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"You can't listen to what old Doc Williams says. The man is just a small-town doctor, Annie. Let me pack your things and take you back to Farthy."

"Drake, the last time you visited me at Farthy, you promised to help me leave if I insisted."

"I just said that because you were so

overwrought from the medicine and all."

"Drake, it wasn't the medicine. The horror began with Mrs. Broadfield. She was a cruel, domineering woman. She thought I was some spoiled rich girl, and she resents rich people. She was terrible to me."

"So . . Tony got rid of her, didn't he? He was about to get another nurse. That wasn't a problem."

"Tony is a problem, Drake. Tony was a big problem. He never wanted me to recuperate."

"What? Now listen--"

"No, you listen, please. Tony wanted me to be there forever. He wanted to imprison me in his dreams, in his twisted fantasies. He was deliberately not letting me do the things I should have been doing so I could get well. He was prolonging my invalid state deliberately so he could keep me in that bed, dependent upon him forever. Why, after I showed him I could get up

and out of bed myself, he removed my wheelchair and walker from the room so I couldn't leave!"

"I'm sure he just didn't want you doing too much and hurting your chances for a full

recuperation." He sat back smiling. "Sick people are often impatient with their recoveries and--"

"No, Drake, he wasn't thinking about my welfare. He was thinking only of himself."

"Now, Annie," he said, leaning forward, "I know--"

"He's not well!" I raised my voice and widened my eyes, and the abruptness and force with which I came back at him stopped him cold for a moment. "Drake, he . . . he came to me at night thinking I was my grandmother Leigh when Leigh was a young girl."

"What?" An incredulous smile took form in his face.

"Yes, he wanted to . . to make love to me, thinking I was Leigh."

"Oh, Annie, surely your medicine must have created that ridiculous hallucination. Why Tony's . . . just a lonely old man. And that was why I came directly here," he said, taking on a reasonable tone. "You broke his heart when you let Fanny and Luke sweep you away from Farthy. He was practically crying to me over the phone. He doesn't understand why you left without saying good-bye to him. 'I did all I could for her,' he told me, 'and I would do more, do whatever she wants. I was rebuilding Farthy.' "

"Oh, Drake, why are you so blind to what's happening?"

"I'm not blind. I see a kindly old man eager to help us, giving me an important position . . . promising me the management of the Willies Toy factory here, as well as many other projects . . . someone who did all he could for you medically, willing to spend any amount to help you to get better. That's what I see.

"But I also see my slut half sister filling you with lies just to get you back here so she can live in this house and enjoy all of what Logan and Heaven had, and my perverted nephew eagerly pretending to be so self-sacrificing just so he can . . . can dominate your time.

He didn't waste any time getting you to the gazebo. Your magic place," he added with a sneer.

"He's not perverted, Drake. And I wanted to go there, to the gazebo. I believe in it."

"Annie, you're so vulnerable now . weak, your emotions naked . . anyone can take advantage of you . Fanny filling you with ridiculous lies, Luke hovering over you, touching you . . that's why I want you to return to Farthy where you'll be safe and--"

"Safe? Didn't you hear anything I said?"

Drake stared at me a moment, his dark eyes glowing.

"Luke's turned you against me . . he's filling you with all this gobbledygook about fantasy games. That's why you won't listen to the and--"

"Stop blaming him. You're wrong about him. Luke has been wonderful, caring. He's even dropped out of summer school just to help me."

"You would defend him; you always did. No matter what I said or told you, you found a way to justify him," he accused, like someone who had felt slighted all his life.

"Drake." I reached out for him.