His wife, meanwhile, having been the last in her husband's office to hear about the affair, fired Ms. Bridges.

Ms. Bridge, 46, said she was particularly pleased with the weather.

Ms. Bridge was at first reluctant, concerned that the program not exploit or intrude on students' lives.

"It's an old house," Ms. Bridges said, "but we wanted to make it suit a young family."

He told staff members that they should not take his call in this case as a blanket decision, Ms. Bridges said.

Women are demanding also, Ms. Bridges said, because most of them work and do not need to get married to survive.

After finishing the story, Ms. Bridges asked the students if they could have done what she did.

When it was the students' turn to ask questions, they wanted to know more about Ms. Bridges.

He had vowed a few days earlier that he would break off with Ms. Bridges, who was no longer working for him.

"I call them painting with light and shadow," Ms. Bridges said.