Graham smiled slightly and shook her head. "May I speak with you a moment?"

"Of course," Anna replied, becoming alarmed. Graham had never come to her room before. She stepped aside to allow Graham entry. "Sit down, please. The chairs are before the fireplace, where theyve always been."

Anna found Grahams expression impossible to decipher. She waited while Graham made her way without faltering to the seating area. She followed somewhat reluctantly, sitting anxiously in the opposite chair.

"I wanted to tell you myself that Christine will be staying here at Yardley for some indefinite time," Graham began in a low voice. "Apparently, she is thinking of leaving her husband and needs time to consider her future."

Annas heart lurched, and for once she was glad that Graham couldnt see her face. Christine to stay at Yardley! As if it werent perfectly clear what Christine expected her future to be! You only to had to look at the way she looked at Graham to know her intentions. Anna was too upset to notice that Graham did not appear overly happy with her announcement.

"Does this mean that you wont need my services any longer?" Anna asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice from shaking. Annas mind recoiled from the thought of leaving Yardley. This was her life!

Graham sat forward in alarm. "Good god, no! Why ever would you think that? You belong here at Yardley, and I would want you to stay as long as you are happy here. I merely wanted to tell you about Christine myself, so you wouldnt be surprised at dinner." She couldnt believe that Anna would imagine she wanted her to leave. That thought was the farthest thing from her mind. In fact, it was unthinkable. "Anna, please dont be upset. It wasnt my intention to concern you. This has been a difficult day for me. Im sorry."

For the first time, Anna noticed the tremor in Grahams hands. Her resolve to distance herself from Graham disappeared as soon as she recognized Grahams distress. She was helpless in the face of Grahams need. She simply couldnt bear to see her like this. Grasping Grahams hand, she said softly, "Its all right. Please dont worry about me."

Graham held Annas hand for a moment, her head bowed. Abruptly she rose and began pacing. "I couldnt turn her away, Anna. Not afterafter all wed been to each other." She sighed, knowing her words were inadequate. How could she begin to explain what she could barely grasp herself? When she heard Christines letter the day before, she had been plunged instantly back into that dark night, into the twisted wreckage of her car. Her last memory was of Christine trying to escape from her. She had imagined Christines return so many times, dreamed of Christine telling her it was all a nightmare, that she had come home. Month after torturous month she had waited in the silent darkness of her room, listening for the quick footfalls in the hall that signaled Christines arrival. More than a year had passed before she would believe that Christine was truly gone. The day she accepted that was the day she accepted her blindness, and the knowledge that the music had abandoned her as well. In an instant her life was devoid of everything that had given it meaning. She had neither the hope nor the desire to fill the emptiness with anything, or anyone, else. And so she had accepted her fate without protest, allowing time to pass unnoticed. These last few months since Annas arrival were her only clear moments in the long torturous years since her world had shattered. Only the fragrance of the flowers, and the memory of Annas hand on her arm as they strolled through the gardens, brought a faint smile to her lips.

She had felt only confusion when she thought of confronting Christine, instead of the celebration she imagined she should experience. She spent the previous night awake, leaving the chair where she passed the evening hours to walk through the gardens before dawn. When she felt the first warmth of the suns rays on her skin she returned to the house for her preparations.

It was important to her that Christine see her as she had once been, not as the shell of a being she had become. Pity from anyone was intolerable, but it would be devastating from the one woman who had claimed to have loved her. It seemed from Christines greeting that she had succeeded in that at least. Christines kiss still lingered on her lips, and the words that followed were still fresh in her mind.

"Ive missed that so much," Christine whispered against her neck. "You were the only one who ever made me feel so alive."

It had seemed the most natural thing in the world to take Christine into her arms, to bend her head to the lips she knew so well, to hear the soft intake of breath she remembered with startling clarity. Christine stirred against her as she had a thousand times before, softly moaning her name. Nothing had changed, and everything was different. Graham saw them together in her mind's eye, but her body remained untouched. Whereas once the mere stroke of Christines fingers against her skin could make her heart race, now she felt no surging of her blood, no flaring of her senses, no answering passion. Gently, she loosed her hold on the woman in her arms, stepping back from her embrace.

Christine had always been able to read Grahams mercurial moods. "You dont believe Ive missed you, do you, darling?"

"Perhaps if it had been a year, or two, or even ten," Graham replied without anger, for strangely she felt none, "I might have."

Christine slowly traced the faint scar across Grahams forehead, then reached up to kiss her lips once more. "Give me time. Ill make you believe again," she whispered.

Graham shook her head, in disbelief then, in wordless frustration now. She new Anna was waiting. "Im sorry, Anna. I wish I could explain. Theres simply nothing I can say."

"Thats all right," Anna said stiffly. "You dont need to say anything. She is clearly important to you, and it certainly isnt necessary to justify yourself to me." She knew she sounded cold, but she couldnt help it. She wasnt even certain what bothered her so much about Christines return. If Christine could ease Grahams deep desolation, if she could restore some happiness to Grahams life, Anna should be grateful. Of course, Anna wanted to see Graham happy. Oh, it was all too much to deal with, this whole nightmare of a week! Why was it that the very things that seemed to ease Grahams discomfort -her physical reserve, her emotional distance, and now Christines presence - were the same things that made Anna so miserable!!

"Ill be down for dinner, Graham," Anna said wearily.

Graham started to speak, then merely sighed. "Yes."


Chapter Eleven


Anna was the first to arrive in the dining room. The long highly polished table was elaborately set with starched handmade linens, antique silver cutlery, fine crystal glassware and china place settings. The formality of the scene was more than a little daunting. Anna reminded herself that there had been much more to Grahams previous life than she had gleaned from the newspaper accounts. The understated way Graham lived at Yardley now was a far departure from her earlier life. She was a world-renowned artist, recognized in every civilized country, and surely she would have traveled in the most elite circles. She would have been feted at every turn. It made Anna wistful to think she would never know that part of Graham.

Angrily she reminded herself that Graham Yardley obviously had all the companionship she needed with the arrival of Christine. Whatever diversion Anna had provided was surely unnecessary now. The only person who would miss their moments together was herself. She felt at once helpless and irrationally saddened.

"My dont you look nice!" Helen exclaimed as she bustled into the room, mercifully delivering Anna from her introspection.

"Helen!" Anna greeted her with relief. "You must have been working for hours in here! Its wonderful."

Helen beamed with pleasure as she began setting up the large buffet along one side of the room. "Youre right, it did! And it couldnt have been a happier chore. For just a moment there this morning, when she was telling me what she wanted done, Graham seemed like her old self."

Helen had no idea that her words had wounded Anna, who instantly thought that all it had taken to motivate Grahams recovery was Christine's return. Helen continued, unaware of Annas growing depression. "I do wish she would let me serve, though! She insisted that I prepare a buffet, and that I eat with you, but it just doesnt seem right! If only I had time I could have found help!"

"I dont have much experience, but I could probably manage the serving," Anna said dubiously. In her state of mind, anything seemed preferable to sitting down to dinner with Graham and Christine.

"Nonsense," Graham said from the door, having heard Annas remark. "Im sure we can all manage ourselves just this once, Helen."

Anna turned at the sound of Grahams voice, her heart freezing at the sight of Graham and Christine together. Christine, who had changed into a revealing black evening dress, stood with her arm wrapped through Grahams, leaning slightly so that her body pressed against Grahams side. They made a stunningly attractive couple, and Anna had to admit thats what they were. There was a connection between them that was undeniable, regardless of the years that had separated them. Christine held onto Graham as if she owned her, and Graham seemed content to let her. Anna averted her gaze, unable to tolerate the insurmountable evidence that Graham was still very much involved with Christine.

"At least let me help you set up," she said to Helen, grateful for any diversion.

"Thank you, dear," Helen replied kindly. Annas reaction to Grahams entrance had not escaped her. She could only imagine what the poor girl was thinking. And she probably didnt know Graham well enough to know that Graham was behaving exactly as she would with any guest at Yardley.