Free Storm Over the Lake by Diana Palmer

scowling down at the shock and fear that had left her face white.
    â€œMeredith…” He murmured her name quietly, thoughtfully.
    She sobbed, the sound pitiful in the darkness, like a child being whipped.
    Abruptly, he let her go and stood up, his eyes puzzled, and anger mixed with it so that his face was frightening.
    â€œHave you ever thought of going on the stage?” he asked with icy sarcasm. “You play the innocent with a flair. But you needn’t bother, little cat. As you so accurately put it that night in the garden, it wouldn’t mean anything.” His eyessummed up her cowering body with a flick of indifference.
    â€œThat…wasn’t how you sounded a minute ago,” she choked.
    One dark eyebrow went up. “Any woman can stir a man, Meredith.”
    She flushed darkly. “You needn’t think I…was trying to…to stir you !” she cried.
    He studied her through narrowed eyes, his face hard and impassive. “You’re a puzzle, little one,” he murmured quietly.
    â€œWhat do you want from me?” she asked through the tears. “Please, Mr. Devereaux, what do you want from me?”
    â€œWhat did Pluto want from Persephone?” he replied narrowly.
    She closed her eyes wearily. “Please go away,” she whispered. “Oh, please, go away.”
    â€œYou prefer the nightmares to me, Meredith?” He moved to the door and paused to look at her. “Sometimes, little taffy cat, reality can be hell enough.”
    She heard the door close softly, and buried her face in the cool cotton pillow, weeping like a lost child.
    Â 
    She did her chores in a daze the next morning, the combination of the nightmare and her argument with Adrian leaving her drained and hollow-eyed.
    â€œWon’t you at least have a piece of toast?” Lillian coaxed when the pale girl refused breakfast.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she murmured with a smile, “I’m just not hungry. I’ll…”
    The sudden insistent jangle of the telephone cut her off. She answered it automatically in the hall, preparing herself mentally for any one of a hundred situations it might mean.
    â€œDana, is that you?” came a familiar voice on the other end of the wire.
    â€œJack!” She broke into a smile. “Jack, is it you? How are you?!”
    â€œI’m fine, honey, just fine. Dana…I’ve got some news for you.”
    It could only mean one thing, and she felt suddenly numb from her head down. “What is it?” she asked quickly.
    â€œIt’s Katy,” he said gently. “They transferred her from the nursing home tothe hospital about an hour ago. Massive cerebral hemorrhage. You’d better come on down, honey. I’m sorry I had to be the one to call, but I told the doc it would be better coming from me. You okay?”
    She felt her world collapsing around her. Massive hemorrhaging. That could mean…Her lips trembled on the words. “I’ll…I’ll get on the…uh…the next flight. Where is she?”
    â€œSunnyside General. Dana, I’m sorry.”
    â€œSo…so am I. Thank you for calling, Jack. I’ll be there…just as soon as I can, okay?”
    â€œSure. Take care.”
    She nodded and laid the receiver back in the cradle. Her body shook with a hard sob. She sank into a chair by the telephone, just as the front door opened and Adrian came through it. It was odd for him to be home in the middle of the morning, but just the sight of him was enough to calm her.
    â€œI forgot the Amhurst file,” he said shortly. He shot a lightning glare at hertear-stained face. “Crying again? You’re a damned watering pot lately.”
    â€œPlease, I have to…to go to Miami,” she said unsteadily. “Right away.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œMy mother’s in the hospital,” she choked, forcing her voice to be calm. “Stroke. A massive one. Please, I