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and fine and beyond her understanding.
    During the two weeks that followed, the friendship between Amanda and Danny grew. The brightest part of her day was the time she spent with Danny. He was the friend she had missed in the gypsy years of her childhood. They played tennis and rode and walked and swam. And they laughed. Always with Danny there was laughter.
    He had a way of making her look at the world differently. He found something new and wonderful around every corner. With Danny, there were miracles under their very feet.
    Dr. Sutherland had left for England two days after her arrival, but she hadn't missed him. In the past two weeks she had gotten to know the others—guests and staff alike—who inhabited Greenleigh Acres.
    Ginny had come to be a friend. Amanda now knew the harassed state she had found the nurse in that first day was chronic. She was obviously in love with Paul Choate, but just as obviously, something had gone wrong between them. Something Ginny refused to talk about.
    Evelyn Baxter, the mischievous stripper, each day found a new way to liven the place up. Whenever Amanda heard a sudden shriek, a startled gasp, she knew that Evelyn was at work again.
    Then there was Virgie DeVries. Virgie was no longer just an oddity to Amanda. She was brash and vulgar and harsh, but her sense of humor outshone all the other qualities. Always, beneath the brashness, beneath the sarcasm, Virgie's eyes were scared.
    But none of the residents at Greenleigh touched Amanda like Danny did, she thought as she leaned back in her leather chair, staring at the clock on the mantel. It was almost time for her to meet him, a daily occurrence now. She hadn't realized it was becoming a habit until the habit was already established.
    The door opened and a small, fidgety girl rushed in. "Here's the Wilson file," Maxi said, sliding to a stop in front of Amanda's desk. "I'm sorry I took so long getting it back to you, but the insurance papers somehow got thrown away and I had to go through all the trash looking for them."
    Amanda smiled. Maxi did odd jobs for what was unofficially called Pencil Pusher's Row. She lost or misplaced something on the average of twice a day.
    But everyone covered for her because she was Dr. Nabors's niece and because they all liked her.
    "That's all right, Maxi," Amanda said. "I didn't need it anyway." She studied the flustered girl. "Is something wrong? You look worried,"
    Maxi pushed back her frizzy blond hair. "I think Leah's going to try and get me fired," she said, her lip quivering. "She exploded when I lost her schedule."
    Amanda frowned. Leah was the fly in everyone's ointment. She was beautiful and intelligent, but held herself above everyone. Amanda had caught her in small cruelties that seemed to be perpetrated for their own sake.
    "Don't worry about Leah," Amanda said. "If you left, she would have one less person to torment."
    Amanda had intended to be sarcastic, but crazily, Maxi brightened. "You're right," the girl said. "The next gofer might stand up to her." She glanced at the clock and smiled. "It's time for Danny."
    Amanda laughed. Greenleigh was like a small rural town. It didn't take long for everyone to know everyone else's business.
    When Maxi left, Amanda walked out and closed the door to her office, her steps eager. As she rounded a corner she almost ran into Maribel Fortnoy and Virgie. The older woman cradled a battered doll in her arms and had her tongue stuck out to her chin as she belligerently faced Virgie.
    A social comment no doubt, Amanda thought wryly. Maribel Fortnoy was definitely no shrinking violet; she was more of a spoiled brat.
    "Hello, Maribel. Virgie," Amanda said as she drew near. "What's up?"
    Maribel glanced at Amanda, her belligerence giving way to pathos. "Don't tell them where I am," she whispered. "They'll punish me. They always do. They think I'm worth nothing."
    "They might be on to something," Virgie muttered.
    "Virgie," Amanda said, her voice scolding. She