Rapture's Tempest Read Free Page A

faded. Why couldn’t she think straight? Surely, she wasn’t that tired. Rubbing her forehead in a gesture of confusion, she continued, “I’m sorry, Rose…I can’t seem to remember….”
    Rose, wise to the ways of men like Martin Montgomery, asked gently, “Did you have anything to drink earlier?”
    “Why—yes. Martin brought me a hot drink before I went to bed.”
    Rose nodded, “Just relax and take your time. I’m sure it’ll all come to you as your mind clears.”
    Delight lay back against the sofa, closing her eyes. Again sheshivered with revulsion as she remembered his touch, and she looked at Rose quickly, a wildness in her eyes. Her voice was low and laced with determination when she spoke. “I’ve got to leave…to get away. This will be the first place he’ll come, and then he’ll force me to do those awful things again!”
    “Did he take you, Delight?” Rose questioned gently.
    Delight, her eyes cast downward, shook her head. “No.”
    Rose breathed a sigh of relief and said a quick prayer of thanks. “Good.”
    “It was so close. Thank God, Mother called out for him and he had to go to her. But he told me not to move or he’d do something terrible to me….”
    “Darling, you did the right thing. If you had stayed, something terrible definitely would have happened to you.”
    “He was like a crazy man.”
    “I know,” Rose said flatly.
    “You do?”
    “Why do you suppose I quit working for your mother?”
    “Martin told me that you’d gotten a better job.”
    “If I had, do you really think I’d be living like this?”
    For the first time, Delight was aware of her surroundings. She’d never noticed before. On her previous visits, she’d been so glad to see Rose that she’d paid scant attention to the furnishings in the small two-room home. But now, it struck her glaringly.
    The wind picked up just then, rattling the poorly fitted windows. Both women looked up startled.
    “Rose, I’m so sorry…”
    “Don’t be. I can take care of myself. I always have. It’s you we’ve got to worry about. How quickly do you think he’ll come after you?”
    Delight could feel her sanity slowly returning, and she looked up at Rose, a plan forming in her now-clearing mind. “I’m not really sure. It all depends on Mother. If she fell back asleep right away, he could be here at any time. But if she’s restless, we might have until morning.”
    “We can’t take the chance. What ever we’re going to do, we have to do now.”
    “I’ve got an idea,” Delight began.
    Rose listened intently as the younger woman explained.
    A half an hour later, Rose stood back, staring in disbelief at Delight.
    “If I didn’t know….” She shook her head in amazement as she circled her, studying every angle.
    “It’s the only way. Martin will never expect this.” Delight managed a smile, feeling better now that she had bathed and taken charge of her life. “Do you think I make a good boy?”
    “Yes—but your hair…” Rose surveyed Delight’s short-cropped curls. “It was so beautiful.”
    Delight ran a hand through what was left of her long, silken hair and shrugged. “It’ll grow back.”
    “Well, I’m just glad those boy’s clothes fit you. It was a stroke of luck that I even had them. I mended them for a woman, but she never came back to claim them.”
    “Thank you, Rose,” Delight told her in earnest and hugged her tightly. “I’d better go now. Martin might show up any minute.”
    “Delight,” Rose stopped her. “Think about what you’re doing.”
    “I have. There’s nothing else for me to do but run,” she responded sadly. “At least until Mother’s well. Check on her for me, will you?”
    “Of course. And you’ll be back?”
    Delight nodded, “As often as I can.”
    “You’re welcome to stay here, you know, once it’s safe.”
    “I know. And I will. I promise.”
    “Wait!” Rose halted her exit again. She took a small knotted handkerchief from under her