Gates of Paradise (Casteel 4)

senses; I had to.

"Tony, I'm not Leigh. I'm Annie! Annie!" For a long moment he didn't move or say

anything and I thought I had gotten through to him,

but then he untied his bathrobe and let it drop to the

floor. In the dim light spilling in from the sitting

room, I could see that he was completely naked. Oh no! I thought. He's in a dream, moving

through a fantasy, and there's no one here to help me,

not even that horrible nurse. I was going to shout for

Rye, but then I wondered if I would cause Tony to

become violent or even more crazed, and Rye slept in

the servants' quarters, so far away, anyway, there was probably no chance he would hear me. My only hope

was to talk Tony back to sanity.

"Tony, it's not Leigh; it's not Heaven. It's

Annie, Annie. You're making a mistake, a terrible

mistake."

"I think I loved you from the moment I set eyes

on you," he replied. "Jillian's beautiful. She will

always be beautiful, but beautiful like a butterfly. If

you touch her, she won't be able to fly and she will

fade and die. That kind of beauty belongs locked up in

a glass case, to be seen, appreciated, but never loved

and experienced like your beauty, Leigh. Jillian's a

picture to hang on the wall; you're a woman, a real

woman," he added, his voice full of sensuous

meaning.

He sat on the bed and reached out for me. I

cringed.

"TONY! You're my great-grandmother's

husband. I'm Annie, Heaven's daughter, Annie. You

don't realize what you're doing. Please, get off my bed