Rage of Passion

“Couldn't we run away?” Becky asked as she drew back. “We could go live with Aunt Janet and her family, couldn't we? They own a real ranch, and Aunt Janet's so nice. She said after she visits us, we could visit her and ride horses—”

“I'm afraid we can't do that,” Maggie said quickly, forcing down the image of Gabriel Coleman that swam with sickening intensity before her eyes. He frightened her, colored her dreams, even though it had been years since she'd seen him. Even now, she could close her eyes, and there he was. Big, lean, rawhide tough. All man. Dennis wouldn't dare threaten her around Gabe, but Maggie was too frightened of him to ask for sanctuary. It was a well-known fact that Janet and her son didn't get along. Maggie had enough problems already without adding Gabe's antagonism to them. He didn't care for her. He thought of her as a bored socialite; he always had. She was prejudged and predamned in his pale eyes. She'd never stood a chance with him, even in her younger days. He hadn't given her a second look. Once, she'd wanted him to. But after Dennis, she'd had too many scars for another relationship. Especially with a man like Gabriel, who was so much a man.

“But why can't we?” Becky persisted, all eyes—green eyes, like her mother's.

“Because I have a job,” Maggie said absently, smoothing the long silky hair of the little girl. “Well, except for this month-long vacation I'm getting while Trudie is in Europe. She owns the shop, you see.” Trudie had decided that Maggie needed some time off, too, and she'd closed up shop despite the loss of cash. It was one of many reasons that Maggie loved her friend so much.

“Then can't we go home with Aunt Janet? Oh, can't we?” Becky pleaded, all but jumping up and down in her enthusiasm.

“No, and you mustn't ask her, either,” Maggie said shortly. “Anyway, you have one more week at school before vacation. You have to go back and finish out the semester.”

“Yes, Mama,” Becky sighed, giving in without a fight.

“Good girl. Suppose you dash out to the kitchen and remind Mary that we're to have an apple pie tonight in Aunt Janet's honor,” she added with a smile.

“Yes, Mama,” Becky agreed, brightening. She ran, skirts flying, out of the immaculate living room with its wing chairs and Chippendale sofa—beautiful relics of a more graceful age—down the long hall toward the spacious kitchen.

The house had been in Maggie's family for eighty years or more. It was here that she and Dennis had spent an occasional weekend with her mother after her father's death from a heart attack, but she didn't mind the memories as much as she would have minded losing the home place. She touched the arm of the sofa lovingly. Her mother had sat here in happier days, doing embroidery, while her father had sprawled in the big armchair on his visits home—and they'd been few, those last years, because as an ambassador his duty had kept him away.

Maggie's mother had traveled with him until ill health had forced her to remain in Texas. She'd died within six months of her tragic loss, swiftly following the husband she'd adored. Maggie often thought that such love was a rare thing. Certainly she hadn't found it in her marriage. She wondered if she ever would find it. She was much too frightened to take the chance a second time; the risk, to Becky, was even greater than the risk to herself.

She studied her slender hands quietly, drinking in the subtle scent of lavender that clung like dust to the old furniture. A knock on the door disturbed her thoughts, then the knob twisted and Janet Coleman breezed in.

“Darling! Oh, it's so hot outside! Why I keep an apartment in San Antonio I don't know, when I could have one someplace cold.”

Like a white-haired whirlwind, Janet embraced the younger, taller woman with a deep sigh.

“You must love the city. You've had that apartment ever since I can remember.” Maggie smiled, drawing back to stare down at the older woman in the chic gray suit.

“I've got my nerve, haven't I, inviting myself for dinner.” Janet laughed. “But I couldn't resist it. It's been so many years, and to run into you out of the blue in that department store! Shocking, to think I didn't even know about Becky! And here you'd been married for six years, and getting a divorce…” She shook her head. “I miss your mother so much. I have no one to talk to these days, with the girls away from home and Gabe so business oriented. And,” she added quietly, “I'm hardly ever at the ranch these days myself. I've been in Europe for the past seven months.”

Maggie had gone to boarding school with the girls, Audrey and Robin—the same school, in fact, that Becky was in now.

“Audrey is living with a man in Chicago,” Janet said, exasperated. She flushed a little at Maggie's pointed stare. “Yes, that's what I said. Isn't it outrageous? I know it's the in thing to do these days, but honestly, Maggie, I had to stop Gabriel from getting the next train up there. He was all for putting a bullet in the man. You know Gabe.”

Maggie nodded. Yes, that was Gabe all right. His answer to most things was physical. She trembled a little with inner reaction to him—a reaction that had always been there, but one she'd never really understood.

“I talked him out of it, but he's still simmering.” She shuddered delicately. “I just hope Audrey has the good sense to stay away until he cools down. He'd have them married at gunpoint.”

“Yes, I don't doubt it. How's Robin?” she added with a smile, because she liked Janet's younger daughter.

“She's still trying to be an oil rigger.” Janet shook her head. “She says it's what she wants to do.”

“Times have changed, Janet.” Maggie laughed. “Women are taking over the world.”

“Please don't say that in front of Gabe,” the older woman murmured dryly. “He doesn't like the modern world.”

“Neither do I, at times.” Maggie sighed. She stared at Janet. “Is he still ranching?”

“With a vengeance. It's roundup time, darling.” Janet laughed. “He doesn't speak to anyone for days during roundup. He's hardly even home anymore. He has board meetings and buying trips and selling trips and seminars, and he sits on the boards of God knows how many corporations and colleges and banks…Even when I'm home, he never listens to me.”

“Does he know about Becky and me?” she wondered aloud.

“I've mentioned your mother over the years,” Janet said. “But no, I don't suppose I've had a lot to say about you. He's so touchy when I mention women, I've given up trying. I did find this lovely girl and I brought her out to the ranch to meet him.” Janet flushed. “It was terrible.” She shook her head. “Since then, I've decided that it's better if I let him lead his own life. So I don't mention anybody to him. Especially eligible women,” she added with a pert laugh.

Maggie shook her head. “Well, he'd never have to worry about me. I'm off men for life!”

“I can understand why,” Janet muttered. “I never liked that man. He smiled too much.”

This from a woman whose son was a caveman…. But Maggie wasn't going to remark on that. She had no use at all for that kind of man. She'd had enough of being afraid and dominated and intimidated. No man was ever going to get the chance to do to her what Dennis had. Not ever again.

“If only Gabe would get married,” Janet said. And there was such bitter remorse in her voice. “He never had the chance to do the things most young men do. I feel responsible for that, sometimes.” The remorse in the tired old voice made Maggie feel sympathetic.

She knew about Janet's family, of course. Janet and her own mother had been best friends for years, and Maggie had learned things about the other family, especially the one son, that she wished she could forget. Janet's girls had been spoiled rotten by two doting parents, and that hadn't helped. After Jonathan Coleman's death, Audrey had run wild and Robin had gone off to college. Gabe was left at the head of the massive ranch holding—with no help at all from his family, none of whom knew anything about business.

Gabe had shouldered the burden, though, and that strong back had never bent in all the years since. Maggie had always admired his strength. He was unique. A pioneer with a rugged spirit and a savage determination to persevere.

“Here's my Becky,” Janet gushed, opening her arms to the little girl, who darted into them with unabashed affection.

“Oh, Auntie Janet, I'm so glad you came,” Becky enthused. Becky had taken instantly to the older woman during that chance meeting, and when she'd learned that Maggie was Janet's goddaughter, she'd “adopted” herself as Janet's niece. Maggie hadn't fussed, and Janet had been delighted. The poor child had no other living relatives, except her terror of a father.

Becky hugged the old lady tightly, her eyes closed. She drew back a long minute later. “My daddy is trying to make me come and live with him, and I told Mama we should run away, but she won't.”

Janet darted a searching glance at Maggie, who was standing red-faced in the center of the kitchen while old Mary gaped briefly at the small group before ambling back to her tea cakes and silverware. Mary had been with the family since Maggie was a child. She didn't work for them full-time anymore but only came in when she needed a little extra money—and Maggie often worked overtime to provide that money, to help the woman who'd been so much a part of her childhood.

“So that's still going on, is it?” Janet asked haughtily. “Really, dear, you should let me ask Gabriel to speak to Dennis. He wouldn't mind.”

Maggie could just imagine Gabriel doing anything for her. It was whimsical. She shrugged. “My attorneys are handling it, but thank you for the offer.”

“I feel guilty. I've lost touch with you all since you moved to Austin,” Janet said. “If it hadn't been for our chance meeting downtown, I wouldn't have invited myself to visit you.”

“You know you're always welcome here,” Maggie chided.

Janet searched her face quietly. “I've been away too long, haven't I, dear? I should have been keeping an auntly eye on you.” She shook her head. “I lose track of things these days. Absentmindedness, I suppose. I remembered after I ran into you that I hadn't ever mentioned your marriage to the girls. That's how terrible I am.”

“We haven't seen each other in a long time,” Maggie reminded her with a smile. “But it's so nice to have you here.” She led Janet into the dining room, where the older woman sat down at the cherrywood table, fanning herself with her hand.

“Darling, it's so hot, even for spring. How ever do you stand it?”

“I'll get you a fan,” Becky volunteered, and opened the buffet drawer, pulling out a large wooden fan with a beautiful spring scene on one side and the name of a local funeral parlor in huge black letters on the other.

Janet smiled appreciatively at her and began to fan herself furiously. “If you only had air conditioning.” She shook her head. “We had to put it in two years ago. The heat is getting more unbearable every year.”

Becky seated herself primly in a chair beside Janet while Mary bustled around serving tea cakes and steaming cups of freshly brewed tea. Afterward, Becky was sent out to play and Mary went into the kitchen to finish dinner and watch the little girl out the back window.

“Now,” Janet said firmly, transfixing Maggie with those piercing light eyes. “Let's hear it all.”

Maggie knew she had no choice, so she told her godmother everything. It felt good to get it off her chest. It had been so long since she'd had anybody she could talk to.