talking about?"

"For my work, Drew. I told you I thought he was going to offer me a job

again, but it wasn't that at all."

"You don't need a job in any case. I told you how I feel about your

working with some grabby old fart."

"No, but-well, it doesn't matter now. He thinks I'm good. It was hard

for him to admit, but he really thinks I'm good. He's going to sponsor

a show."

"You mean one of those precious little gatherings where people wander

around staring at pictures and saying things lik. "What depth, what

vision'?"

She stiffened. Slowly, she rose to unwrap the tulips until her temper

cooled. He didn't mean to hurt her, she a.s.sured herself. "It's an

important step in my career. I've wanted this since I was a child. I'd

think you'd understand."

Behind her back he rolled his eyes. He supposed he'd have to pet and

soothe now. "Of course I do. Good for you, luy. When's the big day?"

"In September. He wants to give me plenty of time to get my best work

together."

"I hope you're going to include a few shots of me."

She made herself smile as she set the tulips in a slant of sunlight on

the table. "Of course. You're my favorite subject."

S HE WAs CERTAIN he wasn't trying to make things difficult, but Drew's

demands on her time made it next to impossible for Emma to get any work

done. It was time they took advantage of New York, he said, and

insisted on haunting the clubs. He needed a break, so they flew off for

a week in the Virgin Islands. It was natural for him to make friends

among the young and rich of New York. The apartment was almost never

empty now. If they weren't entertaining, there was a party somewhere

else. As one of the bright new couples, they were hounded by the

paparazzi. The opening of a new Broadway play, an evening at a new

night spot, a concert in Central Park. Everything they did was

recorded. Their names and faces adorned papers at every supermarket

checkout. They were on the cover of Rolling Stone, and People and

Newsweek Barbara Walters wanted an interview.

Each time she became frantic under the pressure, Emma reminded herself

this was precisely the kind of life she'd dreamed of while trapped in

Saint Catherine's. But the reajity of it was much more wearing, and

much more boring, than she would have believed.

Everyone said the first year of marriage was the hardest, she

continually reminded herself It took effort, it took patience. If

marriage, and life in general, was more difficult and less exciting than

she'd imagined, it only meant that she wasn't trying hard enough.

"Come on, luy, it's a party." Drew swung her around. Her mineral water

sloshed over her gla.s.s as he caught her close to dance. "Loosen up,

Emma."

"I'm tired, Drew."

"You're always tired."

His fingers dug into her back when she tried to draw away. She'd been

up three nights running working in her darkroom. Her showing was only