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through the wringer. I was getting plain tired of the aftereffects of her bizarre life-style. Marina, herself, finally realized I wasn't reacting to the old cycle of blazing jealousy followed by blazing sex. When I cut off the endless supply of cash, she opted to head for greener pastures. As it happened, I was already filing for divorce."
    "Sounds like the parting of the ways was a mutual decision. How modern."
    The line of Jess's jaw seemed to tighten but he didn't respond to her sarcasm. "She left my life the way she had entered it: On the arm of another man. I was incredibly relieved to see her go. I was just as relieved to be rid of her twin. In a strange way, I guess I owe them both something, though."
    Elly looked up, eyes widening with further anguish. "What do you owe them?"
    Jess's mouth twisted wryly. "It was during the aftermath, when my life was finally settling back down to normal, that I began to look around and ask just what kind of future I was building for myself. Then I asked myself if it was what I really wanted. I finally took stock of myself and my surroundings and began to restructure my thinking. I took a good hard look at every element of my life and began implementing changes. It was then that I started thinking of easing my way out of the business world and making the transition to another kind of environment."
    "That was when you decided that what you were really cut out to do was run a quaint little inn on the coast?"
    "That's when the idea began to crystallize, yes. But I also made a lot of other fundamental decisions. I knew I no longer needed or wanted the kind of destructive excitement a man gets from a woman like Marina. Once was enough. I would never allow myself to be manipulated like that again. And, above all, I knew I'd never let myself get so close again to being out of control either physically or emotionally."
    "You decided you wanted a placid, serene, controlled sort of existence, is that it?" Elly asked tightly, staring hard at his profile. "An uncomplicated life-style that didn't offer too much annoying excitement."
    Jess's eyes narrowed faintly. "Something like that."
    "And when you met me you decided I'd be just the kind of placid, serene, unexciting sort of wife to fit into that life-style," Elly concluded.
    " Elly , you're twisting my words. You don't understand what I'm trying to say."
    "Don't I?" she said, her voice flaring. "I know that for two months you haven't shown much interest in making love to the woman you said you wanted to marry. I know that when I decide to take the chance of finding out if you're ever going to want to make love, the first thing that happens is you start seeing Marina's ghost. You did say she was dead, didn't you?"
    " Elly , listen to me, you don't know what you're talking about."
    "When did she die?"
    Jess made an impatient movement, coming away from the mantle toward her. "I heard she was killed in a boating accident a couple of years ago. Elly , that's not important now. I want you to listen to me. I wasn't seeing ghosts tonight." He sat down beside her on the sofa and tried to pull her into his arms. "I saw someone who looked a little like her. That's all."
    "You called to her," Elly reminded him bleakly. She evaded his arms and got to her feet. "You called her name."
    "Hell, I was startled. It's always startling to see a face out of the fog peering in through the window. Especially one that looks familiar. Elly , you're making too much out of this. It's not like you to get so upset. I want you to calm down and forget about what happened."
    "That's not likely, is it? And how do you know it's not like me to get this upset? Even we serene, placid, unexciting types occasionally have our moments. We may not cause quite the sensation you're accustomed to getting, but we're not totally predictable and comfortable, either."
    " Elly , you're losing your temper."
    "Damn right." She shoved her trembling fingers into the back pockets of her jeans and