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第30部分（第1页）

best　of　shape。”　Dan　said　flatly；　hating　the　truth　of　the　statement。

They　all　peered　out　at　the　swirling　snow。　“Damn；　dude；”　Nate　swore　sympathetically。　Dan　just　glared　at　him　in　the　rearview　mirror。　Helpful。　Really　helpful。

“We　could　stay　at　a　hotel！”　Jenny　offered　happily。　She　loved　hotels。　They　could　get　two　rooms：　one　for　Dan　and　Serena　and　one　for　her　and　Nate。

“I　have　an　idea…”　Serena　offered。　“Blair’s　Newport　house　isn’t　far　from　here。　It’s　empty。　Her　mom’s　in　California　and　her　dad’s　in　France。　And　I　still　remember　the　security　code。”

Dan　shook　his　head。　That　was　the　thing　about　Serena。　Everything　always　worked　out　for　her；　so　it　never　occurred　to　her　that　breaking　into　someone’s　house　could　be　a　bad　idea。　“I　don’t　think—”　he　began。

“Perfect；”　Nate　enthused。　“Man；　I　used　to　love　that　house。　Remember　how　we　always　used　to　play　croquet　on　the　lawn　and　talk　in　British　accents？”

“Oh　my　God；　yes！　And　Blair　would　always　get　so　petitive？”　Serena　rolled　her　eyes。　“I’m　going　to　drive。　I　know　where　it　is；”　she　announced；　already　unbuckling　her　seat　belt　and　climbing　up　front。

Wordlessly；　Dan　slid　out　of　the　driver’s　seat　and　walked　through　the　falling　snow　to　the　passenger　door。

Buckle　up！　The　road　ahead　sounds　seriously　bumpy。

the　more　the　merrier

“More　wine；　Blair…Bear？　After　all；　you’ve　been　legal　in　England　for　months！”　Harold　Waldorf　held　up　a　bottle　of　his　vineyard’s　C？tes　du　Rhone。　Blair　sighed　in　contentment。　It　was　the　perfect　winter　break：　no　drama；　no　one　protesting　her　movie　choices；　and　plenty　of　cozy　time　with　her　family　and　her　fabulous　boyfriend。

And　who　might　that　be？

“Thanks；　Daddy；”　she　cooed；　holding　out　her　glass。　Harold　wore　a　red　cashmere　sweater　and　tight　jeans　that；　really；　no　man　should　ever　wear；　but　he　looked　surprisingly　good。　It　was　hard　to　remember　a　time　when　her　dad　was　a　straitlaced　partner　of　a　Park　Avenue　law　firm　and　not　a　French　vineyard–owning　gay　man　with　a　partner　named　Giles　and　adopted　twins　from　Cambodia　named　Pierre　and　Pauline。　As　infants　the　twins　had　been　named　Ping　and　Pong；　because　of　their　cute　round　hairless　heads；　but　as　soon　as　Harold　and　Giles　began　applying　to　nursery　school　programs；　they　realized　their　son　and　daughter　might　be　teased。

You　think？

“‘For　auld　lang　syne’…”　Harold　warbled　as　he　stepped　between　the　pieces　of　the　elaborate　train　set　the　twins　had　gotten　for　Christmas　spread　out　on　the　floor。　In　the　corner；　Giles　was　having　a　tea　party　with　the　twins。

Blair　contemplatively　swirled　the　wine　in　her　glass。　It　was　nice　to　be　in　Newport；　where　she’d　spent　so　many　of　her　childhood　holidays。　Christmas　had　been　perfect：　They’d　spent　the　morning　opening　presents　underneath　the　gigantic　Douglas　fir；　then　taken　turns　helping　Pauline　and　Pierre　build　their　train　set。　She’d　gotten　a　pair　of　limited　edition　Chanel　booties　from　her　father；　and　she’d　spent　the　afternoon　curled　up　by　the　fire　reading　and　drinking　wine。　There’d　been　no　unexpected　surprises；　and　she　liked　it　that　way。

She　was　even　looking　forward　to　a　quiet　New　Year’s。　No　drama；　no　hangovers；　and　the　only　brushes　with　the　past　would　be　in　the　form　of　pleasant　memories。　The　house　smelled　like　oranges　and　cinnamon；　and　if　she　closed　her　eyes　she　could　imagine　herself　as　a　teenager；　annoyed　to　leave　New　York—and　Serena　and　Nate—for　boring；　lonely　Newport。

“It’s　good　to　have　you　back；　Bear；”　Harold　told　her。

It　felt　like　she’d　been　gone　forever。　Blair　was　spending　her　junior　year　at　St。　Peter’s　College　in　Oxford。　She’d　pictured　herself　living　in　one　of　the　Gothic　buildings　near　campus；　surrounded　by　posh　classmates　who　kept　flats　in　Sloane　Square；　attending　thought…provoking　lectures　given　by　aged　professors　who　drank　scotch　throughout　their　insightful　monologues。　But　as　had　so　often　happened　in　Blair’s　life；　things　hadn’t　quite　turned　out　as　she　planned。　She’d　been　assigned　to　live　in　the　basement　of　a　dorm；　where　her　hall　mates　were　shrill　girls　from　Mount　Holyoke。　Blair　hated　the　weather；　hated　the　snooty　Oxford　students　who　considered　her　a　second…class　citizen　because　she　was　American；　and　hated　the　fact　that　most　of　the　pubs　in　Oxford　closed　at　11　p。m。

It　was　almost　like　fate　intervening　one　cold　and　rainy　afternoon　in　mid…October。　She’d　been　riding　a　bike　to　the　library；　the　idea　of　which　she’d　thought　seemed　cute　and　quaint。　What　she　hadn’t　anticipated　was　how　difficult　it　was　to　bike　on　cobblestone。　She　wound　up　falling　in　the　center　of　town。　She　was　sitting　there　miserably；　soaked　from　the　rain；　knees　skinned；　when　like　a　knight　in　shining　armor；　he　appeared；　just　as　he　always　had；　she’d　just　never　noticed　him　before…。

“These　cookies　are　just　delicious；　Harold。”　Chuck　Bass　ambled　in　from　the　kitchen；　nibbling　on　one　of　the　snowman…shaped　sugar　cookies　Harold　had　baked　with　the　twins。　He　eased　down　onto　the　sofa　next　to　Blair。

Blair　smiled　and　squeezed　Chuck’s　hand。　It　was　Chuck　who　had　rescued　her　that　day；　except　instead　of　shining　armor　he　wore　Thomas　Pink；　and　instead　of　a　knight；　he　was　an　Oxford　University　scholar。　He’d　transferred　there　after　pleting　two　years　at　Deep　Springs；　and　ever　since　their　paths　crossed　that　fateful　day；　they’d　been　practically　inseparable。

“I’ll　give　you　the　recipe；”　Harold　offered；　smiling　at　the　pliment。　“As　if　you　can　really　cook　in　those　horrible　dorms　Blair’s　plained　to　me　about。　Many　times；”　he　added　with　a　teasing　wink　at　his　daughter。

Blair　rolled　her　eyes。　“I　was　thinking　about　moving　to　a　flat　in　town　when　we　get　back。　We　could　probably　find　something　on　College　Street。”　Right　now；　Chuck　lived　with　a　bunch　of　his　rowing　buddies　in　a　house　on　the　mortifyingly　named　Titmarsh　Lane。　It　would　be　nice　to　have　a　little　more　privacy；　and　a　bigger　bed。

And　a　better　mailing　address？

“If　that’s　okay　with　you；　Daddy；”　Blair　added。