第4部分(第2/6 頁)

iscovered　by　her；Claire　thought。By　the　amused　and　surprised　look　on　her　face；Claire　knew　that　Gladys　thought　she　was　having　an　affair。After　all；she　knew　Claire’s　husband　name　was　Larry；not　Tony。

When　Claire　got　home；she　wept　with　anger　in　her　armchair。Gladys　was　everything　Claire　wanted　to　be。“You　can　be　like　her”；Tony　told　her　and　suggested　that　she　invite　Gladys　and　her　friends　to　the　house　the　night　before　he　was　to　leave　and　Larry　was　to　return。By　that　time；Tony　expected　the　house　to　be　pletely　transformed。

Tony　worked　steadily　on　the　improvements。Claire　tried　to　help　once　but　was　too　clumsy。She　fell　off　a　ladder　and　even　though　Tony　was　in　the　next　room；he　managed　to　catch　her　in　time。He　held　her　firmly　in　his　arms　and　she　felt　the　warmth　of　his　body。She　screamed；pushed　him　away　and　ran　to　her　room　for　the　rest　of　the　day。

The　night　of　the　party　arrived。The　clock　struck　eight。The　guests　would　be　arriving　soon　and　Claire　told　Tony　to　go　into　another　room。At　that　moment；Tony　folded　his　arms　around　her；bending　his　face　close　to　hers。She　cried　out　“Tony”　and　then　heard　him　declare　that　he　didn’t　want　to　leave　her　the　next　day　and　that　he　felt　more　than　just　the　desire　to　please　her。Then　the　front　door　bell　rang。Tony　freed　her　and　disappeared　from　sight。It　was　then　that　Claire　realized　that　Tony　had　opened　the　curtains　of　the　front　window。Her　guests　had　seen　everything！

The　women　were　impressed　by　Claire；the　house　and　the　delicious　cuisine。Just　bef