the! wanted. I tho"ght

the! were #"!ing gifts to ta$e home.( How was that paid5 ( Lorna as$ed, worried.

( Cash, do not worr!.

( All are is low, %"lie. I learned this from e/periene.

The wee$ ontin"ed pleasantl!. Appeared some "stomers did

not #"! an!thing, #"t Lorna did not are. 8"st #efore l"nhtime,

the representative of a garment fator! ame and she made some

orders. Then he invited her to l"nh, #"t Lorna ref"sed. I wanted

to $eep separate #"siness and pleas"re.

( He does not give "p, no5 ( %"lie ommented, after the #o! left.

( It2s no wonder his persistene, reall!.

( ome people an not aept a non ( Lorna fo"nd, $nowing that

%"lie had notied how Pa"l was fasinated #! it. An!one o"ld

see it.

( It2s not !o"r t!pe, I g"ess. ( %"lie Lorna li$ed #"t did not

"nderstand. And wondered what $ind of man to #e interested.%espite the "riosit!, did not insist on the *"estion. Lorna had the

right to $eep their priva!.

%"lie went to #"! sandwihes parais two and no sooner had

losed the door, the phone rang. Lorna went to meet witho"t

imagining that inner peae wo"ld #e destro!ed with that all.

( It2s Cath!1 ( The voie of his sister was tense. ( 6o shopping

toda!5 7o" ome to London5Lorna2s hand lasped over the phone.

( Well .. not ... I went shopping !esterda!. omething happened,

Cath!5

There was a long silene and then the m"ffled so"nd of so##ing



Cath!. he ried so m"h that he o"ld not spea$ and Lorna was

desperate.

( What is Cath!5 Cath!5 Conte, please1 () -"t Cath! did not sa!

an!thing, +"st ried. It was the normal proed"re of it, Cath! wasr!ing so hard1 ( Cath!, listen. I2ll +"st stop there. ta! where !o"

are, I will ome as soon as possi#le.

( 'o1 ( Cath! was a#le to spea$ some words #"t Lorna had

alread! sh"t down. he ran "pstairs to feth the ar $e!s, p"t on

her oat and then waited impatientl! for the ret"rn of %"lie.

While waiting tried to alm down, #"t I was sared, worried. Was

so rare Cath! r! ...

( %"lie, I need to go to London ( spo$e alml!, as soon as the

other ame with the l"nh, pretending to not notie his loo$ of

s"rprise.

( An! pro#lem5 That is, !o" have shopped !esterda!, did not

!o"5 Lorna made a vag"e gest"re that meant nothing.

( 7o" have the $e!s of the store with !o"5 &ine, I2ll pro#a#l! #e

#a$ #efore we lose, #"t if not ome #a$, #olt for me right5

( "re. ( %"lie did not as$ an!thing. ( ee !o" tomorrow, if notret"rn "ntil later.

The traffi was heav! to London and got worse the loser Lorna

ame to the it! enter. It too$ over an ho"r to reah

Holland Par$, where Cath! had an apartment, and another twent!

min"tes to find a plae to par$.

Cath! was no longer r!ing when she opened the door to his

sister. His e!es were swollen and there was something in hisfae, something in his attit"de that Lorna had never seen it

#efore.

( What happened, hone!5 ( Lorna was +"st sa!ing, as he

em#raed his sister, affetionatel!.



( I2ll ma$e offee. ( He wal$ed awa! from it. Cath! loo$ed thinner

than ever.

Lorna loo$ed aro"nd as he followed his sister into the $ithen.

The apartment was mess! as "s"al. attered on the floor, o"ldsee several pairs of e/pensive shoes. A hair was a h"ge st"ffed

ra##it, one more to enrih the h"ge olletion of Cath!, who spent

his mone! as if he was #orn in trees. The last time that Lorna had

#een in the room of her sister, told more than thirt! #ottles of

perf"me on the dresser, not to mention the +ewels sattered and

ma$e"p that wo"ld ma$e for a lifetime. And the lothes1 Cath!

had man! that o"ld even replae the store2s inventor! of Lorna.

-"t that was the idea that Cath! had L"/"r!. It was mani to #"!

things and sister *"ite "nderstand wh!. Cath! had a poor

hildhood, ver! poor.

( 7o"2re thinner ( Lorna said. ( I $now that the models sho"ld #e

thin, #"t fran$l! ...

Cath! la"ghed, a throat! la"gh, #itter.

( Reall!5 It is an iron! in these ir"mstanes.

( What ir"mstanes5( I2m pregnant. And do not loo$ well for mimi I said I2m pregnant,

#"t I2m d!ing. ( he too$ the two m"gs of offee and ret"rned to

the room.

Lorna was in the same plae for a while. He leaned on the sin$,

feeling the heart li$e a stone. I was greatl! disappointed and

sho$ed as well. This $ind of thing happens ever! da! aro"nd the

world ... -"t for Cath!5 &or !o"r sister5He went to the room and sat down in front of Cath!, momentaril!

not $nowing what to sa!.

( Cath!, !o" ... onl! !o" are nineteen !ears ...

( o5 ( he lit a igarette and swallowed deepl!. Lorna, wishes to



ma$e this g"!5 %o not stop +"dging me1 7o" thin$ I was a virgin or

something5 'ot ever!one is li$e !o" ...

Lorna2s e!es losed invol"ntaril! and Cath! repented at one.

( h, sorr!, sorr!1 That2s not what I meant. Is that I am in s"h astate of pani1

( $a!. &orget ( Lorna as$ed. Cath! had never #een so

insensitive, #"t no matter.

( I did a pregnan! test. I alled to find o"t the res"lt and told me it

was positive. I pani$ed, then, and I alled !o". -"t that was over

an ho"r and now I2m almer. I need not have gone here. I am ver!

gratef"l ( he said *"i$l! ( #"t I tried to tell him not to ome, if it

had shopping to do, #ea"se I have to leave soon. 3oreover,

there is nothing !o" an do. What sho"ld #e done is o#vio"s.

Lorna2s fae remained impassive, #"t f"ndamentall! she was ver!

onerned.

( Listen, I2m not +"dging !o", #elieve me. Who am I to +"dge5 I2m

+"st s"rprised to have made it happen. I do not mean to have se/,

get pregnant is that is the pro#lem. I tho"ght I $new to ta$e are

of itself. 7o"2re not naive, Cath!, wh! not ta$e pills or something5( I ta$e pills, #"t forgot to ta$e one night. Was dr"n$, !o" $now5

( %r"n$5

( It will now #egin to fight me ( Cath! responded. The fa"lt was

not all mine. :arel invited me to dinner at his ho"se in

:nights#ridge and I mi/ed wine with #rand!. After dinner, we

ontin"ed to drin$ while we tal$ed, it was so. The important thing

is that I forgot to ta$e m! pill. I went to #ed with several nights in arow :arel e. .. gave in giving. ( he tried to feign nonhalane, #"t

not onvined. Cath! was not the same. There was a hardness, a

#itterness in his fae that Lorna had ever seen #efore.

3a$ing an effort to appear alm, as$ed)



( And what :arel said all this5 I hope !o" phoned him and told ...

( 'o. He wo"ld not even #e a little onerned.

( What1 What2s this5 He is married5

( 'o.( :arel de what5 Who is he5

( 'o matter. ( Cath! left the igarette in the ashtra!. ( Loo$, I have

to leave. I have to #e the agen! at fo"r o2lo$.

Lorna did not move. He $new for months did not ome o"t of

Cath! disos and nightl"#s.

he had tried to advise her to #e a little more moderate, sa!ing

that sleepless nights and drin$ too m"h harm its appearane,and their s"rvival depended on a model2s appearane.

E/amined her sister, seretl!. Cath! was m"h more lean, not

eating well, #"t was still #ea"tif"l. Was also v"lnera#le. he was

not sill! or naive, #"t it was o#vio"sl! v"lnera#le.

( If he is not married, wh! so m"h sere!5

( I2m not ma$ing no seret ( said Cath!. It :arel 0an der -"ren, as

is so intere;sada.( The photographer. ( Lorna remem#ered having read the name in

the magazine.

( The photographer. He2s getting pop"lar latel!. He is ver! good.

-! the wa!, saw the magazine toda!5 aw the pit"res5

Lorna onfirmed with a slight nod.

( What were !o" sa!ing +"st now, when he said it was o#vio"s

what to do5 :arel does not $now an!thing, so ...

( 'ot going to $now. ( Cath! emptied the m"g of offee and lit

another igarette #efore he spo$e again. ( I do an a#ortion.

( Cath!1 Wait a min"te ...

( %o not mess1 Alread! deided.

( -"t ...



( -"t not even half #"t1

( h"t "p and listen ( Lorna said firml!. ( 7o" have to tell :arel, he

ma! have another sol"tion.

( If !o" thin$ that he wo"ld offer to marr! me, is wrong. He loveshis freedom, is arrogant, am#itio"s and womanizer1

( If !o" $now it2s all this then wh! ...

( -ea"se it is also ver! attrative. I felt attrated to him. -"t I2m

not in love, the love of 6od1 &or wee$s I have not seen1

Cath! was getting dangero"sl! nervo"s. Lorna also, #"t was

more ontrolled than her sister, and was not s"re if he was angr!

with her or to s"h :arel.

( Listen to ( Cath! now #"s! wal$ing aro"nd the room ( I need

mone!.

( 3one!5

( &or a#ortion1 Have to #e done in a private lini. 7o" $now I

spent all the mone! he earned, so here I will sell it. ( Cath!

showed a oat of fo/ f"r. ( 0ale h"ndreds of po"nds. And it2s

#rand new.

Lorna shoo$ his head sadl!, Cath! had alwa!s wanted a f"r oat.( 7o" wor$ed hard to #"! one.

( -"t I did not #"! that +a$et. It was a gift from an admirer.

( :arel5

( 'o, a new admirer. ( It now seemed more satisfied with herself. (

It2s someone who wor$s in television. He got a wonderf"l ontrat.

will appear in a series of ommerials for a new prod"t ma$e"p.

I go in life, Lorna, and not r"in m! areer #ea"se of a hild whodoes not want. 'ow please go awa!. 7o" are slowing me down.

Lorna rose. Was desperatel! worried, #ewildered with how Cath!

had hanged that !ear. 3! 6od, what was happening with

it5



"ddenl!, Cath! ran toward her and h"gged her.

( Please e/"se me, Lorna. I did not want to fight !o". I $now !o"

have good intentions.

( 7o" are m! onl! onern in all this ( said Lorna.( There2s still time, "se it to thin$. If !o" deide to have the #a#!,

!o" $now !o" an alwa!s o"nt on me. After all, this was the

original plan, was not it5 That wo"ld ta$e "s two together after the

shop ...

Cath! did not answer.

( Ta$e are ( Lorna ontin"ed. ( Promise me !o"2ll thin$ a#o"t it.

&inall! Cath! agreed and Lorna left witho"t another word. The!

$issed *"i$l!, sad to have dis"ssed.

Lorna worried wal$ed to his ar, #"t gave them the game. He felt

his head t"rn and was loo$ing forward to seeing nothing. The fight

#etween her and Cath!, all the sister had said, ret"rned to his

memor!. "ddenl! he felt a great rage, as it felt for a long time. It

was Cath!2s fa"lt1 It was not her fa"lt1

3emories of the past paraded #efore their e!es. 3emories of his

mother arg"ing with another man with whom she lived. Cath! andher visions at #a! in a orner, wathing her mother #eing slapped

in the fae. The m"ffled so#s of Cath! ... two girls alwa!s dressed

in seondhand lothes ... living in ho"ses so wet that the paper

had ome loose from the wall. The onstant la$ of mone!, the

dis"ssions, the ordinar! men who were in the life of his mother,

alwa!s #rea$ing promises, alwa!s ta$ing their mone!, getting

dr"n$, a"sing onf"sion.Women is that the! alwa!s end "p s"ffering, never men. It

seemed that wo"ld never end. And now ... that Cath! wo"ld #e

with an! pro#lem, as the man responsi#le

or ta$e ognizane of the fat5 He am"sed and, aording to



Cath! is not interested the slightest #! what provo$ed.

( That we2ll see1 ( Lorna ried alo"d. 3en1 Is the selfishness of

them had no end5 Was driving witho"t realizing what he was

doing. He stopped at the intersetion and then realized thanplanned. Cath! had spo$en :nights#ridge1

He went to a pa!phone and ons"lted a list. %ominated #! the

revolt, too$ a great effort to stop sha$ing and find the phone !o"

are loo$ing for. And also the address.

The phone was answered *"i$l! and Lorna slipped a oin in the

slot. He did not spea$, onl! listen.

( 0an der -"ren ( said the voie on the other side. And he

repeated) ( 0an der -"ren ... Hello5

Then he was at home1 Lorna h"ng "p the phone and ret"rned to

his ar. :nights#ridge address was eas! to find. It was a #ig

ho"se, old and ver! well preserved. <p to fo"r stone steps and

rang the #ell and waited.

A woman of middle age with a h"ge, old(fashioned apron opened

the door.

( I wo"ld li$e to tal$ to !o". 0an der -"ren ( Lorna said with aalm that s"rprised her.

( -"t he is not at home, miss.

It was evident that the woman had instr"tions as to "n$nown

girls who #eat the door of the photographer. Th"s, Lorna "sed his

head and smiled happil!.

( $a!, he2s e/peting me. We +"st tal$ on the phone.

( h1 ( The woman #egan to smile. ( orr!, did not thin$ ... 3iss( Can I ome in please5 ( Lorna was alread! oming and the

woman fell a little f"rther opening the door for her.

Was ta$en to a h"ge living room and advised that 3r.. 0an der

-"ren was "p there.



( I will tell him that 3iss arrived ( the woman warned, retreating.

CHAPTER II

Anton 0an der -"ren was starting to pa$. He heard the #ell andloo$ed strange to the maid when she ame into her room after

#eating

the door.

( What is it, 3rs.. 6ra!5

( A person wants to see !o" sir. Anton. A girl.

( And what is the name of the girl5 ( He as$ed smiling.

( h1 I. .. not as$. -"t I2ve never seen #efore aro"nd here said,

tr!ing to help. ( It2s a tall girl, #ea"tif"l and #londe hair.

Anton2s smile got wider.

( I thin$ there m"st #e a mista$e, 3rs.. 6ra!. It2s pro#a#l!

someone loo$ing for m! o"sin. A model and f"t"re model,

perhaps5

( 'o, not with 3r.. :arel. Is the girl who +"st tal$ on the phone. I

did not as$ his name, #ea"se she told me that !o" was waiting.

Anton raised his e!e#rows in s"rprise. How strange1 I was note/peting an!one, had not tal$ed to an!one, #"t someone tried to

tal$ to him from a pa!phone.

Who wo"ld5

( 0er! well, 3rs.. 6ra!, will go down. ( He loo$ed at his wath. He

saw that he had eno"gh time #efore the flight to Amsterdam, #"t

had to ma$e a visit #efore #oarding. ( Please, 3rs.. 6ra!, o"ld

#e $ind eno"gh to pa$ m! #ag5 P"t in ever!thing on the #ed,min"s the newspapers, of o"rse. ( He wal$ed to the door, then

ret"rned, ta$ing a note of the portfolio. ( Have a #eer for me and

than$ !o".

( h, sr. Anton, than$ !o". When will #e #a$5



( In England5 r the ho"se of m! o"sin5

( Right here ( the woman smiled. 'ow he smiled maliio"sl!.

( The ne/t time !o"2re traveling :arel.

3rs.. 6ra! was still la"ghing after he left the room. That nie man1He loo$ed at the note that had given him for a #eer. That wo"ld

give a o"ple of #eers1 3r.. Anton never navia is sta!ing there

man! da!s and then two whole wee$s. -"t 3r.. :arel was in

Afria ta$ing pit"res in the last ten da!s. &"nn!, he tho"ght, as

those two were different.

In the room, Lorna was still standing, eager to fae :arel 0an der

-"ren. What horri#le environment, she tho"ght. 'o do"#t he

spent a lot of mone! on deor. It was a spaio"s room f"ll of spots

and modern ornaments, and dozens of pit"res in frames, most

na$ed. In a #ow window, a sofa f"ll of "te olorf"l "shions. The

old fireplae was moved in the middle of all those modern things.

Lorna p"t his hands in his oat po$ets and loo$ed at the o"h in

disg"st. How onvenient, no need for the stairs1 It was an ideal

room to pratie the ro"tine of sed"tion ... if the girl in *"estion

en+o!ed that $ind of environment. He t"rned when he heard thedoor open.

Anton stopped, deepl! p"zzled. 3rs.. 6ra! had not done a good

desription of the visitor. 7es, the girl was high, #"t not too high.

His hair was not onl! #londes, when she moved her head, all the

olors of the s"n seemed to shine in it.

It was not prett!. It was, he onl"ded, #ea"tif"l. And he was ver!

angr!. His e!es were so fasinating, that the! wo"ld not need lightor the ma$e"p she wore. Those e!es spea$ for themselves, and

at that moment shone with "ndenia#le f"r!, Anton losed the door

#ehind him.

( It seems that 3iss wants to tal$ to me5



Lorna was s"rprised. His appearane left her sho$ed. he had

imagined ... well, not lost m"h time thin$ing a#o"t it. -"t ertainl!

e/peting someone !o"nger. 3! 6od, this man was m"h older

than Cath!1 ho"ld have thirt! !ears, and as far as he $new,Cath! did not li$e older men.

3ore sho$ing was the wa! he was dressed. A onventional dar$

s"it and white shirt and tie, whih om#ined with an offie more

refined than a dar$room or a photo st"dio.

What a#o"t !o"r living room ... definitel! did not math the owner.

Either the owner did not fit her. 'o wa! he seemed to #e who was

neither his offie was a refletion of his personalit!.

( It2s 3r.. 0an der -"ren5

( Am. ( He wal$ed toward her with o"tstrethed hand. ( I do not

thin$ we2ve met #efore. 3iss is ... He smiled $nowing that I had

never seen #efore. Wo"ld not have forgotten1

Lorna #eame inreasingl! #ewildered. I wanted to go #a$, r"n

him, He felt intimidated in the presene of the man. The time it

also did not help. with his si/ feet he dominated, despite her "se

of high heels.3ore dist"r#ing than ever was his smile #ea"se he smiled when

he was fored to admit that was ver! attrative.

-"t Lorna did not flinh. %id not move at all. He hands where the!

were, in po$ets, ignoring the hand he e/tended, loo$ing into his

e!es.

( I am sister Cath!.

( Cath!5 orr!, I $now of no Cath!.( Reall!5 o let me refresh !o"r memor!1 The name is -renner.

Cath! -renner, the tall, #lond girl who is e/peting his hild1 The

model that !o" sed"ed for some time that his offie plasti, after

get her dr"n$.



he notied that he #egan to "nderstand, #"t the ne/t words left

her f"rio"s.

( 7o" are ma$ing a mista$e, 3iss. -renner is tal$ing to the wrong

man. I2m not ...-"t Lorna wo"ld not give hane to finish, to lie.

( There are so man! women who an not remem#er who slept

with5 ( aid, f"rio"s. ( 3! sister $nows e/atl! when she #eame

pregnant, so do not tr! to esape responsi#ilit!1 Cath! has

nineteen, 0an der -"ren, and !o" ...

The ringing of the phone on a ta#le near the stopped in mid(

sentene. He t"rned, loo$ing at the devie and then to the man

#efore her. Wh! the hell he did not sa! an!thing, or at least

answered the phone5 Wh! wo"ld stare at her li$e a rarit!5

Anton was still perple/ed. %amn :arel1 What $ind of tro"#le he2d

got5 And it was not the first time1 I felt sorr! for the girl. 'ot

neessaril! Cath! -renner, #"t this girl, this #ea"tif"l and

protetive sister. I have never seen someone so angr!, so deepl!

onerned. Answered the phone thin$ing it as he spo$e.

Lorna t"rned awa!, diso"raged. At least one man had thedeen! to loo$ em#arrassed. 'ot that his anger with this fall. He

wanted it to end soon with the all to lose the matter and it wo"ld

leave that plae.

3! 6od, it was old1 He was spea$ing in a lang"age she did not

"nderstand. %"th, pro#a#l!, his name was %"th, was not it5 He

t"rned and loo$ed at it again.

Attrative, s"rel! man was. Her #londe hair had a few silverthreads. The #rown e!es showed golden refletions and gave the

impression of honest!, openness. If he had $nown in other

ir"mstanes, wo"ld thin$ he was ver! different.

I o"ld "nderstand that his sister(felt drawn to him, despite his



age. Ph!siall!, he had ever!thing, an athleti #"ild, a good time,

a prett! fae that wo"ld attrat the attention of an! woman. And

he $new it1 What Cath! said even if it5 A womanizer, among other

things. Well, at least the! mathed the inonstan!.When he h"ng "p, Lorna ontin"ed to tal$ as if the interr"ption

had not happened.

( Cath! has nineteen, 0an der -"ren, and !o" old eno"gh to #e

her father1 How do !o" feel a#o"t that5 How does it feel to $now

that she is onsidering an a#ortion5

He loo$ed at her for long moments #efore answering.

( Heart#ro$en ( said at last, the voie. ( I am devastated #! all

this. ( -"t she was even #lea$er. He seemed to want to $ill him, or

the #rightness of those

#ea"tif"l e!es indiated that she was a#o"t to #"rst into tears5

-oth did, her last words had reinfored the deision ta$en min"tes

ago. %o not tell him the mista$e I was ma$ing a#o"t him.

:arel tho"ght advisa#le to $now it all #! him and not #! a

h!sterial woman. 3oreover, after all the a#"se that she had told

him to larif!:arel was not there to feel a omplete idiot. Well I tried to "ndo

the mis"nderstanding, #"t she did not give him hane to spea$.

And now it was late.

I have fo"nd the girl in different ir"mstanes. I imagined how it

wo"ld reall!, when it was almer. In anger, it was something that

intrig"ed him, that had nothing to do with her ph!sial #ea"t!.

( 3s. -renner, please, do not we tal$ a#o"t all this alml!5 %o notwant to sit ( he said, pointing to the o"h.

( I stand. ( He ontin"ed to all her 3iss. -renner, #"t do not

#other to e/plain that his name was tewart, #ea"se she and

Cath! had different fathers. It did not matter. ( I wonder what to



do, I told !o" what are the intentions of Cath!.

( %o !o" thin$ it li$el! that !o" hange !o"r mind5

( This is for !o" to disover1

( What do I do5( 7o" an go there and tal$ to her5 Cath! is not in love with !o",

and not in love with her, so I do"#t she e/pet !o" to ma$e the

honor ommands. &ran$l!, I2m happ! a#o"t that #ea"se I wo"ld

li$e to have him as a #rother1

( 3essage reeived ( Anton said, realizing he o"ld not alm her. (

Tell me, wh! not ome here to Cath!, herself5

( he said !o" might #e interested in the least. Charming, no5 -"t

I2m glad to see that she e/aggerated a little. An!wa!, now is

aware of ever!thing. %o not worr! a#o"t ta$ing me to the door,

"nfort"natel! I an not sa! I had pleas"re to meet !o". :now

where to find m! sister and if !o" an not remem#er !o"r phone, I

s"ggest !o" loo$ in !o"r little #la$ #oo$1 6ood#!e.

Lorna left the room slamming the door with s"h violene that it

shoo$. Anton la"ghed when he heard that she did the same thing

with the front door. What a #ea"tif"l woman1 And what geni"s1-"t her smile faded *"i$l! when he sat on a wi$er hair to thin$.

6lad :arel arrive the ne/t da!. He was in Afria for ten da!s,

ta$ing pit"res in e/oti plaes. -"t there was no hope of finding it

immediatel!. He loo$ed at his wath. :arel sho"ld have shipped

#a$. %amn1

He got "p and went to the room that m! o"sin "sed as a st"dio.

Twent! min"tes later he left, leaving a sealed envelope with theeletri $ettle in the $ithen, with the name of :arel and the word

4personal.4 Told #riefl! what had happened, witho"t ma$ing an!

omment.

:arel wo"ld do all he o"ld to help Cath! -renner, was s"re. He



o"ld #e a womanizer, #"t he had a soft heart, espeiall! for

#ea"tif"l women.

What was the first name of the sister of Cath!5 'either had the

opport"nit! to as$. If onl! 3rs.. 6ra! had done it1 -"t he $new hislast name, and this was the most important. Co"ld loo$ in the

phone #oo$. -"t not now1

He was deepl! ommitted to seeing it again, #"t not !et. 'eeded

to give time to alm down. He wo"ld wait "ntil the deal #etween

:arel and Cath! had #een resolved, the wa! the! #oth saw fit. In

fat, the pro#lem was the two, no one else.

The ne/t time !o" ome to England wo"ld all her sister Cath!

and invite to dinner. After all lear, even a#o"t his tr"e identit!,

there wo"ld #e no reason for her to ref"se his invitation.

Lorna Cath! tried to all a dozen times d"ring &rida!, at"rda!

and "nda! morning, #"t no#od! answered. Wonder what 3r 0an

der -"ren had said. Where was Cath!5 he o"ld #e wor$ing on

the wee$end1

When the door#ell rang a little after ten, his do"#ts vanished. He

opened the door and fo"nd Cath! ver! white and still.( Cath!1 What ... ( He saw that his sister was a#o"t to faint. (

Cath!, Cath!1 What have !o" done5 ( 6ra##ed her arm and

helped her "p the stairs.

( 'othing, honestl!1 ( Cath! replied, sha$ing his head. He sat

down heavil! in a hair in the living room of Lorna, his hands

trem#ling. ( I had a misarriage, Lorna, I ... ( -egan to r! softl!.

Lorna has made tea and p"t the tra! on the floor #eside the fire.Then he sat in silene "ntil the sister #e a#le to spea$.

( Ironi, no5 ( Cath!2s voie was a little more than a whisper. ( The

ase was ta$en from m! hands.

( When did it happen5



( This morning.

( 3! 6od1 Cath!, wh! do not !o" ... How did !o" ome here5

( -! ta/i. I paid a fort"ne.

( I sho"ld have phoned, sho"ld not have ome this far1 ho"ldhave alled a dotor, Cath!1 He $nows that if he had alled me I

wo"ld have gone immediatel!. I do not "nderstand !o", reall!1

What are !o" tr!ing ... ( He stopped to see the e/pression on the

fae of Cath!. The sister deserved a good sermon, #"t not now.

he loo$ed deepl! e/ha"sted.

( I wo"ld not sta! in m! flat. I do not want an!one to see me li$e

this. I do not need a dotor, I will improve soon.

( Let ( Lorna said with patiene. ( I ta$e it to #ed. 'eed a good

rest. This is a word !o" do not $now, right5 ( He #it his lip as he

helped Cath! to sit "p. There she stood again, tormenting his

sister.

Cath! did lie on his #ed and then alled the dotor, witho"t

ons"lting her.

Cath! did not reat when Lorna advised that the dr. mith had

arrived. He left them alone and went to l"nh. He had theimpression that !ears passed #efore the dotor left the room.

( I spent a #ea"tif"l sermon in his sister ( he said, and Lorna

invited him to sit,

( 6ood. I had planned to do +"st that.

( he told me that is a model.

( It2s tr"e. It is a tiring +o#, ontrar! to what !o" thin$. he loves it,

of o"rse, #"t go o"t ever! night of the wee$, no vaations,smo$es too m"h, drin$ a lot and hardl! eat.

%r. mith whistled softl!.

( The res"lt o"ld onl! #e that. &ran$l!, I am s"rprised that she

has a#orted. %o not ome to sa! that she is "nderno"rished,



#"t ...

( -"t what5 ( Lorna loo$ed forward to it. ( It is with anore/ia5

( 'o. -"t if !o" start eating normall!, reg"larl!, some will have

pro#lems. I told her so, 3iss. tewart. He also said that a#alaned diet an

give !o"r #od! all neessar! n"trition, witho"t leaving it pl"mper. I

do not thin$ she is anemi, however, advised her to ons"lt !o"r

dotor and do some

e/aminations. 3eanwhile ...

( 3eanwhile she will #e here.

( 6reat. ( He stood "p. ( I left a reipe with it. #"! the dr"gs

tomorrow. And onvine her to sta! in #ed a few da!s. His sister

is ver! wea$, 3iss. tewart.

Cath! ontin"ed depressed some da!s and Lorna did him

*"estions or ritiism. The sister was with appetite, whih was

alread! a good sign. nl! when Cath! stood "p

few ho"rs a night in midwee$, said Lorna what was in her mind.

Intended to start a new life, from now on eating, sleeping more, to

ta$e are.( The dotor sared me, Lorna. After all, I ... I do not want s"h a

thing happen to me again. -"t I had ver! #ad l"$.

( I do not see what hane has to do with it. ( Lorna gave it a hot

drin$ and t"rned on the gas heater in the eiling. 'ovem#er was

approahing fast and was getting older.

( I was "nl"$!1 ( Cath! insisted. ( It was the first time I forgot to

ta$e the pill and loo$ what happened1 If that2s not #ad l"$, I donot $now what is1

( %id !o" forget !o"r pill #ea"se he was dr"n$, remem#er5

Cath! was silent. There was no answer to that.

( 'ow tell me what happened to :arel.



( :arel1 ( Cath! la"ghed for the first time in da!s. ( :arel was

f"rio"s with !o". A#sol"tel! f"rio"s1

Lorna remem#ered him. I o"ld not imagine him f"rio"s. It loo$ed

li$e a person so ontrolled1( The feeling is m"t"al, I tell !o".

( Lorna, if !o" want to tal$ to me a#o"t this, please stop ritiizing.

Remem#er that I am nineteen and that is no longer responsi#le

for me ( he said, tenderl!. ( 7o" did too m"h for me in the past.

7o" $now I am ver! gratef"l for that, #"t !o" m"st "nderstand that

we are different. We thin$ different. I do not ritiize him for even

thin$ing a#o"t mone!, or #ea"se the! hate men. I "nderstand

!o". "nderstand that is the wa! it is. I want the same

"nderstanding from !o".

( I said I will orret, and I even. I2m not the idiot who thin$s I am. I

still have m! dreams, the same as "sed to tell him as a hild. 7o"

also had their dreams and

got what he wanted) his #ea"tif"l lo+a.(s"eeded in its wa!, #"t I

never ritiized for wor$ing da! and night.

( 7o" are interfering too m"h in m! life, Lorna ( Cath! ontin"ed.( I told !o" this #efore. 7o" sho"ld have seen his fae when I

TCont that a man had given me the oat fo/ f"r1 What is it,

an!wa!5 8"st #ea"se !o" do not aept an!thing a man does

not mean I have to do the same. %avid an give me as man! gifts

as !o" li$e and I will not omplain1 -esides having a fa#"lo"s +o#,

he is ver! rih. -! the wa!, ta$e me to spend the Christmas

holida!s in the Canar! Islands. We will have three wee$s of s"nand then start wor$ing on those television ommerials that told

!o".

( 'ow let2s all lear ( Cath! as$ed. ( I will ta$e good are not to

get si$, do not get pregnant again, #"t I will ontin"e to en+o!



m!self. I do not want to dis"ss with !o" m! lifest!le. I hate to

arg"e with !o", Lorna, !o"2re all I have in the world and want to

#e friends. o please aept me as I am.

It was a speeh and so. Lorna too$ his drin$, thin$ing a#o"t howto respond. Cath! had as$ed him to ta$e as it was. I had no

hoie. The sister had nonsense latel!, #"t at least notied it.

-asiall!, however, it wo"ld not hange.

-efore he had the opport"nit! to spea$, Cath! ontin"ed. with

alm and reasona#le voie, ontin"ed to omment on her attit"de.

( 7o" sho"ld not have gone in the ho"se of :arel. That2s what I

all it intr"sion. It was too far, Lorna.

( I. .. i $now. ( Lorna o"ld not den!. It was Cath! who sho"ld tell

0an der -"ren, not her. I had tho"ght a#o"t it man! times. -"t it

was too late,

and his onl! e/"se was the anger he felt.

( I was so angr! that not stop to thin$. I o"ld not #ear the idea of

:arel esape responsi#ilit!, as !o" ...

( %o not #e sill!1 f o"rse I wo"ld sa! to him1( -"t !o" said ... ,

( I was not thin$ing learl! on Th"rsda!. I2m no mart!r, I do not li$e

to s"ffer in silene1

( -"t I was so ...

( I told !o" ( Cath! insisted, waving his hand in the air. ( I was not

thin$ing learl!. &"rthermore, :arel wo"ld #e a#le to help me, it

does not matter what I deide. And that2s e/atl! what he did,Lorna, therefore, do not mis+"dged him. He ame to see me on

at"rda! night and tal$ed a#o"t all ver! ivilized. :arel wanted to

do something to help me, #"t I ... we ... were realisti. We2re not in

love with eah other, none of "s are read! for marriage, so



marriage is not interested. He too$ me to dinner and it was terrifi.

I was #a$ onl! an ho"r ago when I #egan to feel ill. Lorna tried to

$eep her voie alm.

( %o not #e angr! with me, Cath!, #"t that he did not searhed onTh"rsda! night or &rida!5 Wh! did not !o" see it soon5 Wh! wait

"ntil at"rda! night5

( -ea"se he was in Afria. ho"ld #e #a$ on &rida!, #"t there

was a pro#lem and he had to sta! another da!. Also, I went o"t

with %avid on Th"rsda! and &rida!. .

Lorna not heard the last sentene.

( Afria5 He was not in Afria1 What $ind of histor! went "p5 4 He

was in :nights#ridge on Th"rsda!1

Cath! #egan to la"gh.

( He did not invent an! stor!. It is t!pial even !o"1

( Cath!, what are !o" tal$ing a#o"t5 I was fae to fae with :arel

on Th"rsda!, I g"arantee. top whining and drin$ !o"r hoolate.

#edient, Cath! dran$ it all. Was deli#eratel! provo$ing Lorna,

and she $new it.

( 7o" leave me waiting all night5 ( he as$ed and Cath! la"ghed.( The man with whom !o" spo$e was not :arel. tartled, Lorna

loo$ed at her sister.

( f o"rse he was :arel1 -efore !o" start tal$ing, do not forget to

as$ if it was 0an der -"ren.

Cath! la"ghed.

( He was ... it is 0an der -"ren. It2s o"sin :arel, Anton. And :arel

was mad at #ea"se !o" told him ever!thing1 -"t +"st seeing thef"nn! side of things.

( 6lad to hear that !o" fo"nd it f"nn! ( Lorna said Cath! was

tense and serio"s.

( orr!. -"t I an not "nderstand is wh! Anton did not e/plain



ever!thing to !o".

The sene of Th"rsda! ret"rned to Lorna2s mind as a movie.

<nonsio"sl!, he p"t his hands on his fae on fire.

( He tried ( a$nowledged. ( In fat he tried. -"t I ... I wo"ld not lethim tal$.

( I an imagine ( Cath! said. After seeing Lorna red

it was a rare thing, tried to alm her. ( He!, Lorna, do not #e so1 I

an imagine what I said to Anton, #"t he lives in Amsterdam. 7o"

will never see it.

( Than$ 6od1 ( Lorna said. Cath! loo$ed s"rprised

sister(I did not e/pet that reation. I e/peted her to sa! he did

not are a damn, even if he were !o"r neigh#or. ( I throw Cath!,

I2m e/ha"sted.

I will in a few min"tes. -efore I all %avid.

Where that %avid thin$s !o" are5

( I told him and the manager of m! agen! that !o" were ver! fl"

and I wo"ld ta$e are of !o" and the store ( he onfessed, with a

$nowing grin. ( I hope !o" do not mind.

Lorna went to #ed, e/ha"sted and onf"sed. I was ashamed ofhis #ehavior in front of Anton. -"t he soon fell asleep. It was his

"stom to lose sleep #ea"se of one man.

CHAPTER III

( It2s not what I had in mind ... #"t it is not #ad1 "mmers Eve

e/laimed, loo$ing at the h"ge mirror

&elina2s lo$er room.



Lorna tried not to la"gh. The dress was perfet Eve, wo"ld she

not "nderstand5 The law!er as$ed him to get something

speta"lar for !o"r engagement part!

and had fo"nd those lothes.( It2s a lassi st!le, Eve an not go wrong with this t!pe of

lothing or it is not speta"lar eno"gh5

( 7es ( Eve agreed, smiling. ( It is with the olor I2m worr!ing

a#o"t, not with the dress. 7o" #o"ght espeiall! for me5

( "re, #"t it does not matter. I will sell easil!, Christmas is

oming.

( He is ver! ... red1 ( Eve said, hesitating, #efore the mirror.

( &or !o"r s$in tone and hair olor is ideal, Eve I wish I o"ld "se

as well. -"t I an not. %oes not math m! hair.

he raised the hair on the top and loo$ed smiling at his image.

( I2m m"h #etter with hair "p, right5

( I agree entirel!. Can not leave witho"t !o"r hair when !o" get a

ne$ so #ea"tif"l.

( Hair no fi/5 ( Eve repeated. ( Is that what !o" thin$ of m! hair5

( &ran$l!, !es. And that2s nothing to em#ellish.( Lorna, !o" s"$1 I will "se that #ea"se it ma$es me loo$

!o"nger. I do Thirt! !ears ago this month, #"t do not want to #ring

this demonstration.

( 7o" do not seem to have thirt! !ears and will not infl"ene it on

the dress, we #oth $now ver! well. -"t do me a favor, ta$e a loo$

at it in da!light, these artifiial lights do not val"e an!thing. We go

to the store.( I had a #etter idea1 ( Eve e/laimed s"ddenl!. ( 8"lian deides to

leave. I li$e the dress, Lorna, #"t ...

( -"t 8"lian wants to please.

( Well .. ( Eve seemed a little em#arrassed. ( 7o" thin$ I2m ma$ing



a nie mess, h"h5

( A#sol"tel! ( Lorna se"red with sinerit!. It was not ever! da!

that a girl was ele#rating the #irthda! and engagement at the

same time. Eve deserved that happiness was entitled to feelonf"sed. He agreed witho"t pro#lems she too$ the dress to the

offie to show it to the groom.

-"siness was good. The Christmas season has alread! #eg"n

and %"lie was wor$ing fo"r da!s a wee$ to help her. Life had

ret"rned to normal and Cath! had ret"rned to London after a

wee$ in their ompan!.

Was showing a #elt for a girl when Eve ame #a$ and waited till

she had to meet the "stomer,

( 8"lian said !o" have ver! good taste.

( He approved5 ( Lorna gave a satisfied smile.

( He said !o" "nderstand more fashiona#le than me. ( Eve

pretended +ealo"s!. ( Then I as$ed wh! not marr! !o".

( Eve1

( 8"st $idding ( said the other la"ghing. ( I wo"ld not as$ s"h a

thing might not li$e the answer. How long he thin$s he an still #esingle5

( nl! I am interested in m! shop.

( 7o" are ver! old, Lorna, and greed! ( Eve +o$ed.

( It2s tr"e. 'ow sit here to do m! he$. ( Lorna la"ghed and

pointed to a hair near a ta#le.

( The la#el with the prie was still in dress and 8"lian said he

wanted to pa! ( Eve said.( 6ood for !o"1

( 7eah, well I will have mone! left over to #"! a new dress for

Christmas.

he pi$ed "p a dress hanger #"t Lorna shoo$ his head firml!.



( P"t it #a$, Eve I will never sell it to !o". &irst, #ea"se the farm

is not the first and seond #ea"se it will not appreiate it.

Eve agreed immediatel! and p"t it #a$ in plae.

( I deided what to do at Christmas5 7o" and !o"r sister will travelto somewhere5

( Cath! goes ( Lorna replied witho"t thin$ing. ( Will spend three

wee$s in the Canar! Islands. .

Eve immediatel! repeated the invitation to spend Christmas with

her and her parents.

( I am immensel! gratef"l, Eve is ver! $ind of !o", #"t I2m ver!

sh!, and I feel #ad #etween people who do not $now.

%"lie and Eve loo$ed at eah other, aghast.

( 7o", sh!5 ( aid one.

( ine when5 ( Completed the other.

The two ended "p drowning o"t the protest of Lorna. Eve ens"red

that there wo"ld #e other g"ests, who loved his parents reeive.

And %"lie ... well, %"lie was horrified at the idea of Lorna spend

Christmas alone.

After Eve ame, %"lie has offered to open the shop on the eve of 'ew 7ear, that Lorna o"ld sta! in the ho"se of "mmers to the

first of 8an"ar!. If the! were rel!ing on the previo"s !ear, the da!

#efore the 'ew 7ear wo"ld #e profita#le. There were alwa!s

women who needed a dress at the last min"te.

( It is inappropriate to g"ide !o" #a$ to Hampshire if I2m right

here in Windsor. Ta$e are of ever!thing, sta! rested.

( 7o" do not go to a part!5( 7es, #"t I have plent! of time to get read!. I live five min"tes

awa! #! ar.

ne having made the deision, Lorna realized he was loo$ing

forward to that trip. %id not want to spend Christmas alone. f all



the da!s of the !ear, that was the onl! one who "sed to aro"se.

n at"rda! night, p"t the #oo$s in the store toda!. %espite

having attended poor shools, and never sta! in the same two

onse"tive !ears d"e to the irreg"lar life of the mother, s"ppliedhis la$ of $nowledge with intelligene.

I learned something new ever! da! and read ever! $ind of #oo$ in

his spare time. Learned m"h in shool life and when it ame to

+"dging people generall! was infalli#le.

Rarel! was wrong when he needed to do some diso"nt, alwa!s

paid its s"ppliers in da!s, al"lated with preision the interest of

the #an$. It had #een stolen in #"siness when I was !o"nger

#ea"se of their ignorane and that ta"ght her to #e ver! aref"l.

He t"rned off his eletri al"lator and got "p from his des$,

thin$ing a#o"t the man who had stolen. At the time, it seemed that

he had #ro"ght a fort"ne, #"t #! toda!2s standards it was nothing.

Entre tanto, when it was stolen in desperate need of mone!.

&elina was opened e/atl! a !ear ago and went ver! well. Eli had

made his dream, and the following !ear wo"ld have a s"#stantial

profit.<ntil now hardl! won an!thing #ea"se he had a lot to pa!)

refined and elegant faade, the lothes losets, #alon!, et..

After all, the store2s inventor! was alread! all paid. And !et #een

a#le

#"! for !o"r apartment a arpet of e/ellent *"alit!.

He loo$ed at the pin$ arpet, the hairs and sofa "pholstered in

hintz. oon the #"! side ta#les and lamps, reshape the#athroom and replae !o"r #ed.

All in good time. The following !ear wo"ld #e a#le to ta$e a

vaation. 'ever traveled a#road, never had m"h of a holida! in

!o"r life. 3a!#e I o"ld rest a wee$.



Cath!2s omment a#o"t his o#session of mone! ret"rned to her

head. %id not want mone! +"st for the mone!. He wanted that

mone! represents) independene, freedom. He wanted, a#ove all,

the sense of se"rit! it gave him. I wo"ld #e perfetl! happ! tospend it sine it was getting more and sine he had some

reservations, to alwa!s #e a#le to #"! what the! needed. Cath!

realized all this.

itting ne/t to the heater, Lorna s"ddenl! realized that the tears

streamed down his fae. What the hell was happening to her5

Wh! r! when he ele#rated the ompletion of !o"r dream5

Co"ld #e tears of happiness, !et is despised #! them. It was the

$ind of person who ried in vain. 3! 6od, did not feel so

v"lnera#le sine ... sine his "nforgetta#le e/periene with 8a$e

%o"gan.

The ho"se of the o"ntr!2s Eve was not that far, the pro#lem is

that Lorna o"ld not find the plae. He had left the main road +"st

after Alton, as Eve had e/plained, and now ran #! roads, more

and more lost1

In the first phone #ooth he fo"nd, o"t of the ar to searh for thename "mmers in the list. Eve wo"ld all and as$ her to ome get

it. -"t there was no list in the a#in1

I was +"st wondering what to do when he saw a #o! approahing

his dog.

( Please1 ( Called, r"nning to him. ( I am loo$ing for a ho"se

alled 4The Lions4, !o" tell me where is it5 It sho"ld not #e far

awa!.( -"t of o"rse ( the #o! had an aent deidedl! aristorati. ( It

is the home of ir 3ihael. It is less than a mile awa!.

( ir 3ihael5 ( Lorna loo$ed at him, onf"sed.

( he said she wanted Lions5 The ho"se of ir 3ihael



"mmers5

( 7es ( Lorna felt s"ffoated. Eve2s father was a sir5 'o

$new it1 'ow he realized it was over two times in front of the

ho"se. At the entrane there were two stone lions in size. hesimpl! had fo"nd the ho"se on top of a hill so #ig and gorgeo"s,

that not rossed his mind in there. ( 'ow I remem#er where it is ...

re*"ired.

Arriving at the gate, Lorna p"lled the ar and t"rned the $e!. He

loo$ed from one lion to another feeling a omplete idiot.

The wa! forward was ver! long and straight. &rom where she

was, she o"ld ver! well see the ho"se. 'ot a#le to sta! there,

with a sir, a lad! ... and a handf"l of strangers. He loo$ed at the

mansion at the end of the road feeling resentment against "n+"st

and irrational Eve wh! she had not said that this was the o"ntr!

home of the parents5 Wh! not told her that her parents had a

title5

-ea"se Eve tho"ght it nat"ral. 'o wonder she was alwa!s

spending mone!, had mone!1 Alwa!s s"speted that her famil!

was rih, #"t that m"h5The raz! tho"ghts went thro"gh her head. He wanted his ar

was not so old, wanted to send him wash #efore leaving Windsor=

alwa!s wanted to wath the news to have to tal$ if someone were

to as$ !o" something a#o"t

an! event, wanted to have ref"sed the invitation.

His imagination was r"nning loose, imagining the *"estions that

these men wo"ld do him) 4Tell "s a little a#o"t !o", Lorna.4 r) 4Iwas told who r"ns a store

women2s lothing. What did !o" do #efore that5 What the o"ntr!

reall! is5 His parents were merhants5 4

Lorna started the engine and gave astern. Wal$ed #a$ ten !ards



and then stopped. %amn, what were !o" doing5 Co"ld not

esape1 And wh! sho"ld he5 -een invited, was e/peted. He

managed a little. In life !o" never presented a sit"ation that she

was not a#le to ope, even 8a$e %o"gan had #een apa#le of it.Loo$ed in the mirror, then loo$ed at the #ea"tif"l dress she wore.

It was sil$, ivor! and $new that it was ver! elegant, her ma$e"p

was perfet. It wo"ld not ma$e "gl! in the ho"se of an!one, nor in

that of ir 3ihael and Lad! "mmers.

Engage first and followed #! the onfident wa!.

Eve appeared on the steps of the front door #efore she stopped

the ar.

( How are !o"5 ( aid, while h"gging affetionatel! Lorna.

( Leave the $e!s in the ar, someone par$ed for !o". -err! gem

will #e ta$en "p, one of the maids will ta$e are of !o"r lothes.

3err! Christmas1 It was eas! to find "s5

( 3err! Christmas1 7es, that is, I have not fo"nd soon.

Was ta$en into the friend, who tal$ed nonstop.

L"nh is one of, ome into the room to meet m! mother and

father. Cooled terri#l!, right5 How was !o"r da! !esterda!5old horrors ( Lorna replied, smiling, feeling more

li#it"m ever! seond. It was presented to the parents of Eve in the

great room where there was a #ea"tif"l Christmas tree, the

largest he had ever seen.

I2m the last to arrive5 ( As$ed the lad! "mmers.

'o, dear ( she replied, smiling. ( We are waiting for m! A"nt 3ar!.

( 3! great(grandmother ( said Eve ( he is alwa!s the last to

arrive. It is ver! old, so do not are.

The! Lorna aommodate lose to the fireplae where the fire

ra$led. ir 3ihael ame and sat ne/t to her. It was a #ald little



man with a $ind fae.

( Where are the others5 ( He as$ed Eve ( Where is 8"lian5 7o"

have a hangover #ea"se of last night or is avoiding me for some

reason5( "rf, %ad.

The room door opened. Lorna waited for a maid or a #"tler ame

in, answering the all of

ir 3ihael. he was mista$en.

( Ah, here !o" are1 ( ir 3ihael said e/itedl!. He rossed the

room and p"t his arm aro"nd the sho"lder of the man who had

+"st entered, whih was not eas!,

#ea"se the father of Eve was onsidera#l! lower. ( I want to

present o"r g"est who has +"st arrived ( he ontin"ed, smiling at

the man.

Lorna did not move a m"sle. I did not e/pet her to get "p to

greet him or whether it sho"ld sta! where he was. I +"st $new I

wanted to #e invisi#le.

After all, the man who entered was nothing more, nothing less,

that Anton 0an der -"ren.CHAPTER I0

After the sho$, Lorna was disappointed and em#arrassed.

Pl"nged #a$ in time and heard his own voie sreaming,

ins"lting. He hardl! heard the presentation

ir 3ihael was doing, onl! saw Anton 0an der -"ren smiling at

her, e!es shining, maliio"s.%id not $now what to do. The fear left her "na#le to move. What

did he sa!5 What he wo"ld sa! a#o"t those people5

Anton stepped forward toward her, his hand o"tstrethed. Witho"t

$nowing how, she managed to raise its arm of the hair. -"t he



o"ld not spea$, and the last thing I e/peted was that he raised

his hand to his lips and $issed softl!.

( I am delighted ... delighted to meet !o", 3iss ... tewart.

Tell !o"rself that !o" deserved the sarasm it did not help. Heloo$ed aro"nd to tr! and see how others were reating. Lad!

"mmers smiled, ir 3ihael too$ a #ottle of r!stal from the

hands of a maid who had +"st entered, Eve la"ghed and satisfied.

( This is Anton "sing all her harm ( she said happil!.

Lorna2s e!es met the goals, while Anton is straightened. .

( I. .. sr. 0an der -"ren ... as ... how are !o"5

( Anton, please ( he orreted. ( It is ver! formal sr. 0an der

-"ren, is not it5 ( f o"rse the +o$e was direted onl! to her.

ir 3ihael served the drin$s and he #ro$e the tension)

( I sho"ld add something more to the presentation, Lorna. Anton

is not onl! a great friend of the famil!. He2ll s"eed in #"siness.

( %o not get ahead of time, 3ihael ( Anton said, sitting ne/t to

lad! "mmers. ( I still have not ta$en an! deision.

( 7o"2re too !o"ng to stop, Anton. I wo"ld not repeat this an!more1

( ir 3ihael protested.( Well, I want !o" to stop with this onversation ( as$ed

"mmers lad!, smiling. ( The poor Lorna has no idea #o"t what

the! are tal$ing1 ( He t"rned to Lorna and e/plained) Anton is

%"th and lives and wor$s in

Amsterdam. He is an arhitet, and 3ihael ...

'ot li$e 3ihael ( interr"pted Eve ( The wor$ of &ather

is ver! old, ompared to his.Than$ !o", dear ( ir 3ihael said with iron!, as

er#ia drin$s. ( 7o"r li*"or, Lorna. I2m s"re m! da"ghter $nows. It

is not the friendliest of reat"res.

Lorna managed to smile. I wo"ld have as$ed for a stronger drin$.



The atmosphere was light and warm, #"t did not #elong to that

environment and felt a strange, there. In addition, he had to fae

the wathf"l e!e of Anton and, altho"gh he was gratef"l to him for

not having said an!thing that em#arrassed, longed to ret"rn theirgaze to an! other point. The worst was that he was wathing f"n.

%id !o" mean to tell "mmers that had alread! met #efore5 6od

of heaven, as was tense and an/io"s1

8"lian(enter that moment, with poor appearane, despite "sing a

ver! st!lish s"it. He $issed the three women, and Lorna e/plained

that he had e/aggerated the drin$ the night #efore.

( We started the ele#rations last night ( he said.

( It will #e a wee$ and so, Lorna. I get #a$ in shape1 8"st thin$,

tonight, tomorrow, the engagement part! and then the reveillonl

Lorna wanted to sa! something a#o"t not s"re how long it wo"ld

sta!. -"t it wo"ld have to imagine something ver! pla"si#le if he

wanted to leave the ho"se #efore the shed"led date. The last

thing I wanted to do was to h"rt the feelings of their hosts.

( I2m s"re that Lorna will ahieve. ( A deep voie a"sed her to

t"rn her head, and one again ame aross the #ea"tif"l smile of Anton 0an der -"ren. ( I plan to ta$e are of it personall! and

ens"re that !o" have a memora#le wee$.

The smile was now p"zzling and Lorna loo$ed down. What he

meant e/atl! #! that5

( Well, Anton1 ( ir 3ihael said, #efore heading to his f"t"re son

in law. ( What to drin$, 8"lian5 ( 8"lian made

grimae.( Water stress, 3ihael. P"ra.

( 'ow, where was I5 ( Lad! "mmers t"rned again to Lorna. ( Ah,

!es, I was sa!ing that Anton is an arhitet. Well, he is leaving

Amsterdam to live in England. 3! h"s#and will soon retire and



want Anton to replae the firm as senior partner.

( And Anton ( said ir 3ihael ( insists he wants to retire too1

What is ridi"lo"s at his age, is not it5

Lorna reall! did not are. -"t he o"ld not e/press what I felt, ofo"rse.

( I do not $now, ir 3ihael. It depends on man! things (

pretending to answer a onern that did not feel. ( And wh!, !o"

want to esta#lish this in England5

( I li$e England. ( Anton shr"gged his #road sho"lders slightl!. (

3ihael is e/aggerating m"h. I2m

thin$ing a#o"t retiring, onl! to #ring things

a little more *"ietl! a $ind of semi(retirement. I wor$ at home, re

tr"indo private ho"ses, that sort of thing.

( Have !o" fo"nd a ho"se for !o"5 ( Eve as$ed, Tando sen in the

lap of 8"lian.

( I2m thin$ing a#o"t it. ( Anton t"rned to Lorna. ( As !o" an see,

this *"estion re*"ires m"h tho"ght.

In fat, she did not "nderstand an!thing "ntil 8"lian e/plained.

( A#sol"tel!, if !o" sta! with the firm of 3ihael, there is no needto forget their interests in the 'etherlands. "mmers i o"ld ma$e

a ompan! assoiated

and split time #etween London and Amsterdam. Ended "p getting

more than the! earn now1

( Whih side are !o" on5 ( ir 3ihael protested. ( I2m tr!ing to

onvine Anton and there !o" go, 8"lian, tr!ing to onvine him to

give "p1 Also, Anton hassold his ompan! in the 'etherlands. It is availa#le ... or will #e

soon. Then !o" will #e #ored if !o" do not wor$ twelve ho"rs a

da!. He loves to wor$1 And !o"

an not #lame me for wanting that m! firm is led #! the #est



arhitet of E"rope.

( He is e/aggerating again ( Anton ommented not at all

disonerted. Again direted to Lorna as if she was interested.

trangel!, she was #eginning to #e interested. Wh! a %"th witha s"essf"l #"siness in their own o"ntr! wo"ld sell ever!thing

and move to another

plae to #"ild private ho"ses5

( Well, gentlemen, thin$ no more dis"ssion. ( Lad! "mmers "t

it. It was a ver! elegant woman, with #lond hair has a little gra!. (

We r"n the ris$ of anno!ing o"r g"est. ( he smiled harmingl!. (

Tell "s a little a#o"t !o", Lorna.

Privatel!, Lorna sighed. 4There2s going,4 he tho"ght. 4I do not

#elong to this environment. What am I doing here54

( h, there2s ver! little to sa! ( replied vag"el!, sensing that Anton

wathed with interest.

( Eve told me that his store is #eoming a s"ess. f o"rse

Windsor is alwa!s f"ll of to"rists ( said "mmers lad!, happil!

pla!ing in a matter

she did not #other to dis"ss.( 7es it2s #een a !ear sine I opened it and so I have an idea of

what to e/pet at eah station.

( He lives in Windsor5 ( The *"estion was made #! Anton.

( f o"rse she lives ( Eve said, impatientl!. ( I told !o", Anton,

she has an apartment a#ove the store.

At"all! Eve said as soon as it arrived the da! #efore, now he

remem#ered. The! were told that there wo"ld #e a g"est for thewee$ of Christmas, #"t had paid little attention to the fat. How

o"ld I $now that Lorna tewart spo$e of who was the sister of

Cath! -renner5 'o wonder he o"ld not find it in the London

telephone diretor!. earhing the wrong name in the wrong area.



( I thin$ it sho"ld #e e/iting and dangero"s to #"! lothes for a

store ( said the mother of Eve ( The people2s tastes var! so m"h,

no5 I2m s"re that I tend to #"! onl! the things that I li$edpersonall!.

( &ort"natel! I was never tempted to do that1 ( Lorna said, glad

that lad! "mmers was reall! interested. ( 'ever sell an!thing to

Eve if I did that1

( Lorna has an inredi#le taste in lothes ( said 8"lian. he and

Eve arg"e onstantl! a#o"t what is going well in Eve, #"t ... wait

till !o" see the dress she will wear at the engagement part!1

( The ar of his a"nt is oming #! the wa!, dear ( 4said ir

3ihael. ( It is onl! an ho"r late. 'ot #ad, onsidering his age.

( The hildren are with her5 ( "mmers lad! as$ed, standing "p.

( It seems so.

ir 3ihael and his wife left the room and Lorna too$ the

opport"nit! to tr! to esape as well. 'eeded some time to reover

himself, #efore meeting more new people.

( I. .. I thin$ I2ll get one +"st #efore l"nh( aid, seeming nat"ralness. ( It o"ld ta$e me to the #edroom,

Eve5 ( he e/"sed herself to the men and went with her friend,

having a sense of relief one it has departed from Anton 0an der

-"ren.

( I2ll leave it at will. ( Eve opened the door of a g"est room. ( I

need to greet A"nt 3ar!, "ntil in a moment, Lorna. Can !o" find

!o"r wa! #a$ to the room5( "re1 ( Lorna smiled, tho"gh that was not a sill! *"estion. Lions

was a h"ge mansion and a person o"ld easil! get lost there.

The! had traveled several orridors #efore reahing the wing that

was his room. Pro#a#l! that was the wing of the g"ests.



His lothes had #een ta$en from the #ag and h"ng. 3aterial toilet

was plaed neatl! on a shelf in #athroom. Lorna sat on the edge

of the #ath, sha$en #! the events of that morning. I wanted to go

home, #"t of o"rse it was impossi#le to do s"h a thing. Whato"ld give reason to leave5

<s"all! it was "nsafe, #"t ever!thing was too m"h for her. &irst

that h"ge ho"se filled with anti*"es, l"/"rio"s f"rnishings, famil!

portraits

and reated, and not to mention the titles of owners. He was a

fish o"t of water.

Then find Anton 0an der -"ren was a tremendo"s sho$. 'o one

there $new that alread! $new. And she was gratef"l to him for not

having tal$ed a#o"t his first

meeting. -"t ... of all people in the world ... was inredi#le to #e

fored to spend Christmas with him1 If Cath! $new, wo"ld

ertainl! give good la"ghs.

%eep #reath and loo$ed "p at length in the mirror, then had a

onversation with herself. He was pro"d to #e a#le to remain

alm, to see things in perspetive. Rarel! if "nontrolled, ashappened when interfered in the life of Cath!, dis"ssing with

:arel ... Anton. "tside his own pre+"die against the men who

had made her do it, altho"gh he $new ver! well that not all men

were selfish. I had to stop that resentment against Anton, as he

had done nothing to deserve it.

The fat of #eing hosted there, well, onl! his sense of inferiorit!

o"ld prevent her from having f"n. Alwa!s am"sed well with Eveand 8"lian, and ir 3ihael and Lad! "mmers were #ea"tif"l

and friendl! people. o wh! feel so nervo"s5 &rom now on it and

#e alm herself.

Reto"hed lipsti$, has a #r"sh on the hair and down, feeling



m"h #etter.

In the living room all tal$ing e/itedl!. 4Children4 who had arrived

with A"nt 3ar! were #rother and sister and had more or less the

same age as Lorna.( h, Lorna, here !o" are1 ( ir 3ihael ame immediatel! in his

diretion. ( I want !o" to $now m! niees, Cassandra and Roger,

#oth ver! talented. Cassandra

wor$s for me. 8"st #arel! o"t of ollege and thin$ !o" $now

ever!thing. -"t Anton will *"i$l! ma$e !o" hange !o"r mind

when !o" are wor$ing for him1

All this was said #efore Cassandra, who was smiling at his "nle.

It was a #ea"tif"l girl with dar$ hair and #l"e e!es. %ress

+nalha val"ed for her #od!.

Are !o" an arhitet5 ( Lorna as$ed, not hiding his s"rprise.

( he will #e wor$ing with "s after some time ( ir 3ihael +o$ed.

( 'ie to meet !o". ( The girl Lorna greeted witho"t m"h interest

and glaned at Anton #efore responding to his "nle. ( Anton and

I wo"ld do a good

team, <nle 3ihael. I2m tr!ing to onvine !o" of that.( :eep tr!ing ( said the "nle, la"ghing. ( 3a!#e !o" an

infl"ene it in a wa! that I an not. I have harm.

( He gave him no answer !et5

( 'o.

Cassandra2s gaze rested again on Anton, who tal$ed with Eve

and a lad! with white hair. he was interested in him, not +"st

professionall!.( I2m Roger "mmers ( presented the #rother of Cassandra,

leaning forward to Lorna. ( I2m the #la$ sheep of the famil!.

Talented, ma!#e, #"t not !et onserated.

( And what does that mean5 ( Lorna as$ed, notiing his +eans, the



leather +a$et, shirt with no tie and long #la$ hair too. He seemed

o"t of plae that people dressed tastef"ll!. -"t he was gone,

reall!. It was part of the famil! #la$ sheep or not.

( I am a painter. ( The #l"e olhof inredi#l! e*"al to the sistersmiled at her. ( Loser #"t optimisti.

( 7o" g"!s are twins5

( 7es, "nfort"natel!. ( Cassandra loo$ed at Roger with disg"st.

( He is a disaster, right5

%o not wait for an answer from Lorna. It was lose to Anton and

gave him the arm, lifting her fae smiling at him. f o"rse I was

not interested in and Lorna had shown that ver! harshl!.

In two min"tes, Lorna realized it was at"all! a girl) prett!,

sophistiated and talented. -"t one voie was affeted and

pedanti, > ra st"##orn and sno##ish. And, a#ove all, r"thless.

Lorna was presented to 3rs.. Collingham, a"nt of lad! "mmers,

and again was s"rprised. The old lad! was ver! thin, #"t fresh as

a rose#"d. Witho"t realizing it, almed ompletament while tal$ing

a#o"t vario"s iss"es with it.

Preisel! at a time, ir 3ihael anno"ned that the Christmasl"nh was served. He offered his arm to the old lad!, leading the

proession to the dining room.

Lorna felt a hand on his sho"lder and was tense when he t"rned

and gave eah other with warm #rown e!es smiling at her.

( 3s. tewart ( Anton said eremonio"sl!, with a slight head tilt.

Conf"sed, he aepted the arm he offered her and the two went

#ehind Roger and Lad! "mmers to the dining room. Eve and8"lian ian after them and finall! Cassandra, who had #een

mathless ia and do not stop at all happ! with that. It was lear

that she e/peted to #e aom panied #! Anton, Lorna and

wished he had done so. Wh! wo"ld !o" hoose5 What is meant



when he said he wo"ld 4ta$e are4 of it5

The meal was ompletel! different from an! other ele#ration of

Christmas that Lorna had attended. It was a feast and lasted over

two ho"rs. he sat #etween 3me. Collingham and Rog?io"mmers. Anton too$ another seat at the ta#le and was virt"all!

mono poliza #! Cassandra. When Lorna realized that if he were

onerned a#o"t more than !o" sho"ld, she told herself that had

not !et reovered from the sho$ of finding it again.

-"t the tr"th is that she tho"ght he was an e/tremel! attrative

man. 7o"r smile fasinated. When Anton was not smiling,

his #rown e!es were o#servers

e/pressive and gave the impression of sinerit! and fran$ness.

-"t when he smiled, the! intensel! ill"minated narrowing the

orners and ma$ing the others wanted to smile with him.

The strong feat"res of his fae told a different stor!. The nose was

straight, the s*"are +aw, the +aw line strong and learl! defined.

He had presene, and Lorna was not alone in thin$ing this.

However, it seemed a *"iet man. He tal$ed a lot #"t witho"t

e/aggeration, the opposite of Roger "mmers.Roger spo$e to Lorna and not with her. The main topi of

onversation was themselves. 'ot that she ared a#o"t that, it

was eas! to $eep a onversation with him, +"st needed to do

some head movement and some he$ling from time to time. The

afternoon went ver! *"iet, #"t the tension of Lorna ret"rned from

time to time.

In the evening, a light #"ffet was prepared for friends andneigh#ors who had #een invited to the meeting on Christmas.

3rs.. Collingham, who had a rest in !o"r room d"ring the

afternoon, appeared

again #! eight o2lo$. he and Lorna, sitting awa! from the noise



of the h"ge living room, tal$ed a lot. The m"si went *"ietl! in a

mo#ile rihl!

nothed. "ddenl!, the vol"me inreased and Roger appeared in

front of Lorna.( 7o" $now what I mean, do not !o"5 ( As$ed #! sending

$isses toward the a"nt. 7o"r #o!2s fae was fl"shed and he gave

a sl! win$ to Lorna.

'eed even ome with it now5 ( 3rs. protested. Collingahm.

( Lorna and I are in the midst of an interesting onversation a#o"t

the $ind of dresses I "sed to "se in the twenties.

In his twenties, A"nt 3ar!5

-right1 'ow give "s a $iss and short.

Lorna la"ghed, delighted with the presene of mind of the old

lad!, #ea"se she $new ver! well that Roger did not want to $iss

her a"nt #"t her. It served to drain

somehow self(s"ffiien! of Roger.

( -"t A"nt 3ar!, I did not ... Want to dane, Lorna5

Lorna agreed to not onl! disappoint !o". He had dr"n$ a little too

m"h, #"t it was harmless. 3oreover, she o"ld not spend thenight witho"t daning with an!one.

To his em#arrassment, Roger !o". $issed ver! light when the

m"si ended. It irritated her deepl!, #"t not shown. L"$il! he was

getting

$eep things "nder ontrol that night. <ntil emerged Anton 0an der

-"ren.

The pro/imit! of it has something inside her ollapse. Had alread!e/periened this the first time I met him at the home of :arel,

when he had #een dist"r#ingl!

near it. It was happening again now, and no longer had the

e/"se of anger to help her disg"ise his pani.



Indeed, this feeling, this fear was not new to her. <s"all!

happened when I was ver! lose to a ertain t!pe of man. He

$new wh! this happened. I $new it was illogial. -"t he did not

$now what happened when Anton 0an der -"ren ame near her.The hand that wo"ld to"h on her sho"lder was, instead, diretl!

to the po$et, and Lorna realized that it learl! what I was feeling.

Roger did not notie an!thing and strongl! demanded #! Anton

steal the pair.

Anton did not answer. Was loo$ing deep into the e!es of Lorna,

refleting the "riosit! he felt a#o"t it.

&eeling "nomforta#le with the wa! managed to paral!ze it, Lorna

tried to #e friendl!.

( Hello, Anton1 7o" wo"ld invite me to dane5 The answer is

@

no, sorr!. I2m still "nder the infl"ene of wine and here is ver! hot.

3a!#e later5

( &ine, then later. ( He tilted his head slightl! then loo$ed in the

diretion of 3rs.. Collingham. ( 3ar! is tr!ing to all !o".

( h1 Than$ !o". ( Lorna e/"sed himself and wal$ed aross theroom, tr!ing to wal$ slowl!. o that2s what he wanted to tell !o"

when to"hed on his sho"lder, did not invite her to dane1 He was

a perfet idiot and even more when he realized he had invited to

dane later. Heavens, he sho"ld reall! thin$ she was an oddit!.

3a!#e it was reall! an oddit!.

( orr! to interr"pt !o"r f"n, Lorna ( apologized to 3rs..

Collingham. ( -"t it seems that Eve is gone and I do not wantEmma awa! from !o"r g"ests. Will

wo"ld have the $indness to aompan! me to m! room5 I2m a

little sha$! and do not li$e to lim# the stairs alone. Wo"ld !o"

mind, dear5



( 'ot at all. ( Lorna helped her to stand, loo$ing in parti"lar

rapidl! lo$. ( h, it2s after eleven1 I did not realize it was so late.

( I spent a lot of m! time to sleep ( the lad! said, smiling. ( -"t !o"

still go down and dane "ntil dawn, what is right.'ot li$el!, tho"ght Lorna. He was glad to #e more than eleven

ho"rs, so o"ld go to the room. I wo"ld rather do that than #e at

the part! tal$ing or daning with Anton 0an der -"ren.

The fo"rth 3rs.. Collingham was on the other side of the ho"se, in

the wing opposite the fo"rth Lorna. he said good night to !o"

and ret"rned #! the grand stairase with the intention to sa! to ir

3ihael, and will add to it, whih was going to retire .. However, it

was Eve who saw first

( Hi, Lorna1 The part! is great, no5 I missed 8"lian, !o" see him5

( 'o. 3a!#e he2s o"t there ta$ing a little air. Lorna smiled. (

Remem#er that he started the da! with

a hangover.

Eve p"t her hair #ehind her ears, smiling.

( It was an interesting da!, right5

( It was wonderf"l, Than$ !o" Eve. Eve loo$ed "p at the s$!.( It will not pretend not to $now what I mean, are !o"5

( 'o need to pretend. What are !o" tal$ing a#o"t5

( &rom Anton, of o"rse. He is ver! attrative even, no5 ( He!

satisfied la"ghed, ta$ing the arm of Lorna. ( Come on, tell me !o"

did not notie5

( I realized ( Lorna admitted. ( o5

( Hene he is also interested in !o". I saw the loo$!o" traded when the! were presented. He s!mpathizes with

!o".

( 7o" are ompletel! wrong. ( Lorna smiled, tr!ing to

seem "nonerned. Co"ld not #lame Eve for misinterpreting the



loo$ e/hanged #! them, #"t had to disappoint her. ( %o not #e

imagining things. ( In an! ase, I2d +"st heard his father to go to

#ed ...

( What5 7o" m"st #e $idding, it2s still earl!1( orr!, #"t I2m e/ha"sted. 7esterda! I had a ver! hard da! and

toda! I got "p ver! earl!.

( 0er! good ( agreed the other. ( -"t +"st this one. 'othing to

leave earl! in o"r other parties. %eal5

( %eal. Ta$e good night to !o"r parents for me and, again, than$

!o".

( Anton will #e disappointed ... ( Ca"sed Eve

( I2m s"re that Cassandra will ma$e !o" ompan!.

( This I g"arantee. ( Eve was now serio"s. ( Listen, do not go to

#ed alread!. %o not leave the field open for Cassie, she will not let

the opport"nit! slip. 7o" are ma$ing a mista$e if !o" are

interested in it ...

( I2m not ( Lorna said, too serio"s. ( inerel!, Eve, I have the

slightest interest in Anton. 7o"r o"sin ma! have it. he, or an!

other. 6ood night.Lorna t"rned aro"nd and went "p the stairs again, #"t not #!

s"rprised the astonished gaze of Poor Eve Eve wondered what

had happened in the first meeting #etween her and Anton1

The m"si did not ome to his room and li$ed to #e silent. Parties

not attrated to, whih was s"rprising onsidering the few that had

#een in his life. He losed the "rtains and then too$ a long #ath.

E/aggerated his e/ha"stion to Eve= wanted to get awa! for thatda! was too m"h for her. I wo"ld rather read a little.

When someone $no$ed on the door, his first intention was not to

respond. Then wondered who o"ld #e o"t of #ed and wearing

the green ro#e. If someone had told !o"



morning, he wo"ld invite Anton 0an der -"ren, or an! other man,

to ome into !o"r room to

midnight, never wo"ld have #elieved. However, it was what was

do at the moment.( It is more than time to have a onversation, right5

( Anton said, when she opened the door. If he was s"rprised #!

how well she did ome, not shown.

( I ( Lorna agreed. ( Please sit down ( invited indiating a

omforta#le hair and sitting at the other forward.

( I wanted to tal$ to !o" all da! ( Anton #egan almament

( -"t we have not had a min"te to #e alone.

( It2s tr"e. I also wanted to than$ !o" for not ... did not sa!

an!thing a#o"t o"r previo"s meeting. I mean, the ir"mstanes

i ...

( 'ever o"rred to me one thing. ( He smiled. Espeiall! when

he realized his afflition. 7o" had a da! diffi"lt, Lorna, and I hope

that was not

m! sa$e.

he did not $now how to respond, so I was s"rprised. -"t theirtension d"ring the da! was not onl! d"e to his presene after the

first moment, let

to worr! a#o"t whether or not Anton sa! something to "mmers,

alread! $new he

sa! an!thing. -"t that pereption of him #ea"se he realized that

was tense

all the time1 Had tho"ght that no#od! wo"ld notie.eeing that she did not answer, he ontin"ed)

( 7o"r e!es are so e/pressive, spea$ing thro"gh his mo"th. 'ot

$now that5

( 'o, and I2m s"re !o"2re e/aggerating1 I%C m"st have a



h"nh ... or !o" are parti"larl! o#server. I do not $now whih

the two. ( Lorna was gen"inel!

f"n. It was amazing how eas! it was tal$ing to him, espeiall! in

viewthe pani he felt when, +"st #efore he had approahed her in the

room.

%espite #eing alone with Anton in the room, felt safe, first

#ea"se I $new he was not personall! interested in it, and then

#ea"se he had arrived

the onl"sion that Anton was a gentleman, a tr"e gentleman.

He o"ld have left it to ma$e a fool of m!self in front of Roger,

when tho"ght was going to invite her to dane. -"t he did none.

'either said an!thing that inreases their distress to #e presented

that morning. And how to meet them at the home of :arel ...

( Wh! do not !o" tell me who it was when we met at the home of

:arel5 ( he as$ed. ( This is, I $now what state I was, #"t !o"

o"ld have ao"nted

ever!thing #efore I leave.

His smile was maliio"s.( -efore !o" leave5 7o" mean #efore he had sha$en the

fo"ndations of the #"ilding5

( Co"ld #e. ( he smiled witho"t em#arrassment to remem#er

how

$no$ed the door. ( o wh! not tell me who he was5

I tried. -"t ontrol of the sit"ation esaped from m! hands.

Reahed a point where it was "seless I tell !o". Espeiall! with:arel a#road.

Lorna smiled at him. In some orner of !o"r mind, mistr"sted that

first meeting that the man was not the photographer

fashions, womanizer, who was



for. Anton did not fit or the desription that Cath! had :arel, nor

with that room, that room where horri#le the! had met. ho"ld

I listened to !o"r inner voie. The pro#lem is that he was too

angr! to listen to an!thing, inl"ding Anton.( o his silene was o"t of $indness ( said slowl!. ( 7o" do not

want to inrease m! fr"stration o"nting that :arel was in Afria.

%id not want to ma$e me feel st"pid, after all the a#"se that I

made.

( h, were not so #ad. ( Anton tried to lessen the severit! of the

inident. ( <nless !o" told me I was old eno"gh to #e father of

Cath!. ( eeing the em#arrassment of Lorna, he raised his hand)

( %o not worr!. thirt!(si/ !ears, I theoretiall! old eno"gh to #e

father of a girl of nineteen. -"t this is a depressing tho"ght1

Lorna rose. It was time to end that onversation.

( o I want to apologize twie for ma$ing him feel so old and

thro"gho"t the episode.

( It is not neessar!. ( He smiled. ( I am glad that lear the air.

He also stood "p. It was lear that she wanted to send him awa!.

( He $new what ... what happened to Cath!5 ( Lorna as$ed as hewal$ed to the door.

( :arel alled and told me. he is his half(sister, is not it5 The

different names ...

( 7es

He shoo$ his head slightl! and s"ddenl! felt Lorna again the

dist"r#ane that it a"sed ph!sial pro/imit! to it. He tried to

ontrol, not wanting her pani #eame apparent. %id not want tospoil things now that she had finall! ahieved a good relationship

with Anton. After all, wo"ld #e in his ompan! "ntil the 'ew 7ear,

or a whole wee$.

( Let me give !o" some advie ( Anton said. ( Clearl!



!o" worr! too m"h a#o"t Cath!. It is not a hild, and ma$e their

own mista$es in life as eah one of "s. Lorna gave a deep sigh in

agreement.

( he has told me not to meddle in his life.( %o not #lame !o" for that. His intentions were the #est, +"st

tr!ing to protet her. -"t it is the g"ardian of his sister, Lorna.

( 7o" are right. ( he shr"gged and opened the door. ( Than$ !o"

for oming to see me. 6ood night.

( At"all!, I ... ( Anton stopped, said good night and not on plete

the sentene.

He rossed the hall and went to his own room. He threw his +a$et

on the #ed and sat in a hair. A min"te later get "p again and

gra##ed a pa$ of igarettes.

'eeded to thin$.

Was in love with her. ine to#er, when fo"nd, not stopped

thin$ing a#o"t it one da!, and there were few women who had this

effet on him. The part! had lost the favor when he learned that

she went to sleep. %o not ome #a$ down, also did not li$e

parties. The! #ored him.4We hange when !o" get older,4 she tho"ght, realling the

omments of 3ihael on his dediation to wor$. 'ot tr"e. 'o

more. His first +o# o"t of ollege in England o"tside the firm of

"mmers. The wor$ there was still innovative, #"t even in those

da!s ... well, 3ihael had p"t in he$, telling him politel! that he

was far ahead of his time.

And here he was now in a position to replae "mmers and dothings his wa!. It was an interesting idea, #"t it was ever!thing.

Had reahed the ma/im"m of his areer, had a firm s"ess in his

homeland, "ntil reentl! deided to sell it. he was p"shing her

awa! slowl!



ating more as a ons"ltant "ntil the ontrats are still pending to

#e resolved. And then he wo"ld

free.

Anton $new and loved England as m"h as he loved and $newthe 'etherlands. He tho"ght of Lorna, living in Windsor, and

smiled

the idea. He had st"died at Eton and

therefore aware of Windsor, a neigh#oring it! s"h as the palm

of !o"r hand. What remained of his famil! was divided #etween

the o"ntries. Alwa!s intended to ret"rn to England, tho"gh he

had set a deadline. -"t neither o"ld g"ess that wo"ld hange the

disontent that wo"ld #egin to grow inside of a !ear ago.

Will his ret"rn to England wo"ld #e s"ffiient to mitigate this

feeling or, as 3ihael said, wo"ld #e #ored with a lighter load of

wor$5 When aware of his intention to hange

for England, 3ihael had done to the proposal to diret his firm

arhitet"re. The t!pe of wor$ wo"ld #e ompletel! different than

it did in Amsterdam. -"t how long wo"ld feel eno"raged with the

news5the other hand, wanted to ta$e their time +"st for !o"rself. Wish I

o"ld #e

devote to other things #esides wor$. Wanted time to live, travel,

perhaps. 3a!#e5 This was the pro#lem. %id not $now if there was

one thing I wanted to do, espeiall!.

Angr!, p"t o"t his igarette and too$ off his shoes. It was a

strange feeling, not ompletel! dominate the sit"ation. 3ihaelwanted a response to the 'ew 7ear. That iss"e needed to #e

aref"ll! tho"ght o"t, and here he was tr!ing to do +"st that, #"t

irresisti#l! distrated, thin$ing of Lorna tewart.

The! wo"ld have a ase, of o"rse. Pro#a#l! she $new it as well



as he. The attration was m"t"al, eah time their e!es had

rossed that da!, it appeared evident. He $new the ro"tine. Also

$new I had to ta$e time, wait longer than "s"al #ea"se of the

#ad start the! had had.If she had no e/periene with women, might thin$ she was

disinterested. In fat, had #een intrig"ed #! her reation when

approahed d"ring the part!. eemed inredi#l! sared. However,

reeived him ver! well in the *"arter, despite sending him home

earl!. Even so, the! #egan to "nderstand. o wh! she was so

distressed when the! were lose to eah other at the door5 7es,

there was no do"#t. He had seen the ang"ish in his e!es.

Anton smiled slightl!. What e!es had st"pendo"s that woman1 o

lear, so green, so e/pressive and sed"tive, #ea"se of the long

e!elashes that sometimes onealed1 How had a sed"tive wa!

to download them, to loo$ awa!. It was reall! #ea"tif"l,

fasinating. He wal$ed with elegane, with dignit!, grae and sat

with rossed legs as #ea"tif"l with s"h harm, that wo"ld #e a#le

to t"rn the head of a man.

%efinitel! harming1 And he did not mind #eing a little fasinated#! it. His attit"de was inonsistent in a ertain $ind of game that

some women li$e to pla!. And wh! not1 He en+o!ed these views of

femininit!, he en+o!ed the thrill of the h"nt. Considering their first

meeting and the sho$ of seeing him there, so "ne/petedl!, it

o"ld hardl! e/pet a different reation. There was her pride to

onsider and perhaps it was lassified as :arel, a sort of pla!#o!.

Anton smiled at the tho"ght. Certainl! appreiated the other se/.-"t he was not a womanizer1

Eagerl! await the oming wee$s. 'o, the ne/t few months. Who

$nows if this wo"ld last a whole !ear5 r more5 Wo"ld

a ver! slow start, #"t he $new, felt



that the m!sterio"s 3s. tewart wo"ld #e part of !o"r life for a

long time.

( 7o"r e!es are so e/pressive, spea$ing thro"gh his mo"th. 'ot

$now that5( 'o, and I2m s"re !o"2re e/aggerating1 I%C m"st have a

h"nh ... or !o" are parti"larl! o#server. I do not $now whih

the two. ( Lorna was gen"inel!

f"n. It was amazing how eas! it was tal$ing to him, espeiall! in

view

the pani he felt when, +"st #efore he had approahed her in the

room.

%espite #eing alone with Anton in the room, felt safe, first

#ea"se I $new he was not personall! interested in it, and then

#ea"se he had arrived

the onl"sion that Anton was a gentleman, a tr"e gentleman.

He o"ld have left it to ma$e a fool of m!self in front of Roger,

when tho"ght was going to invite her to dane. -"t he did none.

'either said an!thing that inreases their distress to #e presented

that morning. And how to meet them at the home of :arel ...( Wh! do not !o" tell me who it was when we met at the home of

:arel5 ( he as$ed. ( This is, I $now what state I was, #"t !o"

o"ld have ao"nted

ever!thing #efore I leave.

His smile was maliio"s.

( -efore !o" leave5 7o" mean #efore he had sha$en the

fo"ndations of the #"ilding5( Co"ld #e. ( he smiled witho"t em#arrassment to remem#er

how

$no$ed the door. ( o wh! not tell me who he was5

I tried. -"t ontrol of the sit"ation esaped from m! hands.



Reahed a point where it was "seless I tell !o". Espeiall! with

:arel a#road.

Lorna smiled at him. In some orner of !o"r mind, mistr"sted that

first meeting that the man was not the photographerfashions, womanizer, who was

for. Anton did not fit the desription or that Cath! had :arel, nor

with that room, that room where the! had met horri#le. ho"ld

I listened to !o"r inner voie. The pro#lem is that he was too

angr! to listen to an!thing, inl"ding Anton.

( o his silene was o"t of $indness ( said slowl!. ( 7o" do not

want to inrease m! fr"stration o"nting that :arel was in Afria.

%id not want to ma$e me feel st"pid, after all the a#"se that I

made.

( h, were not so #ad. ( Anton tried to lessen the severit! of the

inident. ( <nless !o" told me I was old eno"gh to #e father of

Cath!. ( eeing the em#arrassment of Lorna, he raised his hand)

( %o not worr!. thirt!(si/ !ears, I theoretiall! old eno"gh to #e

father of a girl of nineteen. -"t this is a depressing tho"ght1

Lorna rose. It was time to end that onversation.( o I want to apologize twie for ma$ing him feel so old and

thro"gho"t the episode.

( It is not neessar!. ( He smiled. ( I am glad that lear the air.

He also stood "p. It was lear that she wanted to send him awa!.

( He $new what ... what happened to Cath!5 ( Lorna as$ed as he

wal$ed to the door.

( :arel alled and told me. he is his half(sister, is not it5 Thedifferent names ...

( 7es

He shoo$ his head slightl! and s"ddenl! felt Lorna again the

dist"r#ane that it a"sed ph!sial pro/imit! to it. He tried to



ontrol, not wanting her pani #eame apparent. %id not want to

spoil things now that she had finall! ahieved a good relationship

with Anton. After all, wo"ld #e in his ompan! "ntil the 'ew 7ear,

or a whole wee$.( Let me give !o" some advie ( Anton said. ( Clearl!

!o" worr! too m"h a#o"t Cath!. It is not a hild, and ma$e their

own mista$es in life as eah one of "s. Lorna gave a deep sigh in

agreement.

( he has told me not to meddle in his life.

( %o not #lame !o" for that. His intentions were the #est, +"st

tr!ing to protet her. -"t it is the g"ardian of his sister, Lorna.

( 7o" are right. ( he shr"gged and opened the door. ( Than$ !o"

for oming to see me. 6ood night.

( At"all!, I ... ( Anton stopped, said good night and not on plete

the sentene.

He rossed the hall and went to his own room. He threw his +a$et

on the #ed and sat in a hair. A min"te later get "p again and

gra##ed a pa$ of igarettes.

'eeded to thin$.Was in love with her. ine to#er, when fo"nd, not stopped

thin$ing a#o"t it one da!, and there were few women who had this

effet on him. The part! had lost the favor when he learned that

she went to sleep. %o not ome #a$ down, also did not li$e

parties. The! #ored him.

4We hange when !o" get older,4 she tho"ght, realling the

omments of 3ihael on his dediation to wor$. 'ot tr"e. 'omore. His first +o# o"t of ollege in England o"tside the firm of

"mmers. The wor$ there was still innovative, #"t even in those

da!s ... well, 3ihael had p"t in he$, telling him politel! that he

was far ahead of his time.



And here he was now in a position to replae "mmers and do

things his wa!. It was an interesting idea, #"t it was ever!thing.

Had reahed the ma/im"m of his areer, had a firm s"ess in his

homeland, "ntil reentl! deided to sell it. he was p"shing herawa! slowl!

ating more as a ons"ltant "ntil the ontrats are still pending to

#e resolved. And then he wo"ld

free.

Anton $new and loved England as m"h as he loved and $new

the 'etherlands. He tho"ght of Lorna, living in Windsor, and

smiled

the idea. He had st"died at Eton and

therefore aware of Windsor, a neigh#oring it! s"h as the palm

of !o"r hand. What remained of his famil! was divided #etween

the o"ntries. Alwa!s intended to ret"rn to England, tho"gh he

had set a deadline. -"t neither o"ld g"ess that wo"ld hange the

disontent that wo"ld #egin to grow inside of a !ear ago.

Will his ret"rn to England wo"ld #e s"ffiient to mitigate this

feeling or, as 3ihael said, wo"ld #e #ored with a lighter load ofwor$5 When aware of his intention to hange

for England, 3ihael had done to the proposal to diret his firm

arhitet"re. The t!pe of wor$ wo"ld #e ompletel! different than

it did in Amsterdam. -"t how long wo"ld feel eno"raged with the

news5

the other hand, wanted to ta$e their time +"st for !o"rself. Wish I

o"ld #edevote to other things #esides wor$. Wanted time to live, travel,

perhaps. 3a!#e5 This was the pro#lem. %id not $now if there was

one thing I wanted to do, espeiall!.

Angr!, p"t o"t his igarette and too$ off his shoes. It was a



strange feeling, not ompletel! dominate the sit"ation. 3ihael

wanted a response to the 'ew 7ear. That iss"e needed to #e

aref"ll! tho"ght o"t, and here he was tr!ing to do +"st that, #"t

irresisti#l! distrated, thin$ing of Lorna tewart.The! wo"ld have a ase, of o"rse. Pro#a#l! she $new it as well

as he. The attration was m"t"al, eah time their e!es had

rossed that da!, it appeared evident. He $new the ro"tine. Also

$new I had to ta$e time, wait longer than "s"al #ea"se of the

#ad start the! had had.

If she had no e/periene with women, might thin$ she was

disinterested. In fat, had #een intrig"ed #! her reation when

approahed d"ring the part!. eemed inredi#l! sared. However,

reeived him ver! well in the *"arter, despite sending him home

earl!. Even so, the! #egan to "nderstand. o wh! she was so

distressed when the! were lose to eah other at the door5 7es,

there was no do"#t. He had seen the ang"ish in his e!es.

Anton smiled slightl!. What e!es had st"pendo"s that woman1 o

lear, so green, so e/pressive and sed"tive, #ea"se of the long

e!elashes that sometimes onealed1 How had a sed"tive wa!to download them, to loo$ awa!. It was reall! #ea"tif"l,

fasinating. He wal$ed with elegane, with dignit!, grae and sat

with rossed legs as #ea"tif"l with s"h harm, that wo"ld #e a#le

to t"rn the head of a man.

%efinitel! harming1 And he did not mind #eing a little fasinated

#! it. His attit"de was inonsistent in a ertain $ind of game that

some women li$e to pla!. And wh! not1 He en+o!ed these views of femininit!, he en+o!ed the thrill of the h"nt. Considering their first

meeting and the sho$ of seeing him there, so "ne/petedl!, it

o"ld hardl! e/pet a different reation. There was her pride to

onsider and perhaps it was lassified as :arel, a sort of pla!#o!.



Anton smiled at the tho"ght. Certainl! appreiated the other fri.

-"t he was not a womanizer1

Eagerl! await the oming wee$s. 'o, the ne/t few months. Who

$nows if this wo"ld last a whole !ear5 r more5 Wo"lda ver! slow start, #"t he $new, felt

that the m!sterio"s 3s. tewart wo"ld #e part of !o"r life for a

long time.

ne !o" wal$ in silene for some time, Anton loo$ed at her.

Tell me a#o"t !o", Lorna. He!, alm ( said immediatel!

to realize that she was angr!. ( I am sinerel! interested.

I2m not pla!ing Cassie.

( I $now. -"t is that ... !o" m"st find me ver! strange.

( 7es ( he admitted, smiling. ( -"t also m!sterio"s.

( What the hell am I doing here5 Here at Lions ( she #l"rted. ( I

want to go home right now. And to thin$ that o"ld #e there in less

than an ho"r ...

( Wow, I do not feel ver! appreiated1 Thin$ of Eve, #!

less1

( orr!. ( he smiled. ( I2m thin$ing a#o"t Eve and her parents. Are great people, was ver! $ind of them inviting me. -"t I feel li$e

a fish o"t of water.

( If the onsole is, I also feel a #it li$e that.

( 7o"5 7o" $now the "mmers for life, for all I $now.

( 'ot all m! life. 3ihael gave me m! first +o# when I left "niversit!

and sine then we are lose friends. I have the impression that he

onsiders me as a $ind of son he never had.( 7o" went to "niversit! in England5

( Cam#ridge.

( It2s pro#a#l! wh! I spea$ English so well.

( I spea$5 Than$ !o", ma2am. -"t I2m here partl! #ea"se of



#"siness, and partl! #ea"se I was invited. -"t, #etween "s,

wo"ld rather #e elsewhere.

( I "nderstand. We are a o"ple of "ngratef"l, h"h5

( -"t it2s o"r seret. And no one will #e offended #ea"se we $eepseret.

( Who are !o", Anton5 ( he as$ed, s"ddenl! "rio"s.

( What li$es and disli$es5

The #ea"tif"l and warm #rown e!es lit "p.

( This is e/atl! what I want to tell me a#o"t !o". Loo$, there is a

#an$, let2s sit.

Lorna li$ed, had wal$ed a lot that da!.

( 0er! well ( she #egan, when the! settled. ( I have twent!(five

!ears and give m"h importane to m! areer. &elina is m! life

and I ...

( &elina5

( Is the name of m! shop.

( 'ame hoie. The idea was !o"rs5

( f o"rse.

( &orgive me ( he +o$ed, ( Contin"e.( I li$e to drive on roads, #"t not in ities. I li$e to travel #! train,

#"t si$ on #"ses. I li$e to wal$ in the rain, #"t not when it2s wind!.

I li$e to wor$,

#"t not at home. I li$e to read #"t do not have eno"gh time. I love

theater, espeiall! m"sial mind. I li$e to wath old movies on

television. aw Casa#lana

three times and The o"nd of 3"si five times. &o"r times I2veseen in movies. 9"e tal5 .

( o !o"2re romanti5

( 'o wa! ( she responded promptl!.

( 3en li$e to dream sometimes5



( It2s not what ever!one does5

( 7es, that2s what ever!one does.

( 'ow it2s !o"r t"rn ( Lorna as$ed, lowering his gaze. It was

happening again, that afflition with the pro/imit! of it. hedropped her arm, witho"t notiing, to get awa! from it. Anton

notied, #"t did not are.

( 0er! well ( he #egan. ( %riving) I do not li$e or disli$e. 3! +o# is

getting to me more a #"rden than pleas"re. As !o" $now, I want

to wor$ less. Wor$ing from home do not $now if I li$e, #ea"se I

never did. I love to read, #"t do not have as m"h time as !o"

li$e, #"t now want to read more. %o not wath T0. I li$e all $inds

of m"si as well as theater and inema. I saw Casa#lana twie,

#"t never seen The o"nd of 3"si. 3a!#e !o" ta$e me the ne/t

time !o" pass the inema5 How1 We have m"h in ommon5

Lorna la"ghed.

( 'ot #ad1 Will !o" marr! me5

( Toda!5

( 'o, that will #e tomorrow. Toda! is Christmas %a!. He la"ghed.

( I also li$e ... ( The two tal$ed at the same time.( 6o ahead ( invited him.

( I also li$e people with sense of h"mor.

( It was e/atl! what I wo"ld sa!. ( "ddenl! the two were serio"s

and Lorna loo$ed at her wath.

( There is no h"rr!. 8"st an not #e late for l"nh. Anton remained

serio"s. ( Lorna, I went to London last wee$. I tried to tal$ to !o"

#efore oming here. f o"rse their n"m#er was not on the listwith the name -renner.

( I was not even.

I fo"nd the phone to her sister, #"t no#od! answered. Wo"ld as$

her !o"r n"m#er. :arel also was not at home. ho"ld #e



traveling. He traveled with Cath!5

( 'o, the! are not together. Wh! ... !o" tried to tal$ to me naB

wee$5 ( he was onf"sed. ( Wh! tal$ to me, an!wa!5

The response was as"al.( I tho"ght it wo"ld #e nie dinner together and larif! ever!thing.

The mis"nderstanding. I tho"ght we wo"ld end "p la"ghing a#o"t

what had happened. And !o" an imagine

m! s"rprise when !o" appeared. Indeed, a great s"rprise.

Lorna had to thin$ #efore responding, #"t at that moment was too

#"s! ritiizing herself for her st"pidit!. He $new that men fo"nd

her attrative and that was something that o"ld not hange. -"t

it was not pretentio"s and did not #elieve that all were interested

in it. However, Anton was interested. therwise, wh! he wanted to

ta$e her to dinner5 'ow it was lear to her that her $indness had

other reasons. I honestl! had not tho"ght of it as a potential

pro#lem.

( I #etter tell !o" a few more things a#o"t me said, finall!. ( I2m not

interested in dining with !o". The answer wo"ld #e not. And Cath!

did not give him m! phone n"m#er. I2m not interested in men ingeneral.

He was not a little sha$en.

( o there is no man in her life.

( 'o. And I2m not interested in having one, period. Anton smiled.

( Well, the reasons are not m! ao"nt. -"t I onfess that !o" are

a m!ster! to me. We an #e friends, +"st friends5

Lorna was "ndeided, reall!. Co"ld not den! that I li$ed him #"t ...

( I see no reason for it.

( It2s a pit! !o" alread! have so man! friends, that does not need

an! more.



He managed to leave her em#arrassed. Was ver! onsio"s of

their dis#elief in relation to men, #"t that there ... 3a!#e it was

sinere and wanted their friendship and nothing more. A man li$e

Anton o"ld have the woman he hose and it was evident that he$new it.

( I. .. no. I have man! friends. I s"spet that I am ver! anti(soial.

He o"ld not ta$e her e!es off her fae. That prett! girl, that

harater, so eas! to tal$ with #oth a sense of h"mor1 Wh! wo"ld

anti(soial5 Wh! not interested in men5 &elt he was sinere.

omething inside him told him that she did not want to pla! the

diffi"lt. His interest inreased. I wanted to #e her friend.

( Want to have l"nh with me tomorrow, Lorna5 We ma! r"n for

several ho"rs.

( 7o" are inviting me to ... o"t5 How an we do that5 I tho"ght I

had said that we sho"ld not #e "n$ind. What ir 3ihael thin$5

( %o not worr! a#o"t it. Tomorrow is a speial da!. In an! ase, I

told 3ihael it wo"ld have to leave. Come with me and have l"nh

together.

( 'o, I. .. Than$ !o", #"t no. ( Lorna rose. Let2s go #a$ now.ho"ld #e onerned with o"rselves.

Anton did not insist. 6ave her arm and ret"rned home together.

Lorna felt onf"sed, sad. He had ref"sed the invitation, when in

fat want to aept. I tho"ght it wo"ld #e pointless to go o"t with

Anton 0an der -"ren, #"t then get rid of the ompan! of

Cassandra for an entire da! was tempting. 'o, that was it. Who

tho"ght he was $idding5 I was terrified with Anton, that was thetr"th.

( %o !o" have fear, Lorna5

( I do not $now who is spea$ing. ( he stopped, $nowing f"ll well

that it was impossi#le that he had read his tho"ghts.



( It2s me5 ( His fae was serio"s, his e!es worried.

( It an not #e me. I am offering !o" friendship, that2s all. %o not

treat me li$e I was a %on 8"an +"st #ea"se of what happened

#etween m! o"sin and his sister.( 'ot at all ( she answered *"i$l!. Was #eing sinere. Anton

wo"ld not +"dge the ations of his o"sin, and did not want him to

ondemn the ations of Cath!.

( $a!, so tell me wh! !o"2re sared. And tell me wh! do not !o"

ome with me tomorrow.

( Well ... I aept. atisfied5

( %elighted1 ( He e/laimed.

The! did not spea$ an! more. Lorna tho"ght it was ridi"lo"s to

ma$e a ase #ea"se of a simple invitation to l"nh. -"t in their

hearts a #attle happened, and she was not s"re !et if had won or

lost #! agreeing to go o"t with Anton.

In the middle of the night, she fo"nd herself waiting for an

opport"nit! to spea$ alone with Anton, tell him that he had

hanged his mind. -"t he had that opport"nit!. -ea"se of the

terri#le fog, ame less g"ests than e/peted and the onversation#eame general. He went to his room at the same time that 3rs..

Collingham and was alread! ta$ing off their lothes when

someone $no$ed at the door.

( It2s me1 Eve I an tal$ a min"te with !o", Lorna5 Lorna opened

the door, smiling.

( 7o" omplain that I go awa! again5 ( As$ed.

.( 'o ( Eve said, sitting "p in #ed. ( Toda! was a fail"re, d"e totime. I ame to apologize #ea"se of the #ehavior of Cassandra,

this morning. 3! o"sin an #e a pest sometimes.

( And a sno#, too ( said Lorna.

( h, !es, that too. -"t I do not $now a thing, Lorna. he was



loo$ing down on !o" Anton. f o"rse got e/atl! the opposite.

7o" fo"ght it well. I was pro"d.

( Than$ !o". -"t wh! all this5

( 7o" $now, she2s mad at Anton. And, despite his geni"s, men"s"all! get what !o" want. Cassie has a #o!friend, #"t not

#ro"ght #ea"se he $new that Anton wo"ld too. 7o"2re holding "p

her game and she did this o"t of p"re +ealo"s!.

( -"t wh! ...

( -ea"se she followed Anton last night. He went to his room and

not find him. 7o" had left an ho"r #efore ...

( he tho"ght that Anton was with me5 ( Lorna as$ed, his fae

glowing as he realled that Anton had #een preisel! to her.

&ort"natel! Eve misinterpreted fl"shing.

( I $now, I $now. nl! met !esterda!. I $now who !o" are, #"t ...

( -"t Cassandra does not $now. And it seems that she is ver!

interested in $nowing who spent the night with whom.

( I agree. In an! ase, she ame to tal$ a#o"t their s"spiions and

I said to ta$e are of !o"r life.

( 6reat.( And I2m tr!ing to do the same thing, #"t I an not en+o! m!self

$nowing that Anton will ta$e !o" to l"nh tomorrow, espeiall!

sine !o" sa! that is not interested in him.

Lorna2s heart san$. 'ow it was too late to anel l"nh. It tho"ght

that Anton wo"ld sa! something, and if hanged his mind, it wo"ld

seem a fool.

( 7es I ... I2ll have l"nh with him. -"t do not #e imagining things.( f o"rse not ( Eve said, la"ghing.

( 6et o"t. ( Lorna la"ghed too. ( And stop teasing me.

( I will not sa! an!thing ... +"st do not #lame her. It will #e a #low to

Cassie.



( There was something #etween Cassie and Anton5 The past.

( 'o. The! met several !ears ago, when Anton spent a wee$

here. And in to#er he was a wee$ in London wor$ing in the

offie of m! father,dis"ssing #"siness. Lorna Anton +"st as$ me something a#o"t

!o", and I did not $now

response.

( What5

( If in the past someone gave o"t. If someone h"rt. Lorna sighed,

#"t said nothing. It was perfetl! "nderstanda#le

he did a *"estion li$e that, #ea"se of their s"spiio"s manner.

( Lorna, do not want to #e nos!, #"t ... ( Eve was silent.

( $a!, I o"ld never a"se her of #eing nos!. The answer is

!es, someone will one da! h"rt me a lot.

( 6ood night, Lorna. ( Eve left witho"t f"rther omment. Lorna

lo$ed the door and then leaned heavil! against it.

His hands trem#led. All da! long, or at least "ntil the to"r with

Anton, 8a$e %o"gan had #een in his tho"ghts. Was he the man

who str"$ him. Altho"gh not in the wa! that Eve tho"ght. He#r"shed his teeth and went to #ed, too e/ha"sted to swim. -"t he

o"ld not sleep. &or the first time, did not attempt to remove 8a$e

from his mind. &or the first time, allowed herself to remem#er the

distant past, him, his mother. Perhaps !o" thin$ a#o"t all that

again o"ld restore his sense of #alane, p"t things in order.

8ean, his mother had #een a #ea"tif"l woman. -"t #efore he died

was ver! aged. His illness was a mi/t"re of depression ande/ha"stion. Where there had #een a man in !o"r life. Altho"gh

Lorna did not "nderstand wh! his mother alwa!s might need a

man, and alwa!s attrated the wrong man. 3arried the father of

Cath! when Lorna was five. -efore him, another man had lived



with the two, #"t Lorna did not remem#er him well.

Cath! was #orn a !ear after the marriage and the famil! moved to

town #ea"se Thomas -renner said he had a +o# waiting for !o".

-"t a !ear later he was arrested for theft and 8ean onl! learned of his ativities when the polie ame to ta$e him. 8ean wor$ed part

of the da! as a waitress. It was a fool, holding his men, oo$ing

and washing for them. -"t it was not st"pid eno"gh to wait for the

release of Thomas -renner. He fled with the girls to 'ewastle.

Then he met two men in the tavern where he wor$ed, and the!

treated her #adl!, #orrowing mone! and eating

at !o"r e/pense. ne of them went to live with them, #"t onl!

lasted si/ months.

This was followed #! a *"iet period when there was no man in the

life of 8ean. -"t when Lorna was ten, his mother $new

8a$e %o"gan and all moved to

3anhester. 8a$e wor$ed on the railroad and Lorna felt that the

fat he made it wor$ #etter than others, altho"gh he was an

aloholi and gam#ler. 3ost of the time he ignored the two

da"ghters of 8ean. After some !ears he was fired and ever! time he dran$ more.

8ean started wor$ at l"nh time and s"pper, and #! this time that

he was

ill. It was also aro"nd this time that 8a$e started to pa! attention to

Lorna in a wa! that frightened her. n nights when he was not

going to the tavern where 8ean wor$ed, sat at home drin$ing.

Lorna was afraid of him, the wa! he loo$ed, how the! s"ddenl!appeared when she was "ndressing for #ed or h"gged in a

manner s"pposedl! +o!o"s, feeling his #od!.



I was thirteen when he atta$ed her. 8ean was in hospital forseveral wee$s with pne"monia.Ever! detail of that da! and night was ethed indeli#l!in memor! of Lorna.

It was the first wee$ of 8an"ar! and she was on vaation. The!lived on the seventh floor of a #"ilding falling apart. The rent wasnot paid for several wee$s and the olletorhad visited that da!, arg"ing with 8a$e, omplaining of neglet ofthe apartment. Then 8a$e went o"t and ret"rned dr"n$.Lorna was in #ed with Cath!, who was fast asleep. He heard thedoor lose, then the sh"ffling footsteps of 8a$e and something#rea$ing in the ne/t room. He alled for her twie, his voie

sl"rred.( Lorna1 Lorna, ome on, ome help me.he was so sared I did not thin$ to diso#e!. 3ore than oneheard him #eating his mother when he was dr"n$, more thanone he hit her and Cath! wrong. 8a$e fo"nd half sitting, half l!ingon the $ithen floor, one hand "t off, #lood r"nning, and the other holding a #ottle of whis$e!.( 6et me a drin$, an!thing1 H"rr!1Thin$ing that his main onern was to save the drin$, Lornapo"red into a m"g who p"t on a shelf.( Wait a min"te, his #astard1 ( He ried when he realized that shewas going #a$ to #ed. ( Help me "p. 6et !o"rself something towrap in m! hand. ( He p"t his hand "nder the old tap, e!eslosed in pain.Innoentl!, Lorna said the! had no #andages at home.Had he "sed his #rains o"t, had ret"rned to the room and torninto strips the pillow or an!thing else, ma!#e all ended there.

3a!#e not.Closing his e!es, Lorna trem#led violentl! finding interesting thatpeople still remem#ered so well from noise and smells li$e 8a$eremem#ered the to"hing ofhorror I felt. &irst was the so"nd of ripping his shirt when hegra##ed her #! the ne$. Then it was the sight of #lood on his



hand, r"nning down his hest, a long line. he remem#eredperfetl! the loo$ of it when he saw her #reasts were #eginning to#lossom. And his la"ghter, hoarse, horri#le, dr"n$1He got "p, "rsing when she #egan to sream as lo"d as his

l"ngs wo"ld allow, giving him $i$ing and p"nhing. At thatmoment his memor! is m"ddied a #it, #ea"se he started #eatingher with s"h violene that she was momentaril! #linded. Wasthrown on the o"h, na$ed and petrified to realize his intention.8a$e $nelt #eside her, one hand raised as to threaten not tosream, the other foring his wa! #etween his legs.He did not rape her, reall!. 'either ame lose, #"t a#omina#l!a#"sed her and hit her repeatedl! with a #elt. And all the while

swearing 8ean, resm"gando something a#o"t #lame her for #eingsi$.Lorna did not remain silent. he sreamed and fo"ght with all hismight. -"t it was the into/iation of 8a$e who saved ... and Cath!,

'o o"tsider ame to their res"e. Where the! lived ries andfights were not "nommon. -"t Cath! entered the room in tears,the grief of his seven !ears sreaminglo"dl!)( top it1 top it, 8a$e1 %o not h"rt Lorna, 8a$e1It was eno"gh. 6ave Lorna a few seonds to get rid of it. He didnot remem#er that he had str"$, #"t I $new it was somethingheav!, she too$ a ta#le near#!. If it were not so dr"n$, it wo"ld #esprawled on the floor. The neigh#ors had not hampioned #"t shegathered and Cath! when the! as$ for help. .%ist"r#ed, Lorna got "p from #ed and opened the window, #"tlosed it after. He had forgotten the fog. Also feat"red in the right

#reasta small sar,the teeth mar$s of 8a$e tearing !o"r s$in. 7es, she had #een toodamaged in the past.-"t the past was the past and tried not to forget that, altho"gh theatta$ was 8a$e in the fire in !o"r mind. He tried to ma$e it not



affet !o"r opinion of men in general. &ailed sometimes, as inpregnan! Cah! #lamed onl! when :arel.D-"t memories of that night had not helped to "nderstand

his mi/ed feelings a#o"t Anton 0an der -"ren.In no wa! did he remem#er 8a$e. o wh! the paniI felt sometimes when I was with him5 This was "s"all!pigeon peas #efore he was a man who seemed ph!siall! withher atta$er, whih was rare.Co"ld not "nderstand wh! at times he was afraid of Anton,espeiall! $nowing that he was a gentleman. In no wa! o"ld #eompared to

8a$e %o"gan. o, wh! this happened5

CHAPTER 0I

( A ho"se5 7o" did not tell me. ( The! were in the ar Anton,leaving the Lions. He had said he needed to leave, #"t it was tosee a ho"se.( %o !o" mind, Lorna5 It will ta$e more than an ho"r.( A#sol"tel!1 I love to see homes1( Reall!5 ( He la"ghed. ( The ho"se is in Hampshire, andompared to that of 3ihael is a h"t.The da! was ver! old #"t lear. Lorna felt good ne/t to that #igstrong man.( What $ind of home !o" have in mind5( If I did, I even design m! ho"se. What I have in mind is more afeeling than an at"al pit"re. I2m s"re I reognize the right ho"seat the time to ome.

he $new e/atl! what he meant.( And if !o" do not find the right ho"se5( Then I have to invent it.( Are !o" loo$ing speifiall! for a ertain area5( 'o. An! plae within a radi"s of si/t! milesserve.



( This means that deided to aept the offer of "mmers5( 'o. It means I want to live in the o"ntr!side, #"t lose to town. Iwill not drive the firm of 3ihael. That is what two of "s weredis"ssing this morning, in the li#rar!.

'o do"#t o"t wh! Cassandra ret"rned to London, and also#ea"se the! pro#a#l! o"ld not stand the attention that Antonwas giving Lorna. -"t it wo"ld appear again for the engagementpart!.( It will not ma$e an! omment, Lorna5( A#o"t what5( I have more free time when I move to England.( This hardl! affet me, the fat that !o" aept or re+et the offer

of ir 3ihael.( Ah, #"t if I live near London ( he said, smiling a#le to drive toWindsor to ta$e m! new friend for dinner.( %o !o" have a friend in ... oh, tal$ing a#o"t me5 ( When he gavethat smir$, Lorna deided it was time to larif! the fats. ( Listen,

Anton, when this wee$ end, not see eah other again. 7o" go#a$ to !o"r world and I to mine.I told !o", I2m not interested.He slowed down the ar and left the main road, pi$ing "p aseondar!, his fae impassive.( orr!, did not hear what !o" said. I was too #"s! with the "rve.Lorna loo$ed at him determined not to show that it had la"ghedo"tright lie. The! stopped in front of a ho"se with #ea"tif"lgardens aro"nd.( 'o. .. I thin$ it is not so ( said Anton. ( -"t we have to visit it as amatter of o"rtes!, #ea"se the! are waiting for "s. This is theseventh ho"se that I see.

A woman who answered the door greeted them $indl!.( 'ie to meet !o", 3rs.. 0ari der -"ren ...Lorna loo$ed distressed for Anton, hoping that he "ndid the evil (( <nderstood, #"t it raised an e!e#row and smiled.The! did not see the "pper de$. It was a h"ge ho"se, at least #!the standards of Lorna. Politel!, Anton told the woman that wo"ld



not loo$ at an!thing else.( It2s a #ea"tif"l ho"se ( he said ( #"t not reall! what we areloo$ing for.In ten min"tes the! were #a$ in the ar and the first thing that

Anton did was hold the hand of Lorna, despite their resistane.( Wh! did !o" sa! that5 ( he protested. ( That was not what wewere loo$ing for5( Is that wh! !o" too$ the gloves5 To show that it had alliane5( 7es ( she admitted, angr!. ( Want to drop m! hand, please5He lifted her hand to her lips, +"st as she had when fo"nd twoda!s ago. Lorna remained impassive.( 7o" ertainl! $now how to ma$e a man feel good *"ipped Anton.

Had l"nh in a #ea"tif"l resta"rant, twent! min"tes from theho"se the! had +"st visited. Then the! too$ offee and #rand! in aoz! little #ar with a h"ge fireplae. &or the first time in more thantwo ho"rs, there was silene #etween them. A pleasant silene.Lorna was wathing the fire, delighted that toda! it was a rarething, a haroal fire. He was perfetl!omforta#le, a little sleep!.( I li$e to see faes in the ... ( He stopped when lifting his gazes"rprised Anton wathing her with a strange e/pression.( omething wrong, Anton5( 'o ( he m"rm"red, almost ina"di#l!. Then lo"der) 'o, nothing.Wo"ld !o" li$e to see faes in the oals. 7o" $now, I have twodogs.( What5 ( he as$ed p"zzled.( orr!, I was remem#ering. I have a o"ple of 6ermanshepherds.

( h, I li$e dogs1 'ever had one, of o"rse. If !o" want to #ringtheir own, have to #e *"arantined, is not it5 7o" will #ring them toEngland, right5( "re. The! are alread! in *"arantine. ( Pez a gest"re alling thewaiter. ( Another #rand!, Lorna5 That ho"se was a #ea"tif"lhaos, no5 -ea"se of the hildren. %o !o" li$e hildren5



Lorna raised his arms and gave a +oll! la"gh.( Wait a min"te, let me g"ess ... This is a $ind of interrogation5 r !o"2re +"mping from one s"#+et to another, following his tho"ghtsand tr!ing to test m! ps!hi a#ilities5

( The last. I apologize.( $a!. ine I $now what I2m faing, fine. 'o ( said, raising hisfingers. ( Than$ !o", I do not want another #rand!. 7es, the ho"sewas haoti, at least in the room. -"t it is to #e e/peted when!o" have two #o!s are "pset #ea"se the fl". 7es, I love $ids, and!o" tell me now that he has two also *"arantined, along with theirdogs, right5( Wrong. ( Anton was now serio"s. ( Wh! never as$ed me if I am

married5( -ea"se for me it2s the same.( I despair of !o", Lorna., Can not at least feign interest5( $a!. ( he la"ghed. ( -"t I will not waste time on the *"estion.It2s o#vio"s that !o"2re single.( 3! 6od1 Am I so transparent5He agreed with a slight head and smiled at him. 'o, it was nottransparent. All I $new is that it was a pers"asive and harmingman. He wasla"gh and feel interesting. %oes finall! Anton was a womanizer5 Io"ld not help feeling s"spiio"s, was part of his nat"re. He hadnot given an! false step, #"t felt that was not onl! #ehindfriendship. And, even if it meant losing !o"r time.I an not e/plain wh!, #"t when Anton helped her dressoat, that terri#le feeling of pani dominated. It was the first timethat da!. It happened when she t"rned to him after he p"t the

+a$et

on his sho"lders. He felt his hee$s #"rn when he loo$ed "p tohim, so lo"d, so strong and attrative.( I. .. I forgot the gloves on the hair ( he said, feeling foolish,frightened and fl"shed.( I2ll pi$ them "p.The moment passed *"i$l!, helped #! the fat that Anton did not



seem to have $nown nothing of his s"dden disomfort. Withinmin"tes she was again ontrolled. He even fell asleep d"ring thetrip #a$.

Anton stopped the ar in the #a$ of the ho"se. Too$ pit! to wa$e

her, seemed so *"iet and so #ea"tif"l. He ontin"ed with hishands on the wheel, resisting the temptation to slidefingers on the soft s$in of his fae, fighting the desire to ta$e herin his arms. It was not eas!, #"t I $new that Lorna wo"ld not en+o!now what he had in mind. 8"st do not $now wh! it was so.

Wh!, when the ph!sial attration #etween them was so strong,

she pani$ed ever! time he ame ver! lose5 Pani was not a

strong eno"gh word. 8"st now, the #ar, t"rns her e!es in fear, and

not the first time. -"t wh!, wh! she wo"ld fear him5

( Than$ !o", Lorna1 ( Eve loo$ed in the mirror, pleased.

( The hair was speta"lar. I p"t hair spra!5

( A little #it. ( Lorna spent the last half ho"r om#ing Eve, and the

res"lt was positive. ( 0ista now the dress, so I see it.

Helped her friend to ome in the #ea"tif"l red dress and la"ghed

when Eve greeted her warml!.

( 7o"2re inredi#le, Lorna. I2m reall! speta"lar1

( His, modest! is to"hing. Is I who sho"ld praise !o" ( +o$ed

Lorna. ( 6o now. 7o"r g"ests sho"ld #e arriving.

Lorna ret"rned to the room. Had not !et #eg"n to dress for the

part!. After painting and om#ing, loo$ed indeisive for the #la$

dress l!ing in #ed. It was hiffon, ver! simple. Perfet for a part!

that night. The pro#lem is that it was a little too revealing, the

handles were thin, the ne$line and down, and sho"ld "se itwitho"t a #ra.

%ressed and loo$ed in the mirror. I had no do"#ts a#o"t the

dress.

It was #ea"tif"l and made her #ea"tif"l. -"t I was wondering what



effet that wo"ld res"lt in Anton ...

Cassandra was the first person with whom Lorna said, when he

ame. Had #ro"ght her #o!friend, tall and elegant, and visi#l! in

love with her. After the #rief presentation, Lorna e/"sed herselfand went to room, am"sed #! the hostilit! of Cassie.

There were people ever!where, ver! well dressed, reating a

refined atmosphere, different from that Lorna was "sed. The! had

hired a small set to liven "p the part!. <ndo"#tedl!, the

atmosphere wo"ld warm "p soon.

Was fasinated with ever!thing. He tal$ed with people who met at

Christmas and was introd"ed to man! others, inl"ding parents

of 8"lian, he en+o!ed m"h more than e/peted. The atmosphere

of Christmas was still in the air and magnifient tree, with its

olored lights, lending a nostalgi air to the hall.

Was sitting ne/t to 3rs.. Collingham when Anton appeared.

( Ah, there is Anton ( said the old lad!. ( It is not wonderf"l5

There was no e/aggeration in that statement. Li$e most of the

g"ests, he wore t"/edos, #"t Anton ... what did Anton stand in the

midst of so man! people5 His height, his onfidene, hisinredi#l! harming smile5

The tr"th is that I o"ld not ta$e m! e!es off him. He was wal$ing

toward her and she o"ld not stop loo$ing at it. It was he who

loo$ed awa! first, e/amining it from top to #ottom.

( Wonderf"l1 ( 3"ttered as he too$ her hand to her lips. Lorna was

so "sed to the gest"re that wo"ld have #een disappointed if he

did not. Then he t"rned to 3rs.. Collingham. ( 3ar!, !o" are also#ea"tif"l.

The old lad! smiled delighted and told him what had +"st said

Lorna.

( What do we do with it, Lorna5 ( Anton smiled. ( nl! with a glass



of hampagne 3ar! is alread! in this animation.

( 'or do I thin$ ( Lorna replied in the same tone, while 3rs..

Collingham la"ghed, delighted. ( Instead of aompan!ing her to

the #edroom, ma! have to harge it1( 7o" are not drin$ing an!thing, Lorna5 Want me to go get

something5 ( Anton as$ed, and she said that he preferred. As he

wal$ed awa!, followed him with his e!es.

( An e/eptional man, no5 ( aid 3rs.. Collingham.

( 7es, !es, it is. Him .. he seems not to ta$e an!thing serio"sl! ...

( %o not #elieve it ( the old woman said in s"h a tone that Lorna

t"rned to her. ( It2s an iron fist in velvet gloves, as$ 3ihael if !o"

want to $now more. Anton is a ver! determined man, #"t hide

"nder a alm appearane. 3ihael li$es him too. ( 7es, I got it.

And I do not $now an!thing a#o"t it.

( -"t of o"rse he wants ( she ontin"ed, witho"t sha$ing. ( And

he is also ver! interested in !o". Can not sa! I do not "nderstand1

( It is still as high as it seems, is not it5 ( Lorna la"ghed.

( %o not tell an!one. I have an e/"se to go to #ed at eleven.That2s e/atl! what she did. Lad! "mmers aompanied her to

the room when the part! followed in f"ll swing. ir 3ihael made

a short speeh anno"ning the engagement of 8"lian and Eve,

the hampagne flowed on the loose, people daned.

Lorna was tal$ing with some friends of Eve, when Anton ame

near her. -oth had ir"lated among the vario"s gro"ps, #"t she

$new that this momentwas inevita#le. When he invited her to dane, e/"sed himself to

others and aepted.

( I waited so long ( he m"rm"red. ( %amn, sho"ld have hosen a

#etter time1



Lorna felt great. The m"si had hanged and all pla!ed a more

heti pae, foring them to dane apart. When, some time later,

the! moved again, Lorna e/"sed.

( 7o" are r"nning awa! from me5 ( Anton omplained.( 7es

( %o not $now how to dane slow song5 3"h too !o"ng to learn

to dane5

( 'o.

( o is r"nning awa! from me.

( 7es ( he went to a orner and aepted a glass of hampagne

that one of the waitresses gave him, tr!ing to sta! serio"s. Anton,

at his side, loo$ed at her witho"t sa!ing an!thing.

( %o me the honor, #ea"tif"l lad!5 ( Roger as$ed, appearing

s"ddenl!.

Lorna loo$ed to Roger Anton, gave the "p to Anton and Roger

followed "ntil the middle of the room. The idea of daning gl"ed to

Roger not pleased, #"t dane st"$ Anton deidedl! frightened

her. However, even in the arms of Roger, I o"ld not ta$e m! e!es

off Anton.( I *"it1 ( Roger said after the first song. It ma! #e that m! sister

does not $now when he lost it all, #"t I $now. What Anton is that I

have5

( I wo"ld not #e so s"re a#o"t her sister ( Lorna ommented "pset

when he saw Cassie daning with Anton.

The night went *"iet for a time she lost sight of Anton. Where

Cassie wo"ld have ta$en5 It was more than an ho"r in themorning and Lorna daning with ir

Reappeared when 3ihael Anton. Hit the #a$ of the old friend.

( I thin$ this dane is mine, 3ihael.

( 7o" want to dane with me, Anton5 ( 3ihael +o$ed. ( I did not



$now he was interested in me.

Lorna la"ghed merril!. There "sed to drin$ the hampagne had

gone to his head.

( 3ihael, ta$e !o"r hands off that woman. Lorna and I agreedthat after an ho"r wo"ld dane all the m"si together

( 7es, Lorna5

( f o"rse not1

( o go awa!, Anton. %id not see when it is desired5 &or

ent"ries, I do not have so m"h f"n1 Lorna dane divinel!.

Anton then whispered something into the ear of old, who

immediatel! let go.

Lorna soon fo"nd himself in the arms of Anton, witho"t having

time to reat.

( What did !o" sa! to him5

( He said his wife was loo$ing for ( Anton replied, ma$ing an

innoent fae.

( And she is right5

( f o"rse not1

As was great daning with him1 I was loving it, #"t ontin"ed topretend #oredom.

( 7o" do not have sr"ples5

( 0er! little ( he m"ttered, p"lling her loser. When I want

something, I will forget.

( And are to tell me what !o" want e/atl!5 He shr"gged slightl!

#road sho"lders.

( 'othing sinister, m! #ea"tif"l green e!es, so I need not loo$ sos"spiio"s. I want !o" to spend the da!

'ew 7ear2s with me and show me Windsor.

( -"t ...

( Ah, no e/"ses1 I $now &elina is losed on 'ew 7ear2s, and I



$now that !o" leave in the morning. I as$ed Eve

( -"t !o" do not need me as !o"r g"ide1 And ertainl! have

sta!ed in Windsor1

( 'ever. ( It was a lie, #"t neessar!. ( I never saw the astlee/ept slightl! from the road. I2m s"re !o" will find it interesting.

As an arhitet.

( h, a#sol"tel! !es. ( Lorna was ver! pro"d of Windsor Castle

and tho"ght that Anton appreiate the plae as m"h as she. -"t

the answer is no. I have to wor$ on 'ew 7ear2s.

( -"llshit1

( The answer is still no.

( Listen ( he said, so"nding offended ( please do not sa! no ... sa!

ma!#e.

( This seems an old song.

( %o not hange the s"#+et.

( $a!, o$a!1 ( 6od of heaven, that man did not aept no for an

answer. o, she agreed with the might.

oon the! were daning and la"ghing. Lorna rested his head on

his sho"lder, feeling happ! and perfetl! alm despite thepro/imit!. -"t that feeling did not last and the sinister pani #egan

to overome it. He was tense, "na#le to loo$ at Anton. Was afraid

of ma$ing a fool of m!self.

( Calm down, dear ( Anton m"ttered, his lips ver! lose to his ear.

he o"ld feel the warmth of !o"r #reath, the #eat of his heart. I

wanted to r"n awa! to esape it, #"t onl! managed to $eep him a

little.The savage #eating of his heart ehoing in his ears, #"t the sense

of pani was mi/ed with something else and it too$ a few seonds

to fig"re o"t what it was. He felt that o"ld #"rst into tears at an!

moment and needed to move awa! from Anton as soon as



possi#le.

( Please ... ( Whispered. ( Anton, drop me, please. I. .. is so hot in

here1 I need a little air.

Immediatel! he let go, #"t his hands held her arms while shepressed his palms against his fae.

( Lorna, what is5

( 'othing, I +"st ... ( Then their e!es met. he saw the onern in

deep #rown e!es and saw the e/pression on his fae hanged as

he e/amined her fae, then he notied a vein thro##ed at the

#ase of the ne$.

( Come on. ( Anton too$ #etween people and Lorna needed all the

strength to wal$ pretending alm, instead of r"nning awa! as it

was his will. He released his hand and t"rned, tr!ing to smile.

( Than$s, I2m fine now. 6ood night.

( Lorna ...

( 6ood night, Anton. Please do not ome after me.

He let her go, "rsing in fr"stration, torn #etween the desire to go

#ehind it and the o#ligation to do what she as$ed. Was intrig"ed

#! that #ehavior. een witho"t a shadow of do"#t as Lorna felt.-"t I2d #e reall! afraid of something, or was a master in the art to

sed"e5 Was pro#a#l! a teaher, said. he provo$ed the whole

night, not provo$ed5 %evil, tho"ght and went after her.

-"t Lorna did not go to !o"r room. I $new he wo"ld follow it and

went to the room of Eve, on the other side of the ho"se. Even

#efore !o" get there the tears streamed down his fae. Eve in the

#athroom, washed his fae with old water #"t to no avail.8"st realized that night what he felt for Anton. He was not afraid of

him. he wanted to1 He was twent!(five !ears and never, never

felt s"h a thing #efore. 'o wonder it too$ so long to find o"t1

%"ring all these !ears #een onvined that there was no man who



o"ld provo$e s"h a reation in it. 'ow, she wanted him

ph!siall!, and that was what was a"sing pani.

He felt dizz! and onf"sed. omewhere in his mind was satisfied

in $nowing that it was not "n"s"al, after all. atisfied #ea"se theterror she e/periened

night with 8a$e had not irrepara#l! damaged. -"t at the same

time, a part of !o"r mind re+eted Anton, the attration he e/erted

on it. The wa! to proeed for !ears o"ld not #e hanged so

easil!. 'either she wanted to hange.

ta!ed there for a long time, fighting his emotions, "ntil she

realized what he had to do. I had to leave the ho"se, Anton had to

flee and ret"rn to !o"r world safe.

'ot s"rprised to find it waiting in the room. He was angr! and

em#arrassed.

( orr! for the smo$e ( he said, p"tting o"t the igarette he had

#een smo$ing. I waited a long time. ( The tie was open and a

#"tton of his shirt "n#"ttoned, his +a$et thrown on the #ed and he

disg"stingl! alm.

( Please ( Lorna as$ed, still in the open door. ( 6et o"t.( Close the door and feel.

( Anton.

( %o what I sa! ( he showed a alm determination and she

o#e!ed. He sat on the edge of the #ed, well awa! from him,

happ! that the lamp #arel! ill"minated his fae.

( $a!, sa! what !o" sa! and get o"t.

( I will leave when the time omes. Come here. ( He pointed to ahair in front of him and again she o#e!ed. He saw the

e/pression on his fae hanged when he +oined "s.

( 7o" were r!ing. ( Lorna loo$ed at the other side, feeling

ridi"lo"s. ( 7o" were r!ing and I2ve #een thin$ing a lot. -"t now



I have to thin$ all over again. <nless !o"2re willing to sa! wh! the

devil is afraid of me. Is that me5

( 'o ( she said fran$l!. ( I +"st want to get o"t of m! life. I do not

want involvement of an! $ind. 2ve Told !o" a lot of times, #"t annot seem to #elieve me. I2m serio"s, Anton. I $now from

e/periene that when a man appears in someone2s life, pro#lems

arise. o leave me alone. I an not #e learer.

After a prolonged silene, he said.

( Lorna, !o"2re ma$ing a game with me and I did not are a damn,

"ntil an ho"r ago. I li$e the thrill of the h"nt, as an! man ...

( I do not $now what !o"2re tal$ing1 ( he e/laimed, loo$ing at

him first. ( I2m not doing an! game.

( 7es, !es. Perhaps not. Want. ( 7o"r e!es spar$led more, there

was no +o! in them. There was onl! ... onern5 7o" are as far as

I aware of the attration that e/ists #etween "s. Happened sine

the first time we met at the home of :arel. %espite his indignation

and anger, she was there. 7o" den! that5

( 7es

( After what happened to !o" when we were daning5 Lorna felther fae #"rning. He o"ld not den!, when

an ho"r his #od! was given the answer. Co"ld not spea$.

( 0er! good ( Anton ontin"ed alm. ( We are ma$ing progress. I

want !o", Lorna. I ame here tonight with the intention of ta$ing

her to #ed. I tho"ght that what had happened while we were

daning mar$ed the end of the game. At least one phase. In that

ase it wo"ld inevita#l!, was to #egin. orr! if I seem !nial, #"tI2m not naive a#o"t the women ...

he was so angr! that he forgot the em#arrassment.

( C!nial1 7o" seem too #old1 3! 6od, as !o" are. old1 "t1 And

do not give me that stor! to #e inevita#le1 Who do !o" thin$ !o"



are5

( I2m #eing honest with !o" ( he said, "npert"r#ed.

( Honest1 Two da!s ago !o" offered me !o"r friendship and

nothing more1( 7es, I still want !o"r friendship. I love !o", have not !o" notied5

And this has nothing to do with the attration I feel. o let2s leave

se/ o"t of it, o$a!5 I await !o"r deision, I give m! word. 'ow that

I said e/atl! what I thin$, and I was perfetl! honest, tell me what

!o"2re afraid5

Conf"sed, Lorna loo$ed at him. It was li$e tal$ing to another man,

not Anton she $new., 7es, he was #eing honest, and how she

might get angr!5 However, ever!thing was so new to her, so

ompletel! new, that he felt sha$en.

( Please, Lorna5 Wh! the tears5 Wh! fled and hid, wh! are !o"

afraid of the attration that e/ists #etween "s5

( When she remained silent, Anton too$ his onl"sions. Have

!o" had an! novel that made her s"ffer5 omething happened

reentl! and still a.mah"a5

he did not $now whether to smile or r!, did neither. he loo$edat him *"ietl!.

( 7o" were in love ... or is in love with someone. Anton was still

"nertain, "na#le to answer. ( 7o" have #een h"rt, this is o#vio"s,

Lorna1 -!

not tell me what is5 3a!#e I an help it.

Lorna felt terri#l! sad. He shoo$ his head, realizing what was

a#o"t to r! again.( I. .. ma!#e ... one da! I tell. ( he did not intend to tell, +"st

wanted to get rid of it. After that night, had no intention of seeing

him again. ( Please go now. 6o #a$ to the part!.

He held her hand and p"lled her to sta! standing.



( I2m not in the mood. going #a$ to m! room. 0er! gentl!, he too$

her fae in his hands, his fingers moving slowl! in the fae. %o not

r! an!more. Will !o" tell me ever!thing I $now, when the time

omes, #a#!. There is no h"rr! ... 3! 6od how #ea"tif"l !o"are ... ( He left her and went to get his +a$et.

( Anton ...

( 7es5

( Please $iss me.

( Lorna, I do not ...

( 'o ( she m"rm"red, not a game. I +"st want !o" to $iss me.

Please1

He did not $iss her, onl! lightl! to"hed his lips on hers. He had

given his word and not #a$.

Lorna $new I had done wrong, he might thin$ she was teasing,

pla!ing with fire. -"t one, +"st one, wanted to $now what it was

li$e #eing $issed #! Anton. Their reasons were entirel! selfish,

+"st wanted to $now how !o" feel.

The feeling of his lips to"hing lightl! on hers was nie, and shefelt more onfident. Witho"t #rea$ing the ontat of their mo"ths,ame loser, his hands s"pporting the #road hest. In those fewseonds, he realized a lot of things. His hands shoo$ slightl!, andthe! felt in the rh!thm of the heart of Anton faster.When his hands rested lightl! on her #a$, she was notfrightened, tho"gh feeling ver! v"lnera#le. I $new I was safe, he

$new he was so ontrolled as her. Parted his lips, feeling thewarmth and firmness of it. His hands dropped to his #a$, holdingfirml! his waist as he p"lled her #od! loser and the $iss #eamemore passionate.( I. .. do not #e angr!, Anton. orr!.It the! will not hide his onf"sion. He smiled #itterl!.



( I2m not angr!, m! prett!. 'ot at all. ( "ddenl!, the mood willome #a$. ( I2ll tell !o" one thing. I never $issed so naive. Atleast sine I was twelve.( Hold the oat over his sho"lder, la"ghing tho"gh. ( And I2ll tell

!o" something else) never forget. 6ood evening, Lorna. And then he was gone.he saw him lose the door aref"ll!, and to"hed his lips with hisfingers. -"t the spell had #een #ro$en and sanit! #a$ soon. Hewent to the #athroom and painted it again #efore desending tosee$ Eve needed to sa! to her friend that wo"ld leave in themorning. An! e/"se.

CHAPTER 0II

The apartment and the store were +"st as he had left. Lornaarrived in mid(afternoon, went "pstairs, loo$ed aro"nd. A smallsign on the door warned&eline that wo"ld open the ne/t da!. He preferred that the storewas open, it wo"ld have something to do. Wh! indeed was allover in da!s, $new e/atl! what needed to #"! in London ne/twee$.He t"rned on the lights and loo$ed at ever!thing, as if hee/peted something was wrong. The store did not seem ... thesame. 'either the apartment. He had an inspiration) he wo"ld dosome leaning.He p"t on a pair of old pants, a mesh, and set to wor$. There waslittle to do in the store #ea"se she was alwa!s $ept imma"latel!lean, and so onentrated in the apartment, washed the $ithenand all the windows.

That helped a little and when I finall! sat down in front of a "p oftea in the middle of the night she solded herself, for onl! thenrealized that leaning o"t s!m#oli. The apartment and the storeloo$ed the same, it is that was different. He was different ... as ifhe had ret"rned from Hampshire with a new personalit!. And Iwanted to get rid of it ..



-"t o"ld not it ho"seleaning. If that person does e/ist. I had totr! to #e rational. ne thing was ertain) her intimate peae thatshe so val"ed, had #een #ro$en. Anton. -"t not for long1 &romthat moment on she wo"ld remove from his tho"ghts.

He had not hoie #"t to #e honest with Eve At least when herfriend as$ed him if he had had a dis"ssion with Anton, said that!es, more or less.( 3ore or less5 ( Eve did not "nderstand. ( As well, Lorna5( He is ver! ... ver! ...( Insight5( 'o. 7o" $now, Eve, at"all! I2m not interested. I evi tF it, to #ehonest.

( I do not "nderstand an!thing. I $now !o" li$e him, personall!an not den!, I thin$ it2s wonderf"l. h, I2m not tal$ing a#o"t !o"rph!sial appearane. He has it all1.( Perhaps lash of personalities. I want to leave #efore #rea$fast,Eve do not want to see it again. 3! onl! onern is that theirparents do not mis"nderstand m! depart"re.( %o not worr! a#o"t it ( Eve reass"red her. ( I +"st tell !o" thetr"th. The! "nderstand.( 'o1 Tell them and Anton ... Well, !o" o"ld sa! I got a all from%"lie, stating that it is the fl". Will !o" do that5( I imagine a good e/"se. -"t I warn !o") Anton will #ehind !o".( 6et o"t. 3ade it ver! lear that I am not interested. Eve openedher mo"th to spea$, #"t hanged his mind.( 7o"2re raz! ( he said at last. ( -"t he won. Tell a ompellingstor! to all.Lorna washed the "p, deided not to eat an!thing, too$ a hot#ath and went to #ed. -"t Anton 0an der -"ren was still in his

head at three in the morning.%"lie arrived at the store at five to ten, p"nt"al as alwa!s.( Lorna1 What are !o" doing here5 7o" are ver! "pset. Are !o" allright5 4 ( And #efore Lorna answer, ontin"ed) ( Life in -everl!Hills, right5 -ooze, lots of food. Is this it5( 3ore or less. Ever!thing was great, %"lie, #"t omes to me.



Come on, the $ettle is alread! on fire.Inevita#l!, %"lie as$ed a#o"t sta!ing in Lions and Lorna told onl!what he wanted her to $now. Anton mentioned, #"t onl! inpassing. I o"ld not stop tal$ing a#o"t it, pro#a#l! #ea"se Eve

toaria.em !o"r name in the f"t"re. As soon as he o"ld, and hanged the s"#+et as$ed %"lie ashad #een his Christmas. At a#o"t half past eleven were stilltal$ing and no lient had appeared.( It seems that opening the store was a omplete waste of time.orr!, %"lie. r !o" an go home.( Than$ !o" #"t I will sta!. At least "ntil fo"r. To #e honest, I2mhapp! to ret"rn to wor$. 3! h"s#and will ta$e me to dane and

dine o"t toda!. Therefore, I have nothing to do at home.( 7o" get #ored when it gets a lot of time at home, no5( 7es, ma!#e if I had hildren was different.<p to three ho"rs, appeared some "stomers. The! attended inshifts, and to the disma! of his tho"ght Lorna t"rned to where

Anton had an! lient to distrat her. Also, I was angr! #ea"se%"lie did not seem satisfied with the apolog! that had to ret"rn towor$.In the evening, prepared for !o" a sna$ and t"rned on the radio.

A long, long time, did not feel so "nhapp!. He reread the ard !o"sent Cath!, gave the #ills to #e paid that month. Attempted to reada new novel, #"t o"ld not onentrate. Television was their lasthope, and it wor$ed. I was wathing a movie when the door#ellrang.( %amn1 ( Rose, then sat motionless, realizing who was on thedoor. ( h, shit1 ( How o"ld I forget him, if he insisted on invading!o"r life5 ( Anton, does not lean on the door, !o"2ll trigger the

#"rglar alarm1 ( he opened the lo$s tr!ing not to smile when hewaved to her with a #ottle of hampagne. The man wasinorrigi#le1( This here is reall! neat ( he ommented to enter.( Than$ !o". What do !o" want5( What the reeption1 I ame to wish !o" a happ! 'ew 7ear. ( Go



onl! nine, !o" are earl!.( Well ( he smiled ( here it needed time to hill.( He gave the #ottle of hampagne to her.Lorna shoo$ her head, not $nowing what he wo"ld do with it.

( Wh! was not the part! of ir 3ihael5( &or toda! I ma$e m! own part!. ( He $issed her on the tip of thenose and she t"rned, impatientl!. ( The! $now that I want tospend the rest of m! time with !o". 'ot onl! "nderstood, #"tagreed. 7o" made a great impression on ever!one,( I2m not interested in impressing an!one, espeiall! !o".( Ah, #"t impressed1 Ta$e me to !o"r apartment.he g"ided him "p the stairs, ontrolling la"ghter with diffi"lt!.

When the! entered the room, t"rned and saw that he was loo$ingaro"nd with interest, ver! serio"sl!.( It2s ver! oz!, Lorna. 7o" gotta give the environment a limatever! ... ver! o"ntr!. And who ordered those flowers5( I #o"ght. I li$e flowers. This time of !ear the! are a l"/"r!, #"t Ili$e it.( And this pit"re5 ( He as$ed, oming loser to the wall. It was asimple #"t to"hing pit"re of a willow tree with a stone wall in the#a$gro"nd. ( I li$e it,m"h the same. Who too$5( I ( Lorna said, pro"dl!. ( I li$e the olors of the old wall, thetree ... I do not $now, the ...( -alane ( he added. ( Are !o" interested in photograph!5( 'o, it was #! hane.( And let me see the rest of the apartment5( $a! ( she apit"lated, smiling ( an !o" give me !o"r oat. Ip"t that #ottle in the refrigerator.

Anton followed her into the $ithen and she showed little aihdamissing from the apartment.( It is not all read! ( he e/plained, telling a#o"t the things that aremeant to #"! for the living. ( I thin$ this !ear I will s"eed. (Loo$ed "p at him, saw that wathed intentl!.( 7o"r ho"se is ver! nie. It helps to $now her #etter. What a#o"t



that wood arving5 It2s #ea"tif"l1( I also thin$ ( Lorna agreed, athing it #etween his hands.( It was ver! e/pensive ( pla!ed maliio"s. ( I fo"nd a seondhandstore, while still a teenager.

Half an ho"r later, when he was oo$ing hi$en and fr!ingpotatoes, he realized that one again was assigned to Anton. %idnot mean to not let him into her apartment, #"t when he invitedher o"t to dinner, offered to oo$1

At midnight the! ame to #ring the 'ew 7ear in, r"shed #a$ tothe warmth of the apartment and opening the hampagne.( At the 'ew 7ear ( Anton toasted, raising his "p. ( I wanted to #ewith !o" tonight to reeive the 'ew 7ear together.

Lorna dran$, not $nowing what to sa!. The! were #oth standing infront of the fireplae. Anton p"t the "p aside and held her fae inher hands.( 3a! I $iss her on 'ew 7ear, Lorna5 ( he nodded, witho"tspea$ing, and he $issed her lightl!, her e!es shining f"n whenshe raised her head. ( -ei+o naiven"m#er two.oon after Anton was gone. he wathed him, stifling a !awnwhen !o" get off the o"h, strething, arms almost to"hing theeiling to ma$e the gest"re.( 6o #a$ to lead Hampshire, Anton5( 'o, no. I sta!ed at the Castle Hotel.( I $now him well. ometimes I go with Eve to the resta"rant.( It was Eve who reommended ( he said, smiling. ( I gotta go.We2ll have to wa$e "p earl! tomorrow morning.( What5( 7o" will #e m! g"ide, remem#er5 Ten ho"rs is good5

( -"t I +"st said ma!#e1( Prefer nine ho"rs5( Anton, we have fo"nd persistent in life, #"t !o" gainprize.( %on 2t $now what !o"2re sa!ing, I thin$ m! English is not goodeno"gh ( he said innoentl!, and Lorna opened her mo"th in



amazement As happened at other times, she !ielded,The ne/t da! dawned lear and lo"dless, despite the old. Lorna

Anton showed ever!thing there was to see the ar and wal$.L"nh in ld Windsor and then driving #! near#! roads.

It was seven o2lo$ when the! ret"rned, and Anton said he wo"ldpi$ her "p at eight and a half to dine at !o"r hotel. Lorna #athed,painted "p and hose a dress elegant #"t ver! simple mesh.The! too$ an aperitif in the hotel #ar and onl! then she $new hewo"ld ret"rn to Holland the ne/t da!. I honestl! o"ld not tell if hewas disappointed or relieved.( I did not thin$ ... !o" ome #a$ soon.( 8"st two wee$s ( he e/plained. ( Will I have to ma$e several trips

#efore I install here.( 7o" gonna #e sta!ing with :arel5( h, no. I2m there sometimes when he is traveling.( It seems strange. 'ot get along with his o"sin5( 7es ( Anton smiled. ( -"t onl! in small doses, tho"gh he is agood g"!. It is ver! heti for m! taste.Lorna loo$ed at him s"spiio"sl!.( 7o" have fear of disr"pting :arel in !o"r evenings with herfriends5( Lorna1 ( Anton p"t his hand on the heart. ( What do !o" thin$that the 0an der -"ren are5( I thin$ that is ver! effetive with women ( she admitted fran$l!. (

At least !o" and !o"r o"sin.( Come on, ma2am ( he shoo$ his head ( let2s dinner.The elegant atmosphere of the resta"rant and deliio"s foodmade and Lorna. When Anton too$ her hand, she did not reat.( It was great. Than$ !o".

( Lorna, #a$ to England as soon as possi#le. I2m not ompletel!off of m! #"sinesses, #"t o"nt the da!s to see it again.( 'o, Anton. ( he withdrew her hand from his. ( It is #etter to sa!good#!e. Was great to have $nown !o" and loved the da!. -"treall!, we have nothing in ommon.( What nonsense1 How an !o" sa! s"h a thing5



( Well, is that ... do not want to get involved. 'ow repeat this ...( -"t !o"2re alread! involved.( Wh! do !o" sa! that5( Are not !o"5

Wo"ld5 3! 6od, does she5 Loo$ed down, fleeinghis. %id not want to see the smile of a fae so harming.( 'o. ( st"##ornl!, loo$ed at him. ( 'o, I2m not. nl!is one thing that matters in life, is m! store. It meansever!thing for me.( Are !o" happ!5 ( He wondered, loo$ing at it aref"ll!.( 7es( 7o" worr! me, Lorna. ( Anton overed her hand with the

!o"rs. ( It sho"ld s"pport !o"r life into one. If !o" lose it, not-era an!thing.( 'othing will ta$e &eline me ( she protested vehementl!.( 'othing1( I do not thin$ !o" have "nderstood what I said. Let5 3e toe/plain #etter ...( I "nderstand perfetl!. There is nothing more I want nothing.4Please ta$e me home now. I am ver! tired.When the! reahed the store, he tried to get her to invite him foroffee.( 'o, Anton, I2m reall! tired.( It2s onl! reason5 r do not tr"st me5( 'o. 'o. This is ... ( f o"rse she did not tr"st him. -"to"ld not sa! that when he has not one had triedforward the signal. ( I2m reall! tired, Anton. 6ood#!e. 6ood trip (we2ll see soon, Lorna.( 'o.

( 3a!#e5( 'o.He left, smiling at her, waving the shop window. Anton#a$. Had no do"#t. What the hell wo"ld she do with thatman5 4

A few da!s later when life seemed to ret"rn to normal, Lorna went



to London to meet Cath! and do some shopping. 8an"ar! salesweregoing *"ite well. After o"nt as Cath! had #een on holida! in theCanar! arteries, heard interested what happened to Lorna. As

e/peted, she en+o!ed a lot li$e Anton, #"t at the end of the stor!was +"st as s"rprised as his sister.( If I did not $now that it is impossi#le, I wo"ld swear that is in lovewith him. ( Cath! shoo$ his head inred"lo"sl!. ( Well, it isimpossi#le, therefore, do not tal$ nonsense.( -"t, Lorna1 7o" never gave "p as well. 'ever gave an inh. Andthis man wal$ed a mile1( I $now. I. .. -"t it2s all over now.

( -"t wh!, for 6od2s sa$e5 Wh!, if !o" li$e it5( 7o", more than an!one, need not as$ me that.( h, Lorna ( Cath! moaned, "nhapp!. ( Can not #e that wa!forever. 7o"2re onl! half alive. %o not let the past ontin"e toha"nt her. I $now it2s eas! for me to tal$, #"t ...( 7es, it2s eas! to tal$ ( Lorna responded. He told ever! detail ofhis meeting with Anton. -"t in fat Cath! did not "nderstand theirfears. h, she $new all a#o"t%o"gan 8a$e, #"t she was not assa"lted. ( I. .. I an not hange,Cath!, is so hard to e/plain. There were moments, along with

Anton, who felt s"h a pani that o"ld hardl! #reathe. It2s afeeling that omes over me, that2s s"ffoating me.Cath!2s e!es e/pressed his sentene.( -"t !o" had improved. I had5 7o" said ...( I $now what I said. I wanted, #"t ...( I thin$ so. 7es, I was e/ited#"t I o"ld not go f"rther. 3! fear is stronger than m! desire,m"h stronger.

( I "nderstand #"t ... Well, I also thin$ that !o" ons"lt aps!hoanal!st.Lorna was f"rio"s.( I am well aware what happens in m! own mind, Cath!1 %o notneed an!one to tell me1( $a!, o$a!, do not #e angr!1 -"t wh! not tell the Anton5. o he



wo"ld "nderstand.( -ea"se I am ashamed1 Ashamed1 Also, li$e the others, it is onl!after one thing. Wh! sho"ld I fore m!self to do something I donot want5

( 7o" are ontraditing !o"rself. A min"te ago, onfessed that hewas attrated to him. He said he had #een e/ited, #"t the fearwas stronger. This means that he wants to sleep with

( h"t "p1 Leave me alone1 ( Lorna p"t her hands on her templesand sighed. ( orr!, Cath!, we2re tal$ing again.( 7es, the pro#lem will resolve itself if !o"2re not even interested inan affair with Anton. He does not seem the t!pe who wo"ld aept

a platoni relationship. -"t how m"h longer !o" want to live li$ethis5 Have an affair with him1 Aept life as it is. If it were me. waswhat he wo"ld do, ta$ing advantage of me as he wanted.Lorna was astonished.( What do !o" mean5( 3ore and more I am onvined that men sho"ld #e e/plored.That2s what I mean. The! "se women, wh! an not we "se them5:arel told me that Anton is rih, o"t of whih he won in theprofession he inherited a fort"ne.( I2m not interested in that1 ( Lorna loo$ed at her sister as if he hadnever seen #efore. ( I do not $now what is happening to !o",Cath!, #"t I2m en+o!ing it.( I tho"ght we had made an agreement. Live and let live. Lornawas silent for some time. 'ever omment on thea#o"t Anton with Cath!. He deided to hange the s"#+et andas$ a#o"t the wor$ of his sister.He ret"rned to Windsor more tro"#led than ever ... with Cath!,

with Anton, herself. After all, her sister was right. he was a st"d!in ontraditions.Eve ame to see it in the evening. Lorna losed ever!thing andtoo$ her friend to ta$e a "p of offee in the apartment.( orr! I have not #een #efore ( Eve said, sin$ing into anarmhair. ( It2s horri#le to wor$ again, right5



( I do not thin$ not. 7o"2re onl! oming now5( I was in his parents f"lian in %evon. We hose the wedding date,finall!. It will #e the last at"rda! of April. -"t I did not ome tal$to me. How are !o" and Anton5

( There is nothing to sa! a#o"t "s. I2ll p"t the $ettle on.( Lorna1 &orget the tea, I an not sta! long. Tell "s1 Where he too$on the eve of 'ew 7ear5( We are here and eat frozen hi$en and frozen potatoes.( &rozen5 I2ve seen ever!thing1( And hampagne at midnight.( Well, it2s progress. ( Eve smiled. ( And on first5 Where to go5 Iwant to $now ever!thing1

( We are here. He as$ed me to show !o" the it!, that I might #e!o"r g"ide.( What5 'o wa!1 Anton st"died at Eton, Windsor sho"ld $now#etter than !o"1It was the t"rn of Lorna #e s"rprised. -"t do not #e "pset. Themore I tho"ght a#o"t it, it felt f"nn!. Remem#ered Anton en+o!ingthe #ridge over the Thames River that separates the towns ofEton and Windsor. He remem#ered he had told that if he followeda straight line wo"ld reah the famo"s shool. There was eventa$en him there to meet !o"1( What a liar1 ( aid good(nat"redl!. ( He is the #est1 As I spo$e tohim a#o"t the it!, he pretended to #e fasinated1 He and his#ea"tif"l onversation ... He and his lies1( -ela onversation5 Lorna, what are !o" tal$ing a#o"t5( 'othing. 8"st $now that #! now I was "na#le to ins"lt him, getridhim, let him angr!, resist it. Anton alwa!s finds wa!s to wrap me,

and this was one of them. He hose a program that I $new Iwo"ld1( Co"ld not resist it5 ( Eve as$ed.( 'ow !o"2re intr"ding. I spea$ of the strength of his personalit!,that2s all.( Too #ad. I tho"ght there wo"ld #e two marriages.



( He said he wo"ld ret"rn, #"t will not wor$, I2m s"re. Anton was o"t three wee$s and d"ring that time, Lorna wentthro"gh the most varied stages. At the end of the first wee$,spo$e of him and tho"ght him so m"h that +"st angr! with

herself. Earl! in the seond wee$, a$nowledged that the impatthat it had prod"ed Anton devastating.&inall! onl"ded that "nderestimate his intelligene, insight.While he was irresisti#l! harming, manip"lative, "nning, wassinere and honest. The $ind of friend that she wo"ld li$e. Whatled to another tho"ght ...

At the #ottom of his heart, where rationalizations, lies ande/"ses were "naepta#le, she reognized that the ph!sial

desires. If there was one man who o"ld t"rn it into a real woman,this man was Anton 0an der -"ren. If it o"ld #e a little li$e Cath!,

+"st a #it ... If !o" o"ld have a romane, ta$e life with ease ... Iwanted nothing of him #e!ond what he wanted to.Earl! in the third wee$, Lorna #egan to re+et it. Ever!thing.Perhaps #ea"se of the a#sene of Anton. Was ret"rning to thero"tine witho"t the ph!sial presene of it to infl"ene him. Hetelephoned several times, as if determined not to let her forget it,#"t it was not the same thing to see it.

At the end of the third wee$, was no longer onf"sed. It reahed asensi#le onl"sion. 0eria Anton oasionall!. nl! oasionall!.%id not want to e/pel him from !o"r life or get too involved. Allowit to #e !o"r friend.

Anton alled in wo"ld arrive on &rida!. Lorna agreed to dine withhim. Th"rsda! night, was setting the window, something I2d love todo, when s"ddenl! loo$ed "p and saw the street, wathing her.he was #arefoot, wrapped in old pants and an old sweater,

sitting on the floor of the window, inelegantl!. oon as he saw Anton stood "p, feeling happ!, sared and e/ited.( Hello, Anton. 0o; .. !o"2re a da! earl!.&or the first time. Life, Anton did not find what to sa!. He hadnever seen her not #e impea#l! dressed ... and also never seenher so #ea"tif"l as now. Witho"t shoes she was m"h smaller and



loo$ at it had to loo$ "p ... Ah, the e!es ... the! were telling himhow m"h she li$ed to see him again.Is she felt so m"h he miss5 Will tho"ght a#o"t him ever! da!5Co"ld !o" tell I never wanted to separate from her, who had

notied that when he left England5 That #egan to love her fromthe first moment I saw her5 'o, it was time !et. It was too earl!.It too$ all his ontrol not to em#rae it ... had given his word. &orthe first time in his life, he was h"m#le. 'ot e/peted to fall in love

so deepl! for her. I never loved an! woman as well, not evenome lose.Lorna2s heart po"nding as I lim#ed the stairs to the apartment,

#"t the stairs were not responsi#le for it. he did not e/pet this ...the great +o! of seeing him again. When loo$ed "p and saw thestreet, the lamplight hitting the golden hair, the lovel! smile on hislips, his heart hadwarmed.( Can !o" give me !o"r oat ( said in the room, t"rning to Anton.He alread! had ta$en and she saw he was wearing a t"rtlene$sweater and #la$ velvet pants. Approahed him, h"gging hisne$ and as$ing for a $iss.Were !o" disappointed with his ontrol. Came even loser, lettinginstint ta"ght him things that long ago sho"ld $now.( Anton ...

CHAPTER 0III

he whispered his name, felt when he held his #reath and then$issed her in a sens"al $iss that shoo$ ever! nerve of his #od!,

ma$ing his #lood thro##ing veins. Has f"ll!, witho"t an! #arrier,realizing his hest against her #reast soft, aware of the responseto that ontat.Then all his reservations disappeared.( Lorna ... ( He p"lled her loser, ever! piee of her #od! st"$ toit. He slid his hand "nder her sweater and lim#ed slowl! toward



the #reasts ... That move prompted her to fear s"ffoating.Immediatel! gra##ed his hands, gasping when he saw the glint inhis e!es. 3! 6od, Anton was angr! with her ... his heart #eatwildl!.

( o nothing has hanged5 ( He wondered.he loo$ed "p to see it #etter. I o"ld not #elieve he was smiling1( Lorna, no ... not loo$ at me li$e that1 What is it5 ( He ame nearher, frightened #! the e/pression on his fae. ( Hone!, what is5( 'o. ( he stepped #a$, hands raised. ( Anton, sorr!. I will not ...I never ...( Lorna.( I. .. it2s +"st that ... toda! !o"2re so ... so high1 o ... so great1

( What5( I never notied how tall !o" are. 3a!#e I sho"ld p"t on !o"rshoes5 -"t #efore I go to prepare a drin$.( 3ad1 ( He ran his fingers thro"gh his hair and smiled. ( The girlis mad at me, of o"rse.( Tea or offee5( Prefer something stronger.( 8"st got #rand!.( erve. P"re. And h"rr!1 %o not +"st stand there so sed"tive.ne of these da!s will reeive more than re*"ested, woman.( It2s +"st that ... toda! !o"2re so ... so high1 o ... soLorna ran into the $ithen, with the last sentene ehoing in hisears. 'ever #ehave li$e that. He had lost his mind5The! tal$ed a #it #efore leaving for dinner. I $new he had nofather, stepmother and two si#lings married in the 'etherlands.The rest of the famil! lived in :ent, England.( What will !o" do with the ho"se in Amsterdam5

( I2ll sell it. What reminds me) he #o"ght the newspapers that Ias$ed5( 7es ( Lorna ame to feth them for him ( three wee$s. The lastwee$ had two ho"ses and that there are several that mightinterest !o".( 6ood. -"t this does not matter, Lorna. 'ot this. ( He loo$ed at



her, smiling. These two are north of -"$inghamshire. &ar1 Aretr!ing to get rid of me5( Well .. ( He remem#ered the onversation and see. ( It seemsthat !o" $now England ver! well, and Windsor as the palm of !o"r

hand ...( Eve .. ( He saw in her e!es that was not angr!.( Eve I hange lothes while !o" loo$ at the ads.When he ret"rned, he seemed satisfied.( 7o" are #ea"tif"l, 3iss. tewart. 6reat dress. -"t I ame to theonl"sion that loo$s good wearing an!thing.( 'ot with the lothes I was wearing for ten min"tes.( Espeiall! them. Those +eans are #ased on !o" li$e a seond

s$in. I li$ed it.howed him the newspaper open and Lorna disg"ised a smile. Itwas the anno"nement of a ho"se that she wo"ld hoose if I hadmone!. How not far from Windsor, notsored for him. Where to #"! Anton, wo"ld #e too lose to leave itsafe.( The! do not give the prie ( said. ( It is old. Perhaps thestr"t"re is sha$en. -"t I imagine that !o" are a#le to verif! this.( "re. ( He la"ghed at her. ( -"t !o" prefer me to go live inotland, is not it5( 3! dear, I did not sa! an!thing1 A"stralia also serves.( We will visit her tomorrow ( he said, dropping the newspaper.( We5( Come on, I2m h"ngr!.Lorna tho"ght it wo"ld $eep what had resolved. nl! oasionall!find. It was tr"e that he felt loser to him, whih seemed to have#een separated for three wee$s, #"t that man left ver! "pset and

angr!. Anton said it was a ho"se of average size. At"all!, it was aho"se of stone farm, #"ilt in the eighteenth ent"r!, the interiorhad #een smartl! modernized. It had si/ #edrooms and three#athrooms. In the #a$ there was a small ho"se for emplo!ees,also of stone, and sta#les and a #arn on land and large. Lorna



was delighted.Too$ a long time loo$ing at ever! orner. Anton sored in anote#oo$ ever!thing that he had o#served, and finall! she waswaiting for him in the ar while he and the #ro$er dis"ssed the

prie.( I made an offer ( Anton said when he ret"rned to the ar.( The owners are as$ing too m"h and the #ro$er $nows this.( 7o" will #"!5 o soon5( It2s what I wanted. It has the perfet atmosphere. :now what Imean5( I "nderstand perfetl!. As the ad said, is harming.( I will onvert the #arn into a st"dio ( he said. ( I want to wor$

there. -"t I will do ever!thing slowl!.( 7o" mean that !o" will retire5( "re, wh! not5 I love it. The ho"se, Lorna, !o" help me tohoose the f"rnit"re5 I2ll give !o" arte #lanhe."ddenl! she felt "nomforta#le. What was that5 Carte #lanhe( 'o, the answer is no ( said firml!. ( 7o" need to give !o"rpersonalit! to the environment. It has to #e !o", onl! !o".( Lorna ...he was adamant, and for the first time his tal$ did not wor$.( This time, Anton, !o" have to aept a no.He started the engine, !o"r sweet #rown e!es angr!.( 3a! I remind !o", madam, that I $now ta$e no for an answer5He forgot that this is not the first time5

Anton appeared in the store in mid(afternoon the ne/t da! andshe hadhoie #"t to tell %"lie on the ho"se. The woman had fallen"nder its spell when he approahed him one da! when Lorna was

attending a lient. He said he had ome for Lorna for l"nh andthen visit the ho"se. Th"s, the *"estions of %"lie wereinevita#le.( How e/iting1 7o" will help !o" to install, Lorna5( f o"rse not. He2s +"st an a*"aintane.( When are !o" moving5



( As soon as possi#le, she sa!s. It will p"t a #ed there, and thenall retire grad"all!. I do not ta$e long.( 3eanwhile, he is here in Windsor. Eve is the hosting5( 'o, the Castle Hotel.

( o lose5 7o" will pro#a#l! see it a lot. ( Lorna did not respond,he pretended not to hear. ( I fo"nd him harming,( 0er!.( It is e/tremel! attrative ...( 0er!.The answers ran dr!. %"lie did not as$ an!thing. -"t Lorna $newI had to live from now on, with the "riosit! of the other.It was not eas!, #"t managed to Anton distane in the following

wee$s. Were to l"nh and fo"nd themselves two or three times awee$. At"all!,was more than she had planned, #"t less than he wo"ld li$e.&ort"natel!, the strength of her will wasalmost e*"al to it. Almost.However ... on nights other than the wa! he felt terri#l! lonel!.'ever felt this wa! #efore. His apartment was her one ref"ge, aplaewhere alm was never lonel! or #ored, #"t now, when Anton wasnot with her, fo"nd himself thin$ing a#o"t it. He was s"h goodompan!1 Had #eensonente home twie d"ring a wee$ that Lorna had ta$en a old,#"t "s"all! went to London to wath a movie or having dinner in aresta"rantmild and pleasant. Anton never #e invited for offee, and Lornanot eno"raged.%eep down, she $new that something wo"ld happen. PodeIriam

not go on li$e this forever. ften remem#ered the omments ofCath!. What Antonnot #ear a long platoni relationship. Well, while he hads"pported. -"t how m"h longer5Towards the end of 3arh, he was spending five da!s in the'etherlands. He insisted that Lorna was with him, #"t she ref"sed



firml!. He "sed the store as a prete/t,and Anton, rel"tantl!, aepted the apolog!. When Anton amethe trip, she told the stor! of his life. He had moved, #"t neverret"rned Lorna

the ho"se, #ea"se he did not want her to see #efore the reformis ompleted. Anton was diretl! from the airport to her ho"se,and she reeived him with open armswith a $iss naive ... ver! naive.( 7o" loo$ tired, Anton. It2s almost midnight, sho"ld have gone diretl! home. ( he smiled at him. ( I o"ld have waited anotherda!. Want some offee or a drin$5( Coffee ( When Lorna went to the $ithen, he too$ off his +a$et. I

was not tired, was tense. he wo"ld never $now how m"h itosts to go to #e patient. -"t now ameits limit, and felt that something had to happen.If someone had told him that #ehave li$e a woman so desira#leas Lorna and #ehaved, never #elieve. Alwa!s heard that lovema$espeople are going to e/tremes impossi#le, and was disovering itfor !o"rself. h, how I loved her1The tension in him was not a"sed onl! #! ph!sial neessit!,partl! was d"e to the fat that it an not even tell her what I felt.Had to wait "ntil the time omes. Their relationship was fo"ndedon solid, and over time #eame inreasingl! strong. -"t it was stillearl! for delarations. he $ept a distane not onl! ph!siall!, andhe wanted to overome this #arrier #efore as$ing her to marr!him. peed it wo"ld onl! sare her.( Here2s !o"r offee. How was the trip5 ( Lorna as$ed, sitting infront of him.

( E/ellent. The ne/t will pro#a#l! #e the last.Lorna wathed, worried, feeling the strain of it as if it weresomething tangi#le. %oes Anton had ome to end it all5( There2s something in the head, Anton. What is it5( %o !o" ever fell in love, Lorna5 ( He as$ed, serio"sl!.( 'o.



Anton tho"ght a moment.( o it was p"rel! ph!sial5( What5 What are !o" tal$ing a#o"t5( top the r"n, Lorna. It is time to tell me ever!thing. I $now

there2s something ... I $now !o" got h"rt, ver! h"rt. everal timesI as$ed him to tell me. -efore I get into !o"r life, !o" had arep"tation for not li$ing men, !o" $now that5( 7o" were tal$ing to and see.( I have a drin$ with her #efore #oarding the last wee$. %o not#other with it, not tell me an!thing. I as$ed him with whom !o"went o"t d"ring the !ear she met her #efore we met, and shereplied that there was no one. A#sol"tel! no#od!.

( o5( Wh!5 Wh! did !o" have a rep"tation for not li$ing men5( I did not $now I had, #"t ... there was not an!one ... no man.( 7o"r relationships in the past were alwa!s as"al and #rief. Thatis telling me5 ( he did not answer. ( Listen, all I $now a#o"t !o"is how it is toda!. Tell me a#o"t !o"r past, all of it. I $now a#o"tthe death of his father. tart there.( Whether the stor! of m! life5 ( Lorna h"$led and sighed. Tellhim. he did not are to o"nt. However, let the inident with 8a$e%o"gan o"t. It was a #ea"tif"l stor!.Then he told all. Less than that. He spo$e of 8a$e, #"t onl! to sa!that was the last man in her mother2s life.( And what happened to him5( After m! mother died in the hospital, Cath! and I were in are. Inever saw him again.( Contin"e.( Well, Cath! went to an orphanage and we were separated

#ea"se she was m"h !o"nger. When I left, I got a +o# in a store.ne I met a g"! at the hostel where he lived, he was a#o"ttwent! !ears and lived nozzle. We got along well. It was his ideathat we wor$ together. We started with almost nothing, sellingheap lothing. -alanes and lothes. 6rad"all! we #egan tohave parish. We rented a room in 3anhester)) I alwa!s wanted



one da! to hange to London, when Cath! was with me. 7o" see,even then, $new what he wanted. Wanted &elina. In an! ase, Ip"t off the move #! m! 4friend4.( How so5

( He fled with an old tr"$ that had #o"ght the sto$ that waswithin him and all o"r mone!. h, was not m"h, #"t m! e!esseemed a fort"ne. This stor! swept me.( What did !o" do then5( I started again. I had some savings. I #o"ght another tr"$ ... (he loo$ed "p. ( n seond tho"ght, was one thing I learned fromm! partner) drive.-"t where was I5 Ah, !es, I sold m! goods well, and at night,

wor$ed as a waitress. ave ever! penn!.( To reah its goal.( 3! dream. As soon as m! sister left the orphanage, moved toLondon. We had planned to ta$e over the store together. We loo$for a deent plae, #"t we got to Windsor #! hane, one da!, wewent o"t to travel #! ar and I li$ed the plae. Cath! too.( Wh! Cath! is not with !o"5( Was invited to #e a model. The shop was m! dream, not hers.Cath! wants more from life than I do. He #egan wor$ing for anagen! and soon we will see on television. End of stor!.

A long time passed #efore he spo$e Anton. He heard ever!thingimpassivel!, his e!es showing interest. Lorna had never toldan!one his stor!. Told him ever!thing, e/ept that the inidentwas ashamed. This wo"ld not have the strength to reveal.( I wo"ld li$e to sa! something, Anton. Are ver! sho$ed5( ho$ed5 Lorna, I am pro"d ... 7o" got it. He got what hewanted and was a#le to sarifie. What an I do #"t admire it5

The statement left her em#arrassed. He was an admira#le man,he li$ed a lot. Again onfident, he smiled.( 7o" are ver! serio"s, Anton. What worries him now5( Two *"estions.( 7o" an tell. ( He felt more onfident than ever a#o"t him.( This !o"ng man, his partner. There was something #etween



!o"5( nl! #"siness.He shoo$ his head as if he e/peted the answer. He #egan towal$ aro"nd the room.

( After all he told me, it seems that there was no plae for lovers.( 'o.He t"rned to fae her, hands in his po$ets.( o m! seond *"estion is "nneessar!,( I will twent!(si/ !ears ne/t month. ( Lorna had their e!esdownast. ( 7o" m"st find it inomprehensi#le, too ...( 'othing is inomprehensi#le to me now, #a#!. 'othing. ( He satdown again, his fae rela/ed. ( Than$s for telling me, for tr"sting

me. The m!ster! is over and I now "nderstand it perfetl!.( %o !o" "nderstand5

( Pro#a#l! #etter than !o" "nderstand.

( 'o, Anton, I "nderstand ver! well. I tr! not to +"dge all men #!

those involved with m! mother. I tr! to $eep things in perspetive,

honestl!. I do not want to thin$ that 8ean was a #ad person. he

alwa!s did what he o"ld for me and Cath!, #"t was too wea$.

Alwa!s hose the wrong men. I am ver! different from her, andnot at"all! hate men.

( I never tho"ght I hated. -"t one !o" made a omment that

intrig"ed me. He said that from e/periene, $new that ever! time

there was a man in a woman2s life, there were pro#lems.

( f o"rse now !o" "nderstand. 'o, ( 'o, I do not "nderstand.

-ea"se there was never a man in his

life. ( How an !o" sa! that5 There was a lot1 ( 'o, thin$ a#o"t it.

There was in her mother2s life, not !o"rs. Lorna That statement

a"ght #! s"rprise, never tho"ght

so.

( There never was a man in !o"r life ( Anton repeated with

determination. ( 7o" were the da"ghter of 8ean and of o"rse



!o"r lifest!le has affeted !o". -"t he was a hild,

o"ld not do an!thing. He $nows that is ompletel! different from

8ean. -"t what he did when he #eame an ad"lt5 If lo$ed #ehind

!o"r pre+"dies. %o !o" reall! thin$ is to live,lo$ in a world of women5

( Refers to &eline5 ( he was terrified. ( I had never tho"ght of

that. I. ..

never loo$ed at things from this angle. I s"ppose !o"2re right.

( 7o" do not $eep the #alane of things. Is #iased. And illogial.

( 7es 7es .. I thin$ I am.

Anton was relieved. &inall! $now that Lorna was afraid of him,

wh! he insisted on finding it a little, and wal$ed awa! in so man!

wa!s.

( Lorna, I helped in some wa! to dismantle the evil assoiations of

his past. With respet to men5

( 7o"2re here, right5 ( he smiled. ( And let2s fae it) !o" now part

of m! life.

( I had to fight hard to ahieve that.

( I $now.( I will ontin"e to fight to #e part of !o"r life permanentl!. How do

!o" feel a#o"t it5

( Content ( she onfessed immediatel!. Then, loo$ing into his

e!es. ( I am ver! happ!.

'ow, Anton o"ld tell !o". The moment had ome. 3oreover, it

was important to sa!. he reall! needed to #e loved, to $now she

was loved.( I love !o", Lorna ( spo$e aref"ll!. ( I love !o" long time. ( I

wo"ld ta$e her in his arms, #"t if handled and sta!ed p"t. 'eeded

to remain patient. The loo$ of Lorna was painf"ll! lear to him. (

7o" are s"rprised5 Hone!, I tried to show !o" that I love. %"ring



all this time.

( -"t I ... I tho"ght ...

( He tho"ght that the last three months I had staged a long ro"tine

of sed"tion ( he added, a sad smile on his lips. At"all! she did not $now what to sa!. He tried to show !o". And

man! wa!s. Anton loved her. There are man! wee$s sho"ld have

pereived, #"t !o"r #ias is not

allowed. All the while hoping he lost his temper. In a wa!, she had

#een testing.

Hoping to get tired of it, #ea"se deep down I did not #elieve

that a man li$e him o"ld love a woman li$e her.

Anton ame, helping to raise. ne to"hed so tenderl! in her

fae, that Lorna felt a hill.

( 'othing in his life was eas!, it2s not wanted5 'othing in his life

was onsistent. 'othing "ntil !o" opened !o"r store and made his

s"pport !o"r reason for living. %o !o" "nderstand now what I

meant when I tried to tal$ a#o"t it5

he loo$ed at him, "na#le to spea$, a '%A%A tenderness

invading.( 7o" never tr"sted #efore ( Anton ontin"ed. ( I never tr"sted

an!one #"t itself. -"t I want !o" to tr"st me. If !o" are not read!

!et, do not tr!

r"sh it. Will ontin"e as now, to #elieve that I love !o", a#sol"tel!.

&or now do not e/pet an!thing from !o", Lorna. 7o" sho"ld not

feel o#liged to sa! or do an!thing.

'either he wanted, Lorna o"ld tal$. &or now, all I wanted was toh"g him, feel his lips on his.

The! $issed and had never $issed #efore. At the instigation of

Lorna, the $iss was deepened, hanging intensit!. Anton2s mo"th

e/plored hers, h"ngr!. he raised her head, the #od! pressed



against him, while the #"rning lips $issed the soft s$in of his ne$.

The e/itement of it spilled over her and she did not reat when

his hands slipped "nder her lothes, reahing the sin"ses.

This time she did not feel pani or fear. The woman inside wasfinall! free. His arms involved the #road #a$ of Anton, her lips

one again loo$ed for him. Came even loser, and when he

moaned, she stro$ed so that there o"ld #e no do"#t a#o"t the

desire he felt.

Anton lifted her in his arms and too$ her to the o"h. "ddenl!,

terror str"$ her. The grim sene of his hildhood again, slowl!.

He tried to fight

that memor!. He tried to tell herself that there was nothing to fear.

What was Anton who was there.

Ah

( h, 6od, no1 'o1 ( The words ame o"t of her lips against his

will, and soon she withdrew his hands from his #od!,

with all fores.

ilene #eat him their ears. Anton said nothing. A#sol"tel!

nothing. he never $new what was written on his fae, #ea"sehe o"ld not loo$ at it. La! there, trem#ling, her heart po"nding in

m! hest.

The silene was #ro$en when she heard the door losing *"ietl!

#efore he left. Then overed her fae with her hands, her #od!

sha$en #! so#s "nontrolla#l!.

CHAPTER IJ

It was over #etween her and Anton. He was s"re he wo"ld not

ret"rn. His wath said five in the morning. He tried to sit and

gather strength to go to #ed. At least he o"ld sleep late.



Tomorrow ... toda! ... was "nda!. Again she told herself that it

was #etter that he sta! awa! from it. &or the sa$e of it

He got "p at noon and too$ a hot #ath, p"t on a sweater and

+eans was a stroll.It was a #ea"tif"l da!, old and lear. In its wa!, passed #! edi

ings where Eve was wor$ing and realled that her friend had

invited her and Anton for dinner that da!. &orgotten to tell Anton.

It too$ a#o"t an ho"r wal$ing. He ret"rned home #ea"se I was

old. When t"rned the orner, saw the ar par$ed Anton in front of

the store. He waited, smo$ing a igarette.

He smiled, feeling the heart #eat faster, and ran to him, o"rse he

was #a$. He had said that he loved her5

-"t when he saw his fae, he was afraid. He was ... gra!. If she

had fo"nd him tense the da! #efore, was nothing ompared to

now.

He stopped in front of the ar, motionless. Anton ame to her and

gra##ed her arm with s"h fore that ame to h"rt her. This, she

did not e/pet1 'ever seen him so angr!1

( Anton, please ( stammered ( I2m sorr!1 What more an I sa!5Tried to free him, #"t Anton wo"ld not let go. Instead, he losed

his e!es, as if he had diffi"lt! spea$ing.

( 'ot with !o", Lorna. It2s o$a!. pen the door.

he o#e!ed, onf"sed. If it was not with her, who was angr!5

The! went in silene to the apartment, and Lorna sat on the

o"h wathing him as he wal$ed aro"nd the room.

( 8a$e %o"gan1 ( Anton almost spat the name. ( 8a$e %o"gan.Wh! do not !o" tell me5 Wh! lie to me5

( I. .. ( Cath!1, Lorna immediatel! tho"ght1 His sister had said it. It

was the onl! person I $new. ( I did not lie, Anton. I. ..

( 7o" an not lie #! omission. It2s the same thing1 ( He ried,



leaving frightened Lorna. he losed her e!es, sore, #"t soon

opened when he felt his hand gentl! inn on his sho"lder. ( I2m not

angr! with !o". nl!

wanted to la! hands "pon that so"ndrel1Lorna loo$ed at him, s"ddenl! relieved. I had to let it vent. He was

sitting there, listening to him "rse and swear, witho"t tr!ing to

stop him. <ndo"#tedl!, Cath! had told ever!thing.

( A long time ago, Anton. I2m over.

( The devil that #eat1

( Please stop r!ing. 7o" are ma$ing me nervo"s. 2ll ma$e some

tea.

Anton was alm when she ret"rned.

( I tried the elephone Cath! list ( #egan to tell. We tal$ed two

ho"rs this morning. he told me ever!thing !o" had told me. Pl"s

the episode that !o" missed o"t. Interesting. ome time ago I

tho"ght of the possi#ilit!, !o"2ve had a #ad

= e/"al e/periene. -"t I never imagined that he had #een

#eaten and

= Raped at thirteen !ears of age.( I was not #eaten. 'ot violated. Cath! is e/aggerating.

( r !o".

( I do not "nderstand how !o" an #e so alm1

( I2ve said, I have lived with it for twelve !ears. Part

the past now. Cath! sho"ld not have o"nted1 he did not have

that

right.( %o not #e against it. Cath! was the onl! person who o"ld get

to "nderstand their #ehavior. I insisted that I tell ever!thing

$new. he did it with the #est of intentions.

( There is no e/"se ...



( 7o" sho"ld have told me. ho"ld have told me for wee$s.

I wo"ld have "nderstood m"h #etter. Come here, Lorna, m! feel

side. I em#rae it.

It was lose to him *"ietl!, leaving the tea forgotten. Anton wanted

em#rae her and she wanted to #e h"gged.

( Cath! said !o" had shame, Lorna. 'ever heard of an!thing so

ridi"lo"s. 7o" were innoent, helpless.

Lorna was e/ha"sted #"t relieved. Anton $new ever!thing and still

loved her. he also loved him. &or his perseverane, patiene,

tenderness and strength.

( I love !o", Anton ( m"rm"red softl!. That emotion was new to

her.

( Then wh! are !o" so sad5 ( He smiled. ( There is nothing to

worr! a#o"t now. 'othing and no one will h"rt her again. 'o, do

not r"n awa! from me. ta! here in m! arms. ( He made it

s"pported the head in his hest ( Let2s ta$e things eas!, m! love.

tart getting "sed to

sta! lose to me, that is !o"r plae.( Cath! thin$s I sho"ld loo$ for a ps!hoanal!st.

( 'onsense1 Let2s give it time. 'ow that I $now what happened, I2ll

help. &rom now on, I2ll do e/atl! what !o" s"speted that I was

doing. I2ll sed"e her.

( It will #e a test for !o"r patiene ( she said, em#arrassed #"t

happ!.

( -"t +"st thin$ of the "ltimate reward ( he +o$ed, smilingonfidentl!.

The! were sitting there a long time. Lorna had her e!es losed

and was pleased with his arms proteting it.

( I2m h"ngr! ( Anton said, after all. ( Let2s go o"t to eat.



( h, forgot. Toda! we have dinner with Eve and 8"lian.

( 6reat. o let2s do a *"i$ l"nh. 7o" $now how Eve is

e/aggerated.

When the! fo"nd Eve and l"lian for dinner, the food was great.( Eve ( Anton said ( !o" are an amazing oo$1

( 3! dear Anton, the fat that !o" have repeated all the dishes,

proof that he li$ed it. ( Eve smiled satisfied.

( 7o" two are not even nervo"s a#o"t the pro/imit! of the

marriage. How an(Lorna as$ed.

( I get nervo"s ever! time someone tal$s a#o"t marriage $ids2

Eve ( Li$e now1

Lorna was not s"re if her friend was +o$ing. I +"st $new I wo"ld not

want to #e the #ride at a wedding as well. There wo"ld #e

h"ndreds of g"ests at a gala reeption.

( Have !o" fo"nd a home, 8"lian5 ( Anton as$ed.

( We agreed to leave later. We live here in the home of Eve as

she is wor$ing. And we loo$ for something as soon as she

#eomes pregnant.

Lorna o"ld not ontain himself.( Eve1 I tho"ght !o" wanted to ontin"e wor$ing after marriage ...

( Well, 8"lian finds ...

( 8"lian thin$5 ( Lorna insisted. ( And !o"5 ( I am thirt! !ears. I

have no time to lose.

When the two went to the $ithen for offee, Eve gra##ed the arm

of Lorna, ver! serio"s.

( That2s what I want, Lorna. I want the hildren of 8"lian and donot want to wait.

( He!, I was +o$ing.

( I $now, #"t it is amazing how I2ve hanged a !ear ago.

( I also ( Lorna onfessed. ( When I thin$ how I2ve hanged in



reent months1 It was ver! s"#tl!.

( 7o" will #e the ne/t ( Eve +o$ed.

( 7o" are wrong. ( Lorna was s"ddenl! tense. ( We are perfetl!

happ! that wa!.Eve loo$ed s"rprised at her friend, not $nowing if Lorna was #eing

sinere.

( A#o"t ( Lorna hanged the s"#+et ( at"rda! is m! #irthda!. I

wo"ld li$e to invite !o" and 8"lian for dinner at m! ho"se on

"nda!. It is impratial to prepare a dinner after a at"rda! in

the store.

E ( The store still omes first, Lorna5 I mean, #efore an!

else5

( E/atl!. ( Lorna "t the matter #a$ to the room arr!ing

the teapot. ( ne moment, 8"lian. 7o" were sa!ing was

visit the home of Anton last wee$5

( 7es Wh!5

( It seems that ever!one was invited e/ept me, there is Anton5

( 7o" are prohi#ited. -"t onl! "ntil the ho"se is read!. Will #e

invited when ever!thing is perfet.( What2s this5 ( 8"lian wondered. ( I do not "nderstand

nothing. Lorna $nows nothing a#o"t retirement5 'either woman

who moved there5

( 'o ( Lorna onfirmed.

( 'either the man5

( I did not $now that Anton had a wea$ness for men ( she +o$ed,

and ever!one la"ghed.( top it, 8"lian. top ma$ing tro"#le ( as$ed Eve.

Anton was loo$ing at Lorna.

( 'ow !o" do not $now who to #elieve ( he ommented.

( -"t the stor! of man and woman is tr"e. he oo$s, this ho"se,



and he2s garden. The! are living in that ho"se of stone, deep in

the gro"nd.

( I2m glad to hear it ( Lorna said with sinerit!, #"t did not

"nderstand their ownreations.

CHAPTER J

( orr!, I2m ver! #"s! toda! ( Lorna repeated these words one a

month, sine he was ina"g"rated &elina, #"t Pa"l seemed to

"nderstand.

If Anton had not $nown if he had not #eome more tolerant, it

wo"ld #e more harsh with Pa"l. -"t she had hanged.

( 6ive "p, Pa"l ( ontin"ed, smiling. ( The answer is no and will

alwa!s #e no.

( 7o" an not #lame a man for tr!ing. ( Pa"l smiled too,

( It2s tr"e. ( Lorna aompanied him to the door. ( 6ood#!e, Pa"l,

"ntil the ne/t month.

he ret"rned to sto$, where %"lie was opening the #o/es.( He tried again ( said indignantl!. ( Honestl!1 -"t toda! was lear.

( I heard. Wh! not tell him that he is ommitted5

( Who said I2m engaged5

( Are not !o"5

Her hand reahed the pearl ne$lae she wore and that Anton

had given her on her #irthda!. At first I wanted to aept, this onewas too e/pensive.

( Anton, I an not aept ( had said, #"t he had silened with a

$iss.

( 3ath !o"r dress.



It had #een a few wee$s. 8"st had "sed the #eads twie #efore

this da!, the da! of his #irthda! and the marriage of Eve The

marriage was ver! elegant, and Eve had never #een so #ea"tif"l.

( Lorna5 ( %"lie alled, #ringing it to realit!.( What5 h. sorr!.

%"lie loo$ed at her, smiling. That angered Lorna, #"t o"ld not

#lame the other for ta$ing the wrong onl"sions. %"lie made no

seret of the admiration he felt for Anton.

( 'o ( Lorna finall! answered. ( I2m not ommitted1

( If !o" deide to sell the store ( the other ontin"ed, witho"t

"ndermining ( give me the first option.

( ell to shop5 ( Lorna was sho$ed. ( %"lie, I have no intention

of doing s"h a thing. %id not $now !o" li$ed #oth the store.

( I li$e it. f o"rse, wo"ld tal$ to m! h"s#and. -"t the idea I li$e.

43! store4 Lorna tho"ght. 4A#andoning &eline1 %"lie m"st #e

raz!.4

The phone rang at that moment and she answered, smiling when

he reognized the voie. Anton had to go get it for l"nh, and off

for that reason deided to "se the pearls. He was alling to anelthe meeting.

( What happened5 ( he as$ed. ( I2m losing m! harms5

( 'ot at all. I have not met all ...

( Anton1 ( he was em#arrassed. The! tal$ed for some time !et. (

When !o" ome to see me5

( Tonight. I will pi$ it "p at seven. It will give time for !o" to get

read!5( &or what5

( %inner. An intimate dinner.

( Where5

( Here. -o/. Is read! for inspetion.



( 6reat1 I was tired of waiting. 7es ( agreed, realizing that %"lie

wathed with "riosit!.

( We will #e fo"r ( Anton warned.

( h1 #"t I tho"ght ... !o" said.( What is an intimate dinner5 And it is, m! love. 6ood#!e. He

h"ng "p #efore she o"ld sa! an!thing else.

ne losed the store, Lorna too$ a #ath, polished "p again and

#r"shed her hair "ntil the waves fell smooth. At least !o"r hair did

not give him pro#lems.

Who were the other two g"ests of Anton5 Perhaps ir 3ihael

and Lad! "mmers5 ho"ld have as$ed if she sho"ld wear a

dress or more rela/ed. Ended "p hoosing a dress

verdeesmeralda, simple #"t with an impea#l! tailored.

Anton seemed pleased when he saw that she wore the pearls.

Leaned e/essivel! on her, while holding the ar door open.

( 7o" are ver! ... ( Leaned toward her again, whispering the rest in

!o"r ear. Lorna la"ghed.

( Anton, in some wa! this dress an #e desri#ed as se/!l !o"

have se/ in the head, !o" $now that5( 'ot so m"h the dress, is !o"rself.

nl! then she realized that Anton was wearing a tweed +a$et and

a sport shirt.

( I thin$ I got read! too. After all, who will dine with "s5

( h, the other two do not are. Li$e !o", whatever that view.

( Hone!, what are the!5 I $now them5

He shoo$ his head and gave Lorna. Wo"ld have to wait and seewho the! were. 'o sooner entered the land of Anton, "p the road,

the m!ster! was solved. Two h"ge dogs ame wagging his tail.

( "r ompan! tonight ( Anton said, smiling. Lion and Cheetah.

( h, Anton, the! are divine1 7o" $now that I had forgotten them5



&or ent"ries, !o" do not spea$ them. When the! arrived5

( There are three da!s. -"t he wanted to s"rprise !o". ( "ddenl!,

p"t his hand on her sho"lder. ( %o not open the door !et. I need a

little hat with them #efore presenting them to !o".La"ghed in his words. Lion and Cheetah were ertainl!

formida#le h"nting dogs. And also $new who was its owner.

#served when Anton spo$e with them, #efore sending her to

leave.

Lorna li$ed them, witho"t fear or worr! a#o"t the dress, la"ghing

when he saw the tail wagging her.

( 7o" have #een aepted ( Anton said, smiling .( The! are great,

right5

( 'o. -"t I #et !o" are relieved to get o"t of *"arantine. The

seond s"rprise was the oo$, who opened the door for them.

Lorna had the impression that he $new from somewhere.

( 3rs. 6ra!, 3iss. tewart. ( Anton made the presentations, and

seeing the p"zzled loo$ of Lorna, stated) ( he wor$ed at :arel2s

ho"se, when !o" ame to tal$ to !o". 0an der -"ren.

3rs.. 6ra! was smiling. Lorna and Anton e/hanged $nowingglanes. he remem#ered having spo$en with the woman at the

door, and after waiting in that awf"l room #efore fighting with 3r..

0an der -"ren. How m"h had happened sine then1

( I stole 3rs.. 6ra! m! o"sin ( Anton ontin"ed. ( he and her

h"s#and are alread! installed here, is not it, 3rs.. 6ra!5

( The 0illa ( the maid said, so"nding pleased. ( The plae is

#ea"tif"l. o *"iet1 3r.. Anton was so $ind ...( Time, time ( interr"pted Anton. Let2s start the visit #! the $ithen.

6o ahead, 3rs.. 6ra!.

Lorna was s"rprised. "tside she notied no hange. The ho"se

and the garden loo$ed ali$e. -"t the interior had hanged



dramatiall!. At least the entrane hall and the $ithen.

( It2s #ea"tif"l1 ( E/laimed, loo$ing a#inets.

( It2s f"ntional, too ( Anton said. ( -"t let that 3rs.. 6ra! do the

honors,The woman showed it to Lorna, from the smallest tool to the

dishwasher. Lorna #eame interested in ever! detail, infeted #!

the enth"siasm of 3rs.. 6ra!.

( I do not remem#er the $ithen #eing so great, Anton.

( I shot down a wall of the plae where was the la"ndr!. The room

that served as the offie was transformed into a la"ndr!. It is

there,

The! gave a *"i$ loo$ at another apartment, the dogs are alwa!s

#ehind them, and then left 3rs.. 6ra! ta$ing are of dinner. Lion

and Cheetah were down when the! went "pstairs.

( The! have no order to lim# ( Anton said, while holding the arm

of Lorna. ( 7o" will not find m"h differene "p here, e/ept the

deor.

In the main room, the rest remained similar.

( 7o" f"rnished it also the g"est rooms5( "re. We will have an opening part! soon, m! love. -"t that2s

!o"r department. 7o" deide who will sleep here.

Those words made her "neas!. We, he said. We2ll have a part! ...

( h #o!1 ( Lorna e/laimed "pon seeing the size and l"/"r! of

the ad+oining. ( This #atht"#1 It holds ...

( Two people ( Anton added, h"gging her waist as she tried to#rea$ free.

( 7o" are so eentri, Anton ...

( Is not that a ver! ivilized idea, the omm"nal #ath5 The

8apanese alwa!s do it.



( I do"#t it ( she replied, provo$ing him, wanting to #e $issed. (

-"t I do not mind if we were +"st "s two ...

he got what she wanted, and the! were em#raed a long time.

( The dinner sho"ld alread! #e almost read! ( Anton said, movingawa! from it.

Lorna ame loser, h"gging him, sti$ing his #od! to his.

( I am also read!.

( Hone!, we have time and plae ...

In response, she slipped her hands "nder his +a$et and p"lled

his shirt o"t of his pants, the #a$, wathing as he losed his e!es

start to stro$e him.

( I2m read! for !o", dear. The time has ome, and we have a #ed

lose #!. How a#o"t I spend the night here5

( Ed"ation tells "s to wait for the invitation. ( Anton o"ld not

$eep the tone pla!f"l. His voie was serio"s and impassioned,

and his ontrol was on the line ... ( Lorna ...

( Tonight, Anton ... ( he promised, #efore he $issed her again,

and his whole #od! thro##ing with desire for him.

In those last few wee$s the! had ome loser. Toda! she wantedto ma$e love. His fears had #een grad"all! removed #! Anton,

eah time he too$ in his arms, waiting for her patient.

He ated with s"h tat and tenderness, that even the memor! of

those moments were eno"gh to ma$e !o"r #lood p"mping faster.

-"t now there was no tenderness, onl! passion. Lorna

orresponded $issing passionatel!.

Anton $new now that she needed him as m"h as it it. h, !es,that night ons"mmate their love.

( Hone!, we need to go down. How will !o" feel if 3rs.. 6ra! "p

o"r searh5

( %eepl! em#arrassed. Is it li$el! that she go5



( 7o" $now that. ( He la"ghed. ( I was +"st tr!ing to ma$e !o"

#ehave ... temporaril!, of o"rse. 'ow ome on. 7o"2ll have to

wait a little longer.

( He!1 Who sho"ld sa! it was me ( Lorna protested, la"ghing. Anton, I thin$ we get #etter "p here a little #it, to give !o" time to

reover. Let2s tal$ a#o"t ... h, stop it1 top1 ( aid, la"ghing

agitated when he started to $iss her.

( erio"sl!, I as$ !o" something.

( What5 ( He let go.

( The #athroom. It2s divine. And more. He $no$ed over another

wall5

( The seond and last. There was a deposit of lothes to the side,

whih is now part of o"r #athroom.

The malaise that Lorna had felt #efore ret"rned immediatel!. "r

#athroom, he had said. It was pro#a#l! a wa! of spea$ing,

#ea"se she wo"ld spend there a lot of time, or she wo"ld #e the

last person to realize something that ever!#od! alread! too$ for

granted5 Eve, 8"lian, %"lie, even Cath!1

If there was still some do"#t in !o"r mind, it was removed when Anton showed him the last room of the ho"se, the gro"nd floor.

( The last s"rprise ( he said, opening the door and a"sing it to

enter.

Immediatel! their e!es filled with tears of emotion. He also

sadness, #ea"se now he $new that Anton wo"ld as$ her to

marr! him, pro#a#l! that night.

It was a h"ge room, meas"ring a#o"t twelve feet #! as m"hwide. verloo$ing the gardens and fields #e!ond. #served

Anton when he stepped forward to p"ll the "rtain, feeling the

heart #eat deaf, within the #reast.

The arpet had a pin$ish h"e, m"h li$e his apartment, #"t was of



s"perior *"alit!. In the stone fireplae, whih did not e/ist #efore,

a ra$ling wood fire. The f"rnit"re was of the same st!le of his,

#"t more to math the size of the room.

Lorna remem#ered ver! well have desri#ed for Anton as are theta#les and the lamps wo"ld li$e to #"! when I had mone!. The!

were all there1 The onl! thing she did not e/pet to #"! was a

h"ge piano, whih he saw himself in a orner. <ndo"#tedl!, Anton

dispathed from the 'etherlands. There was an old des$ and a

television. The ta#les, were several pots of flowers aro"nd.

There was a male trait in the room, and the li$e Anton was met.

However, there was no do"#t that this room was deorated with

the intent to please her.

The last s"rprise, he said. Well, at"all!, was a s"rprise.

'ow Anton was #eside her, wathing her an/io"sl! waiting for

!o"r omments. impl! do not $now what to sa!. And as I had no

idea how to deal with the sit"ation, tried to "se the game. -"t,

even smiling, his e!es were f"ll of tears.

( 7o" ... how an I sa!5 0o; .. !o" got a ver! r"sti atmosphere.

he had "sed the same words of Anton, he t"rns his offie for thefirst time, #"t his attempt to soften things did not wor$. He p"t his

arm on his waist and was silent at his side. f o"rse, had

misinterpreted his tears.

( Wh! do not !o" prepare an appetizer for "s5 ( He proposed.

( I sa! to 3rs.. 6ra! to get the dinner and p"t the dogs o"t.

Lorna did not $now how I o"ld spend the rest of the night. There

was no do"#t that Anton to as$ in marriage and even tho"gh Ilove it, the last thing he wanted was to marr!.

CHAPTER JI



He po"red #rand! and too$ it all at one. Then san$ one of the

armhairs, to get "p then. Was terri#l! agitated. He po"red

himself another

dose, and was drin$ing when Anton ame #a$.he handed him a "p and sat down #eside her on the o"h.

-rand! has had its effet, and she felt more alm. Agia nat"rall!.

As Anton had ta"ght, as was alwa!s #eside him. The! tal$ed

a#o"t generalities to 3rs.. 6ra! ome to anno"ne that dinner

was served. The night passed ...

'ear the end of dinner, tho"ght it wo"ld #e #etter to tr! to avoid

that Anton made the re*"est. -"t what if !o" were wrong5 3a$e a

fool, and wo"ld #e em#arrassing for him.

( 7o" s"ddenl! went silent ( Anton said, pi$ing "p a #ottle of

wine.

( %o not want to drin$, than$ !o". E/"se m! silene, #"t tonight

was a sho$ to me.

( A sho$5 ( His onern #eame a smile. %id not thin$ I had

sta!ed awa! to temper with !o", did !o"5

( There was this possi#ilit!. After all, !o" wanted to give me a freehand to f"rnish the ho"se. ( <nonsio"sl! pi$ed "p the pearl

ne$lae #etween his fingers. Wh! did not realize for months that

the marriage was in his plans5 he had #een #lind, +"st #ea"se

this idea was not in their plans.

Were drin$ing offee in the lo"nge, so that 3rs.. 6ra! o"ld lear

the ta#le. Then she ame to sa! good night and withdrew.

( Anton, wo"ld !o" mind if held "pon a little T05( Lorna loo$ed at her wath. ( Cath! will appear in a ommerial,

and I promised that we wo"ld wath. ( We5 There she was doing

the same thing.

( f o"rse not. We an not lose. After all, she is responsi#le for



"s to $now o"rselves. ( Anton saw that she loo$ed angr!, and

lifted his hand, apologizing. ( $a!, she is partl! responsi#le. I

had forgotten :arel.

Lorna tho"ght it wo"ld do as his sister. %o not get pregnantaidentall!. He was farsighted and had ons"lted the dotor for

some time.

( -e *"iet again, Lorna.

he told him she was thin$ing. I had told her a#o"t the visit to the

dotor.

( I wo"ld ta$e another "p of offee.

( 7o" alread! $now where the $ithen ( he replied, la"ghing. -ring

one for me too.

&ailed to see the de#"t of Cath! on television. Lorna Anton went

to the $ithen #ea"se she o"ld not $eep !o"r hands awa! from

her. he la"ghed when she saw him enter, seeing the glint in his

e!es, #"t fled when he tried to h"g her. The! were a#o"t to

#eome lovers, and life with Anton as his friend and lover, was

something she definitel! wanted.

reamed when he gra##ed her, feeling the whole #od! respondto that ontat. Co"ld tease him witho"t mer! now, #ea"se

there was nothing to worr! a#o"t.

( o this is how things will #e1 ( He la"ghed when she t"rned her

head, preventing her $iss, he m"m#led something.

( What are !o" tal$ing a#o"t5

( He said I have to tame !o"1

( h, !es ( she h"$led. ( And how to do this5( o ( he m"rm"red and Lorna held his #reath, feeling ever!

nerve of his #od! tingle with an/iet!. I o"ld not wait, and when

his arms enveloped her, she also em#raed fierel!.

When he too$ her to the room, arms, Lorna protested.



( 7o"2re going the wrong wa!1 He la"ghed and p"t it on the floor.

( Come here, m! #ea"tif"l and impatient in*"ir!1 ( He p"lled her to

the sofa, h"gging her.

Then it happened. He was ver! serio"s and loo$ed at her withthose warm #rown e!es and that she loved.

( Lorna, I will sa! now it will not s"rprise !o". Will !o" marr! me,

m! dear, to share m! life ...

Anton silent. While he lived not forget that moment. he need not

answer, the answer was in his e!es. He stood motionless. His

mind o"ld not wor$.

Had given her eno"gh time. Waited for months, preparing her for

that. And now ... gripped her hin fored her to loo$ at it. His fae

was wet with tears, whih fell inessantl!. Lorna was "nhapp! and

did not want to h"rt him. Also loved him, said he was s"re.

( Wh!5 Lorna, !o" love me, I $now. o wh! is that5 he o"ld not

spea$. Awa! from him, loo$ing for a sarf

her p"rse. His #a$ not wanting to see the pain in his e!es. How

o"ld I e/plain5 Had to e/plain. wed it to him.

( Anton, "ntil I set foot in this ho"se tonight, I had no idea that !o"... I. .. that2s not what I want. 3arriage is so ... so final1 I an not. I

an not ta$e that responsi#ilit!. I spent man! !ears with onl!

m!self to worr!1 I fo"ght hard to get where I am. I want, I need m!

independene. &eline ...

( 'ot as$ed him to give "p the store, Lorna. I $now how m"h she

means to !o". I onfess that, over time, I wo"ld li$e to leave. -"t

onl! when !o" feel read! for it. Lorna ...( 'o, do not sa! an!thing. ( he t"rned aro"nd to fae him.

( 7o"2ll pro#a#l! never "nderstand.

( Please let me finish ( he as$ed alml!. -elieve me, I will not tr!

to onvine !o" of an!thing. It wo"ld #e "seless.



( 7o" said it #efore, said he wo"ld not h"rr! to do an!thing.

( peed5 3! dear, are five months1

( 0er! little time ...

Anton did not let her finish the sentene. tood.( I2ll ta$e her home.

( Home5 -"t ...

( I will he$ !o"r oat.

He spo$e in s"h a wa! that she had no hoie #"t to o#e!. He

too$ the #ag and followed him to the hall. There was so m"h still

to sa!1 I did not want to end ever!thing #etween them, #"t it was

impossi#le to tal$ with Anton now. He was resentf"l, whih was

ver! "nderstanda#le.

Anton not t"rned off the ar engine when stopped at the store.

Also made no move to leave.

( Anton, please ... ( he was determined to ma$e him see that

there was no reason for fighting. ( I do not want ever!thing ends

well. I love !o".

( I $now. ( Anton smiled slightl!. The pro#lem is that not love him

eno"gh. Perhaps, over time, realize. It was he who sho"ld tell !o"that. It wo"ld not ma$e her an! good. Lorna had #een a long, long

wa! in the last five months. -"t still had to grow a little, learn. And

he had done all he o"ld.

( Contat me ( she as$ed. ( pend the night here. Please,

Anton. There is no reason not to ontin"e as #efore. We do not

need marriage. What is wrong ...

He stopped a#r"ptl! when he saw the e/pression on his fae. Herealized that, one again, the! were worlds apart.

( 'ot eno"gh Lorna. 7o" do not "nderstand it, is not it5 I do not

want to share m! #ed. I want to share m! life. I want to travel with

me, live with me, worr! me, la"gh with me. I want !o"



permanentl!, not for #rief eno"nters. I want something that is not

read! to give) dediation. 3a!#e never will #e read! or a#le to

devote himself to a man. -"t for me, nothing less interested. 'ot

now. I love !o" too m"h to aept less. 6ood#!e, Lorna. I do notdo things differentl!.

Anton +"mped from the ar and opened the door for her, a

gentleman to the end. After g"ided home, slowl!, #ewildered. The

engagement ring was in his po$et. I had forgotten him

ompletel!. I wanted her to sta! with +ewelr!, as a so"venir.

3a!#e send him some da!.

CHAPTER JII

The da!s went on, ine/ora#l!. %a!s were long and empt!. After

the first wee$, Lorna tho"ght it had overome the worst. The first

wee$ witho"t Anton was#e the worst.

As she allowed herself into this mess5 He had one vowed that

no man on earth wo"ld hange !o"r life5 And f"lfill that oath ... -!

Anton.

&all in love with him had #een a tri$! proess, wo"ld now #e the

same person I was #efore last Christmas. At that time, life was

safe, she had peae, inner peae. "re that he wo"ld have it.oon forget. Inevita#l! the first wee$ witho"t it was the worst.

( Lorna, are !o" o$a!5 ( %"lie as$ed, interr"pting his reverie.

( 7es1 ( ho"ted down. After all, what he was doing there in his

apartment in mid(afternoon on at"rda!5



He loo$ed aro"nd the room, his fae e/pressionless. -right1 Had

gone to ma$e some sandwihes.

The month of 3a! was oming to an end and %"lie now wor$ing

on at"rda!s as well, #ea"se the st"dent who "sed to ome wasgone. The to"rist season had #eg"n, #"t the weather was #ad

that da! and not see an!one on the streets. The rain was

relentless, overing the it! with his gra! ro#e.

The other assistant was also in the store, and Lorna had offered

to ma$e sandwihes, so that no one needed to leave that shower.

What he had in

instead5 He had #een standing in the window of his room,

wathing the rain fall, thin$ing in irles.

( It does not1 ( aid alo"d, as if that might onvine them it #etter.

( I am ridi"lo"s. I am ridi"lo"s. If love ma$es me so glad it2s

over.

Reset to the old ro"tine was not eas!. I o"ld #e interested in

an!thing that happened aro"nd him, and spent the wee$end

tr!ing to remem#er what he did in his da!s off. 'othing, reall!. -"t

he was alwa!s happ!, at that time.The seond wee$ was not eas!. In fat, it was even worse.

%espite the efforts made to thin$ of other things, deal with other

things.

%"lie did not sa! not a word a#o"t Anton, after she told him,

witho"t e/planation, that had #ro$en. Was gratef"l that %"lie did

not as$ an!thing, no matter how "rio"s I was.

( Lorna, are !o" s"re that these pries are right5 ( As$ the sellernow, while e/amining some dresses. ( Is there an! reason to #e

sold so heap5

Irritated, Lorna was giving. He had onl! opied the pries the!

had paid, not inl"ding ta/es, spending and store their own profit.



%"lie tried to ta$e the ase in the game. -"t it was lear she was

worried a#o"t Lorna. This, in t"rn, felt angr!, not with the wizard,

#"t with herself. That was not his onl! mista$e, had ommitted

other.( Please, %"lie, he$ and rehe$ ever!thing again, following

the al"lations of all time, !es5 I. .. I2m going o"t a little.

ho"ld not go o"t, not a Th"rsda!, leaving %"lie alone. -"t

s"ddenl! felt la"stropho#i inside that store.

Eve appeared on the following "nda!. He had #een o"t a month

on !o"r hone!moon.

( 7o" loo$ great1 That tan1 ( Lorna ommented heerf"ll!

determined to #e what it was #efore. ( %id !o" have f"n too, or is

this a d"m# *"estion5

Eve said little, #"t enth"siastiall! a#o"t the Cari##ean. ne

e/plained the real reason for his visit.

( We ret"rned last night and went to visit Anton. We tho"ght we

wo"ld ma$e a s"rprise to !o" #oth. 7o" an imagine o"r sho$

when we heard what happened.

Lorna was filling the $ettle, witho"t loo$ing at it.( Please, Lorna, do not #other with the tea, I will not get m"h.

Tomorrow #a$ to the offie and still

I have a lot of things to do at home. Let2s sit and tal$.

Eve was onerned, was evident. It was his "stom to tr! to

meddle in the affairs of others. And she deserved some

e/planation.

Lorna sat down, #"t when he opened his mo"th to spea$, #"rstinto tears. The so#s shoo$ her #od! and she o"ld not stop.

%istressed, Eve h"gged her as a mother h"gs a hild, onsoling

her and almost r!ing with her.

nl! after a long time Lorna was a#le to alm down. When he



finall! spo$e, it was to tell the whole stor!. He told ever!thing to

Eve, a#sol"tel! ever!thing. 'ot onl! a#o"t her relationship and

Anton, #"t on the first meeting of #oth the home of :arel,

aggression 8a$e %o"gan, living with his mother.Eve was with her ho"rs, and when 8"lian alled to as$ if it wo"ld

go #a$ home, told him to do his own dinner. Lorna listened

aref"ll!

eno"raging it to ontin"e. As a law!er, was not s"rprised easil!

with things that people told him.

I2ve heard stories worse.

( I an onl! sa! I appreiate !o"r onfidene, Lorna. 7o"2ve

alwa!s #een a m!ster! to me. -"t now I "nderstand !o", I

"nderstand ever!thing.

( Ever!thing5 o m! reasons for not wanting to marr! Anton5

( 7es, I hesitated a lot #efore deiding to get married. -"t when

we find the right man ... ( he pa"sed, loo$ing intentl! at Lorna. ( I

tho"ght he ... well, to #e honest from the #eginning I tho"ght that

Anton went with !o". And I still do. ee how !o"2ve hanged.

&rom a woman who never loo$ed twie to one man, even that.7o" are in love with him, an not den!.

( I am1 I told !o" so. -"t I have not hanged eno"gh to get m!self

to another person. Even Anton. I was m! own mistress for a long

time. I li$e m! freedom, I need m! independene. Can I tr"st

m!self, witho"t danger of #eing a#andoned. <nderstand5

<nderstands, Eve5

( 7es ( he "nderstood perfetl!. It was eas! to see how the mindof Lorna wor$ed, #"t the most important point was that Anton did

not love it eno"gh. In fat, Anton said e/atl! that. He was right.

There was nothing to #e said.

( Hone!, I reall! need to go. When !o" want, all "s and ome.



%o not go if !o" do not sta!.

( I2m sorr! I #othered !o", espeiall! when it arrives. Than$ !o"

for having listened to me. It was a great help. 7o" and 8"lian are

great friends. If !o" want to tell him, !o" an o"nt.( 3a!#e I tell him the most important things. He will not pass, !o"

$now.

Lorna $new. -efore, I did not want to tal$ a#o"t herself with "s,

and the res"lt is that no#od! "nderstood, "nless Cath!. 'ow the!

o"ld spea$ at least on some points. This was one of the hanges

that o"rred sine it had met Anton.

Realized that Eve still had something to sa!, #"t seemed

"ndeided.

( What is it, Eve5 a!.

( And ... ( Eve opened her p"rse and p"lled o"t a velvet #o/.

( Anton as$ed me to give him that. He said that s"its !o"r pearls.

Lorna too$ the #o/ opened, sared #ea"se I $new what was

inside. pened and losed.

( It2s ... an engagement ring1 ( He p"t #a$ into the hand of Eve

( Wait a min"te.The pearls were in her room. he had p"t the #o/ #a$ in the da!

when the! had finished p"tting in an envelope. 'ow she gave it to

Eve

( Pearls. I an not sta! with them, Eve, and I an not aept the

ring. Ret"rn to Anton for me.

( I thin$ !o"2re ma$ing a mista$e. He reall! wants to sta! ...

( -"t I an not1 Please do so. orr! wrap it in this, #"t please do itfor me. I was too nervo"s to go to the post, I was afraid to send

for a ta/i driver. 'ot want to ris$ ...

Eve $ept the #o/es in the #ag.

( I "nderstand.



( Listen, I2m sorr! I got !o" this.

( top worr!ing. ( Eve gave him a h"g good#!e, insisting it

appears to dinner.

When the friend left, Lorna ame "p and #egan to r!. The ring1The ring mathed perfetl! with the pearl ne$lae that Anton had

given her.

he ried silentl!, feeling a pain so great as ever made sense. As

he was an amazing person1 I sho"ld have #o"ght the ring while

the ne$lae, thin$ing to give her the da! when as$ed in

marriage, on the da! to ta$e her to see the ho"se. The home that

he had reated for #oth1

I tho"ght I $new all the *"alities of Anton, #"t onl! in the following

da!s saw the val"e of it, the e/tent of his love. The more !o"

remem#er, the more I realized the dediation and depth of feeling

of Anton.

The following wee$, there was a time when she left the shop in

mid(morning, in the hands of his assistants. 6"ided $ilometers,

regardless of the distane and time.

47o"2re onl! half alive,4 Cath! told him one da!. 3! 6od, now shewas f"ll! alive1 His s"ffering onfirmed inreasingl! "n#eara#le.

ine he had seen the ring and realized its signifiane, had not

stopped to thin$ a#o"t Anton, as wo"ld #e s"ffering. What $ind of

idiot was

her to flo"t a love li$e this5 Had never #een loved in life, and

when love finall! ame he o"ld not aept it.

What he had done to deserve s"h love, did not $now. What hadgone in e/hange for Anton5 'othing #"t test after test. At the

time,

did not realize I was doing. -"t now learl! seen. He had #een

waiting for him to disappoint in an! wa!. Thing he did not. Wh!



not

had learned how deepl! he loved her5 His past prevented it to

#elieve it.

'othing in his life was onstant, "ntil it &elina= o"ld not #elievethat something in the f"t"re wo"ld #e onstant, m"h less if it

involved a man. n &eline ... How did !o" feel a#o"t their

preio"s store, now5 'ot are an!more. Co"ld not thin$ of

an!thing other than Anton.

tarted the engine in the ar. Had par$ed on the sho"lder, ver!

"pset to drive. -"t it was that da! that searhed Anton. nl! at

the #eginning of 8"l! went loo$ing for him.

The s"n shone #ehind the "rtains when Lorna wo$e "p feeling

strange, ool. 'ever e/periened a feeling li$e that. In the past,

had $nown peae, #"t peae was a false, "nreal, the o#vio"s

res"lt of having raised a #arrier #etween her and life. &o"nd that it

was not peae #"t rather a total la$ of onern, #ea"se

emotionall! dead.

It2s #een a month and a half had not seen Anton. i/ wee$s

empt!. 3! 6od, how I missed it1 -"t it had #een worthwhile, hadlearned a lot this time. Learned that love was to give, thin$ of the

loved one #efore !o" in mind. How did Anton.

"t of #ed, too$ a shower, dressed and painted as he did ever!

morning ... "ntil a few wee$s ago. Latel! he had negleted his

appearane, #ea"se

no longer ared a#o"t its image as owner of the &eline. Image5

%id not need more than one image, was now itself a new person.This morning wo"ld see$ Anton, was getting read! for him for

nothing and no one else. In the f"t"re wo"ld #e. I wanted to

please him, ma$e him happ!. It wo"ld #e the #est wife in the

world.



That feeling of inner peae was #orn of the ertaint! of #eing

loved, a#sol"tel! and totall! loved. The ertaint! #ro"ght him the

onfidene to #ring down the last #arrier emotional.

He waited *"ietl! for the arrival of %"lie in the door of the store.When he saw her, her assistant was p"zzled. Lorna was neat and

tid!, #"t there was something strange in it.

( What, Lorna5 It will not wor$ toda!5

( I2ll loo$ for Anton.

( 7o" will ... tal$ to him5 h, Lorna, I2m so happ!1 He loves !o" so

m"h1

( 7es, #"t I was the last to find o"t.

( He as$ed !o" to marr! him, right5 That is wh! we fight5

( 'o. 7o" $now, %"lie, I was sho$ed. In fat, I2m ver! st"pid. I

was also the last person to realize that ... he wo"ld as$. He too$

me #! s"rprise and I reated st"pidl!, #ea"se the idea of

marriage sared me.

( 7o" are not the onl! ( %"lie smiled. ( 3an! people feel that

wa!.

( 3a!#e. -"t it sares me more. 2ll ris$ it. And I thin$ that Antonand I will s"eed. ((

Was alread! o"t when he remem#ered) ( Ah, %"lie, I ta$e a

vaation

of &eline. Ta$e are of the store for me.

'o r"sh, led to his ho"se. 'ot want to ris$ an aident. I $new

e/atl! what he was doing, she felt alm.

Anton2s dogs ame r"nning toward the ar and she hesitated#efore opening the door. 'eed not have worried, the!

remem#ered her.

oon 3rs.. 6ra! appeared, tr!ing "ns"essf"ll! to alm the dogs

that +"mped aro"nd happil! Lorna.



( Leo1 Lo#o1 9"iet1 ( he seemed pleased to see Lorna.

( 3s. tewart1 orr! for these two devils. 6ood to see it again. I2m

so happ! ... ( He stopped, em#arrassed.

( What5 ( &ear r"shed his heart with his old.( Where is Anton5

( Traveled to Holland to attend the f"neral of a friend, and I do not

$now when he omes #a$ ( the woman said, sorr! for her.

Almost felt so sorr! a#o"t Anton those last wee$s. Poor 3iss.

tewart ... never seen an!one so desolate.

Lorna tho"ght alml!. I was disappointed, #"t wo"ld wait for

Anton, as he waited for her.

( 3rs. 6ra!, I go to m! ho"se and #a$ in an ho"r, #ringing all m!

lothes. I will move here. And when he gets #a$, we2re getting

married. ( he spo$e onfidentl!, witho"t an! spae for women to

resist. ( 'o need to worr!. I ta$e responsi#ilit!.

3rs.. 6ra! agreed immediatel!, ontaining the smile.

( When !o" arrive, !o" find the tea read!.

( The pro#lem is that we do not $now how to ontat him

( 3rs. 6ra! ommented onerned, some time later, when sheLorna and her h"s#and were ta$ing tea in the $ithen. ( He alled

last wee$, warning that wo"ld #e a few da!s with a friend. -"t I

s"ppose we o"ld all his father.

( 'o ( Lorna said firml! ( if he alls, do not sa! I2m here. I. .. I want

to ma$e a s"rprise.

In fat, I see the e/pression on his fae, and 3r.. and 3rs.. 6ra!

immediatel! "nderstood.( 3r.. Anton has #een ver! good for "s ( the woman said.

( At"all!, I2m not a perfet oo$.

( I wish I o"ld oo$ li$e !o" $ithen. Has m"h to teah me (



Lorna said with sinerit!.

<nderstood perfetl! well with the o"ple. 'ow, had nothing to do

#"t wait for Anton.%"ring the following da!s, she onl! do"#ted one, when shetho"ght of the friend with whom Anton was. It wo"ld #e a friend5

An old passion5ther than that, she was happ!, waiting. At night I slept in the #edof Anton, thin$ing that soon he wo"ld #e there. He worried a#o"ttrivia s"h as whih side of the #ed he wo"ld prefer if he "sed aneletri razor or razor #lade. Thin$ never spent a night with him. It

seemed impossi#le1 As the wanted1 How I wish that he loved her1I wanted to #elong to him ompletel!, #od! and so"l.The da!s followed one another ... no, the! dragged. -"t Lorna didnot thin$ that Anton o"ld ta$e m"h longer. Wal$ing with thedogs, read in his st"dio, en+o!ing the ho"se, the land aro"nd.#o"ght flowers, some plants, and $ept #"s! all the time.

Anton ret"rned home in the middle of the night. It was the si/thnight after Lorna had moved. And how does the e/peted, not

#ea"se he had alled, had gone to sleep as "s"al. Anton opened the front door and went diretl!. Was e/ha"sted. Infat, pi$ o"t a foolish flight of the night, instead of waiting for thene/t da!. -"t nothing else mattered now. Heneforth, wo"ld sin$at wor$. Wo"ld tr! to forget it, even tho"gh almost impossi#le.It happened when he reahed the top of the stairs. He stood,feeling that he was not alone. There was someone else in theho"se. He had ome straight "p, lit the hall light, #"t heard nonoise. His e!es loo$ed all aro"nd, as he wal$ed into the room. Ito"ld onl! #e !o"r imagination. When par$ed the ar, the dogsame to reeive him, wagging their tails. 'o one o"ld haveentered with them o"t there.o when he p"t his hand on the door$no#, he $new. Had not seenher ar, #"t I $new she was there. It was perfetl! still, feeling hisheart #eat wildl!. 'either attempted to ontrol him.



Was radiant. he was there, waiting. How long was he waitingfor5 He opened the door slowl!, letting the light from o"tsideill"minated the room. It was a moment loo$ing at the o"tline of her #od! in #ed in his #ed, in their #ed. Then he lit a lamp and stood

#eside her. 7et she did not wa$e. The #ar$ing of dogs, the noiseof the ar, the lights, had not aro"sed.He smiled, "na#le to loo$ awa! from that fae. Thin$ onl! seenher one #efore sleeping in !o"r ar1 How #ea"tif"l she was1 Heto"hed lightl! on his sho"lder and instantl! her e!es opened.What was going on with !o"r #reath5 with the #eats of !o"rheart5 He o"ld no longer ontrol himself. He o"ld not ontrolthe +o! I felt to see her. -"t he still had ontrol over the mind.

Wo"ld wait "ntil she o"ld sa! wh! he was there. -e there to sa!I wanted him as a friend and lover, and nothing else5 r#ea"se ...Lorna #lin$ed several times #ea"se of the light and #egan tostreth, inredi#l! provoative, the thin nightgown revealing her#reasts. -"t Anton did not move a m"sle. &inall! she opened her e!es and he was s"re that not waited in vain. It was there, in#ea"tif"l green e!es, what we had wanted. Those e!es1 Whentold #! her, alwa!s said what she was feeling. T"rn them so man!emotions refleted ... Anger, fear, worr!, love. Love1 7es, I2d seenlove #efore, #"t never so m"h love1He sat "p in #ed, h"gging her as she also em#raed. It too$ along time #efore that Lorna o"ld tal$.( Anton1 Anton1 I was so st"pid, so "tterl! st"pid, m! love. Will !o"forgive me5 I do not $now ... I said man! foolish things to Eve .. (Contin"ed non(stop tal$ing, tal$ing inoherentl!. Was aware of it,#"t o"ld not stop. Had so m"h to sa! so m"h1 I had to e/plain

to him, ma$e him "nderstand.( Calm down, hone!. ( Anton moved her hair from his forehead,seeing her e!es f"ll of tears. ( Calm down. I $now prett! m"hever!thing that !o" passed.( 'o ( she #a$ed off a #it ( I have to e/plain. I was so selfish,

Anton. Will !o" forgive me5 These last wee$s have #een terri#le



for !o", m! dear. I $now, #ea"se I have #een to me. -"t forme ... was neessar! for me #ea"se I #ro"ght "p this.( This5( %isovering how m"h I love !o". ( he loo$ed at him an/io"sl!.

( I did not thin$ of an!thing else e/ept !o". And the more hetho"ght, the more loved. He told Eve that did not want to marr!!o", #ea"se I li$ed m! freedom. -"t these last few wee$s haveshown me that I am not free nor independent. 3! plae is with!o" now. -eside.He t"$ed it more, stro$ing her hair, happ! with her o"t#"rst.Lorna loved him eno"gh, and that was all that mattered. Perhapsalwa!s #een loved eno"gh, perhaps simpl! afraid to admit it to

herself.( And !o" $now what I said to Eve5 He said he o"ld onl! tr"stm!self. What nonsense1 I almost r"ined m! life1 I do not $nowhow I lived witho"t !o" all this time. -"t he was afraid of m!happiness, m! f"t"re in the hands of another person.( Lorna went off to see his e!es, to see that speial smile he had.( -"t it is a ommitment #! #oth sides is Anton5 7o" will doe/atl! the same thing.( f o"rse. ( He p"lled her loser, $issing her ver! lightl!, +"st asshe one did, the first time the! had $issed ... long.( I am !o"r ( 4she m"rm"red ( #od! and so"l.There was more an/iet! in the e!es of Lorna, #"t he wanted herto smile again.( What !o" said a#o"t #od! and so"l5 he la"ghed, a la"ghmaliio"s.( -"t, darling, !o" m"st #e ver! tired after the trip ...( I am. ( Anton stood, ta$ing the oat #a$ to her.

( He!, this was not what !o" sho"ld tal$ ( she omplained. ( Anton, Anton1He la"ghed in her indignation, and t"rned serio"s to loo$ at it.Lorna was standing #eside the #ed, na$ed and #ea"tif"l soft lightthe lamp. His #lood thro##ed with desire as she wal$ed slowl!towards him. -"t p"t his hands in his po$ets and loo$ed awa!



from it.( 'o "se, Lorna. There is nothing !o" an do to heer me "p.( Reall!5 ( he slipped her hands "nder the fa#ri of it, sti$inghis #od! to his #od!. ( omething tells me !o"2re l!ing ... o it2s no

"se pla!ing the diffi"lt.Then Anton s"rrendered. topped fighting it and against thedesire that ons"med him. Lorna also did not fight more. His pastwas #"ried and now had ome to happiness.

End

Gentle Persuation

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Transcript of Gentle Persuation