POCKETBOOKSNewYorkLondonTorontoSydneyTokyoSingaporeThesaleofthisbookwithoutitscoverisunauthorized.Ifyoupurchasedthisbookwithoutacover,youshouldbeawarethatitwasreportedtothepublisheras"unsoldanddestroyed."Neithertheauthornorthepublisherhasreceivedpaymentforthesaleofthis"strippedbook."Thisbookisaworkoffiction.Names,characters,placesandincidentsareeithertheproductsoftheauthor'simaginationorareusedfictitiously.Anyresemblancetoactualeventsorlocalesorpersons,livingordead,isentirelycoincidental.POCKETBOOKS,adivisionofSimon&SchusterInc.1230AvenueoftheAmericas,NewYork,NY10020Copyright©1991byEagleSyndication,Inc.Allrightsreserved,includingtherighttoreproducethisbookorportionsthereofinanyformwhatsoever.ForinformationaddressPocketBooks,1230AvenueoftheAmericas,NewYork,NY10020ISBN:0-671-77680-0FirstPocketBooksPaperbackprintingJune1992109876POCKETandcolophonarcregisteredtrademarksofSimon&SchusterInc.CoverartbyHermineBrindakCoverbackgroundbyM.Angelo/WestLightPrintedintheU.S.A.DedicationAnyonewhoiscloselyinvolvedwithmewhenI'mworkingonanovelcouldtellyouthatitrequirescertainthingstomaintainanysortofrelationship—includingincrediblepatience,extraordinarytolerance,andtheabilitytobelieveI'mactuallyworkingwhenI'mstaringoffintospace.Thisnovelisdedicatedtomyfamilyandfriendswhopossessthosetraitsinabundanceandwhohaveenrichedmylifebeyondmeasure:Tomyson,Clayton,andmydaughter,Whitney,whoseprideinmehasbeenatremendoussourceofpleasure.Andrelief.Andtothoseveryspecialpeoplewhoofferedtheirfriendshipandthenhadtobearmorethantheirfairshareoftheburdenofthatfriendship—especiallyPhyllisandRichardAshley,DebbieandCraigKiefer,KathyandLloydStansberry,andCathyandPaulWaldner.Icouldn'taskforabetter"cheeringsection"thanallofyou.AcknowledgmentsToRobertHyland,foralifetimeofenormousfavors.ToattorneyLloydStansberry,forprovidingmewithcountlessanswersonthelegaltechnicalitiesinvolvedinthisnovel.Totheextraordinarydepartmentstoreexecutivesacrossthenationwhosharedtheirtimeandexpertisewithme,andwithoutwhoseassistancethisnovelcouldneverhavebeenwritten.Chapter1December1973Withherscrapbookopenedbesideheronhercanopiedbed,MeredithBancroftcarefullycutoutthepicturefromtheChicagoTribune.Thecaptionread,ChildrenofChicagosocialites,dressedaselves,participateincharityChristmaspageantatOaklandMemorialHospital,thenitlistedtheirnames.Beneaththecaptionwasalargepictureofthe"elves"—fiveboysandfivegirls,includingMeredith—whowerehandingoutpresentstothekidsinthechildren'sward.Standingofftotheleft,supervisingtheproceedings,wasahandsomeyoungmanofeighteen,whothecaptionreferredtoas"ParkerReynoldsIII,sonofMr.andMrs.ParkerReynoldsofKenilworth."Impartially,Meredithcomparedherselftotheothergirlsintheelfcostumes,wonderinghowtheycouldmanagetolookleggyandcurvywhileshelooked..."Dumpy!"shepronouncedwithapainedgrimace."Ilooklikeatroll,notanelf!"Itdidnotseematallfairthattheothergirlswhowerefourteen,justafewsmallweeksolderthanshewas,shouldlooksowonderfulwhileshelookedlikeaflat-chestedtrollwithbraces.Hergazeshiftedtoherpictureandsheregrettedagainthestreakofvanitythathadcausedhertotakeoffherglassesforthephotograph;withoutthemshehadatendencytosquint—justlikeshewasdoinginthatawfulpicture."Contactlenseswoulddefinitelyhelp,"sheconcluded.HergazeswitchedtoParker'spicture,andadreamysmiledriftedacrossherfaceassheclaspedthenewspaperclippingtowhatwouldhavebeenherbreastsifs...
VIP
