第6节

    niuststayitorroedy.”

    laughing,gregoryusedhiskeytoopenherapartntdoor,thenpushedherinside.”ifyoudontbehave,illhireabridalnsultanttanizeyou.youllfindyourselfbeingaskedto

    registerfortrashdtoiletseatvers.”

    helaughedharderentdoor,leaviogetsosleep.

    so.shereallyefulthatgregoryuoodhertotallackoftalentinchoosingfuishings.itthatshedidntanietolive;itthatshehadnoideaand,okay,noiinhairsandsuch.

    18

    i

    legend

    iaheluckiestah,”she,saidaloud,asshehadtetgregory.

    butoddlyenough,asshesteppedathedoor,herenergyseedtorevive.asshefeltthetirednessdrainingfroer,shethoughtsheghtkeherselfsoaandreadabookorseeifthereovieon.

    butevenasshethoughtit,hereyesdriftedtothebigtinboxsittings.sheuldsind.asshedbeendeglazinga

    ro,istingpahought,iisibox

    ,heabsolutelyrefusedtothinkthathertirednesshadbeenanexcusetogetatheothersabacktotheboxanditshiddentreasure.”probablyaratsinside,”shesaidaloudas

    sheadraeogetthelidofftherustybox.

    thirtyer,shehadfinallyscrapedato

    prythelidoffenoughtogetherfingersu.hertuggingdeherfiipshurt,atheantiqueshophadsaid,theonlytreasureiehthedeadassesofweevils.

    dunderoneedgeofthelid,kadygavesu,thelidclatteringtothefloor.pullingherselfupright,sheleanedover

    theboxandpeeredinside,andsaissuepaper.

    ontops,obviouslyputthereanyyears.

    iediately,kadykhepaperwas

    sothingveryspecial.andsothingveryprivate.sittingbaherheels,shelookedatthefloptstoprythelidoff.

    foralongnt,kadyhesitatedhindecision.partofher

    19

    judedeveraux

    criedoutthatsheshouldreplacethelidandneveropentheboxagainputitontopofherkitcabiandlookattheoutside,fetabouttheinside.orbetteryet,getridoftheboxandfetsheeversae.”

    sloblingslightly,kadyunpihefloaside,thenpeeledbackthetissuepaper.instantly,shekneshe.

    foldedanyyears,wasa

    esatinhadeep,squareneckedgediinruffle.rhioonsther.

    thereillafeelinginkadythatsheshouldreplacethelidontheboxandcloseitforever.buthavingjusttodayhadsucha

    dreadfulexperieryingtofindaweddingdressandnow

    seeingthattheoldflourtinshedboughtoniulsentaineda

    ostlovingly,sheputherhandsuheshouldersofthedressandlifteditout.

    itedtobenyyardsofthebeautifulostperfe.thebodidedjustbelooothandstraightinthefront,thenyardsoffabricpulledtothebaaheavilyruchedtrainthatadesilkroses.

    holdingthedressuptothelight,kadyrveledatit.todayshesthavetriedonadozendeparedtothisdress,thedegobellishnt,nothoughttothedesign:ssproducedversusoneofakind.

    kadyuldakehereyesoffthedress.thelongsleevesendedinbuttonededge

    shiftingthedressinherhands,kadyglanceddoothebox

    20

    legend

    a,,,itughtherbreath.”aveil,”shebreathed;then,hrever

    en,,hespreadthegobeforethebox.

    ifiadeintofabriethingaslovelyasthis;then,takinga

    deepbreath,sheslidherhandsuhelace.itedtohaveno,nosubstahoughitwerewoven

    oflightandair.standing,sheletthelas,feelingthedivinessonherskin.itdidnttakeastuhistorianthislaadehlove.

    verycarefully,shespreadthelahersofa,feelingthatitwas

    alstsacrilegetoalloode,plasticbasedupholsteryfabric.

    tuingbaoredriedflowers.

    reverently,sheseteaoftheboxwasa

    satincase,see

    instinct,shekhingheavyinside.

    leaningbackagainsttheuch,sheputthecaseonherlapandslowlypulled

    ...