y； surrounded by one hundred twenty acres of vineyards。
For three generations； the Templetons had grown grapes； but they had never made wine。 They were under contract to one of the finest vintners in the valley； and because they owned fertile land with the highest…quality vines； they received an excellent price for their crop。
Sarah Templeton appeared on the front porch when she heard the Mustang in the driveway； and she came quickly down the steps to the stone walkway to greet Laura and Chyna。 She was a lovely； girlishly slim woman in her early or mid forties； with stylishly short blond hair； wearing tan jeans and a long…sleeved emerald…green blouse with green embroidery on the collar； simultaneously chic aq motherly。 When Sarah hugged Laura and kissed her and held her with such evident and fierce love； Chyna was struck by a pang of envy and by a shiver of misery at never having known a mother's love。
She was surprised again when Sarah turned to her； embraced her； kissed her on the cheek； and； still holding her close； said； 〃Laura tells me you're the sister she never had； so I want you to feel at home here； sweetheart。 When you're here with us； this is your place as much as ours。〃
Chyna stood stiffly at first； so unfamiliar with the rituals of family affection that she didn't know quite how to respond。 Then she returned the embrace awkwardly and murmured an inadequate thankyou。 Her throat was suddenly so tight that she was amazed to be able to speak at all。
Putting her arms around both Laura and Chyna； guiding them to the broad flight of porch steps； Sarah said； 〃We'll get your luggage later。 Dinner's ready now。 e along。 Laura's told me so much about you； Chyna。〃
〃Well； Mom；〃 said Laura； 〃I didn't tell you about Chyna being into voodoo。 I sort of hid that part。 She'll need to sacrifice a live chicken every night at midnight while she's staying with us。〃
〃We only grow grapes。 We don't have any chickens； dear；〃 Sarah said。 〃But after dinner we can drive to one of the farms in the area and buy a few。〃
Chyna laughed and looked at Laura as if to say； 〃Were it the Infamous Look？
Laura understood。 〃In your honor； Chyna； all wire coat hangers and equivalent devices have been put away。〃
〃Whatever are you talking about？〃 Sarah asked。 〃You know me； Mom…a babbling ditz。 Sometimes not even I know what I'm talking about。〃
Paul Templeton； Laura's father； was in the big kitchen； taking a potato…and…cheese casserole out of the oven。 He was a neat； pact man； five feet ten； with thick dark hair and a ruddy plexion。 He set the steaming dish aside； stripped off a pair of oven mitts； and greeted Laura as warmly as Sarah had done。 After being introduced to Chyna； he took one of her hands in both of his； which were rough and work worn； and with feigned solemnity he said； 〃We prayed you'd make the trip in one piece。 Does my little girl still handle that Mustang as if she thinks it's the Batmobile？〃
〃Hey； Dad；〃 Laura said； 〃I guess you've forgotten who taught me to drive。〃
〃I was instructing you in the basic techniques；〃 Paul said。 〃I didn't expect you to acquire my style。〃
Sarah said； 〃I refuse to think about Laura's driving。 I'd just be worried sick all the time。〃
〃Face it； Mom； there's an Indianapolis 500 gene on Dad's side of the family； and he passed it to me。〃
〃She's an excellent driver；〃 Chyna said。 〃I always feel safe with Laura。
Laura grinned at her and gave a thumbs…up sign。 Dinner was a long； leisurely affair because the Templetons liked to talk to one another； thrived on talking to one another。 They were careful to include Chyna and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say； but even when the conversation wandered to family matters of which Chyna had little knowledge； she somehow felt a part of it； as though she was； by a magical osmosis； actually being absorbed into the Templeton clan。
Laura's thirtyish brother； Jack； and his wife； Nina； lived in the caretaker's bungalow elsewhere in the vineyard； but a previous obligation had prevented them from joining the family for dinner。 Chyna was assured that she would see them in the morning； and she felt no trepidation about meeting them； as she'd felt before she'd met Sarahand Paul。 Throughout her troubled life； there had been no place'…where she had truly felt at home； while she might never fe 61 entirely at home in this place either； at least she felt wele here。
After dinner； Chyna and Laura went for a walk in the moonlit vineyards； between the rows of low pruned vines that had not yet begun to sprout either leafy trailers or fruit。 The cool air was redolent with the '47。 pleasant fecund smell of freshly plowed earth； and there was a sense of mystery in the dark fields that she found intriguing； enchanting…but at times disconcerting； as if they were among unseen presences； ancient spirits that were not all benign。
When they had strolled deep into the vines and then turned back toward the house； Chyna said； 〃You're the best friend I've ever had。〃
〃Me too；〃 Laura said。
〃More than that。。。〃 Chyna's voice trembled。 She had been about to say； 'You're the only friend I've ever had； but that made her seem so lame and； besides； was still an inadequate expression of what she felt for this girl。 They were； indeed； in one sense sisters'。
Laura linked arms with her and merely said； 〃I know。〃
〃When you have babies； I want them to call me Aunt Chyna。〃
〃Listen； Shepherd； don't you think I should find a guy and get married before I start pumping out the babies？〃
〃Whoever he is； he better be the best husband in the world to you； or I promise I'll cut his cock off。〃
〃Do me a favor； okay？〃 Laura said。 〃Don't tell him about this promise until after the wedding。 Some guys might be put off by it。〃
From elsewhere in the vineyards came a disquieting sound that stopped Chyna。 A protracted creaking。
〃It's just the breeze working at a loose bam door； rusty hinges；〃 Laura said。
But it sounded as if someone were opening a giant door in the wall of night itself and stepping in from another world。
Chyna Shepherd could not sleep fortably in strange houses。 Throughout her childhood and adolescence； her mother had dragged her from one end of the country to the other； staying nowhere longer than a month or two。 So many terrible things had happened to them 'in so many places that Chyna eventually learned to view each new house not as a new beginning； not with hope for stability and happiness； but with suspicion and quiet dread。
Now she was long rid of her troubled mother and free to stay only where she wished。 These days； her life was almost as stable as that of a cloistered nun； as meticulously planned as any bomb squad's proceIdures for disarming an explosive device； and without any of the turmoil on which her mother had thrived。 I Nevertheless； this first night in the Templetons' house； Chyna was reluctant to undress and go to bed。 She sat in the darkness in a medallion…back armchair at one of the two windows in the guest room； gazing out at the moonlit vineyards； fields； and hills of the Napa Valley。
Laura was in another room； at the far end of the second…floor hall； no doubt sound asleep； at peace because this house was not at all strange to her。
From the guest…room window； the early…spring vineyards were barely visible。 Vague geometric patterns。
Beyond the cultivated rows were gentle hills mantled in long dry grass； silver in the moonlight。 An inconstant breeze stirred through the valley； and sometimes the wild grass seemed to roll like ocean waves across the slopes； softly aglimmer with lambent lunar light。
Above the hills was the Coast Range； and above those peaks were cascades of stars and a full white moon。 Storm clouds ing across the mountains from the northwest would soon darken the night； taming the silver hills first to pewter and then to blackest iron。
When she heard the first scream； Chyna was gazing at the stars； drawn by their cold light as she had been since childhood； fascinated by the thought of distant worlds that might be barren and clean； free of pestilence。 At first the muffled cry seemed to be only a memory； a fragment of a shrill argument from another strange house in the past； echoing ac