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. It does mean that I ll take the time and make the effort to changeyour mind. You are still an egotistical idiot, Brady. And you still call me names when you know I m right. He pulledher close for a hard, brief kiss. I still want you, Van.And this time, byGod, I m going to have you. She saw the truth of it in his eyes before she jerked away.She felt thetruth of it inside herself. Go to hell. She turned and rushed down the stairs.He watched from the window as she raced across the bridge to hercar.Even with the distance, he heard her slam the door.It made himgrin.She d always had the devil of a temper.He was glad to see it stillheld true. Chapter FourShe pounded the keys.Tchaikovsky.The first piano concerto.Thefirst movement.Hers was a violently passionate interpretation of theromantic theme.She wanted the violence, wanted to let it pour out frominside her and into the music.He d had no right.No right to bring everything back.To force her toface feelings she d wanted to forget.Feelings she d forgotten.Worse,he d shown her how much deeper, how much more raw and intense,those feelings could be now that she was a woman.He meant nothing to her.Could be nothing more to her than an oldacquaintance, a friend of her childhood.She would not be hurt by himagain.And she would never never allow anyone to have the kind ofpower over her that Brady had once had.The feelings would pass, because she would make them pass.If therewas one thing she had learned through all these years of work and travel,it was that she and she alone was responsible for her emotions.She stopped playing, letting her fingers rest on the keys.While shemight not have been able to claim serenity, she was grateful that she hadbeen able to exorcise most of the anger and frustration through hermusic. Vanessa? She turned her head to see her mother standing in the doorway. Ididn t know you were home. I came in while you were playing. Loretta took a step forward.Shewas dressed as she had been that morning, in her sleek suit and pearls,but her face showed a hesitant concern. Are you all right? Yes, I m fine. Vanessa lifted a hand to push back her hair.Lookingat her mother, she felt flushed, untidy and vulnerable.Automatically,defensively, she straightened her shoulders. I m sorry.I guess I losttrack of the time. It doesn t matter. Loretta blocked off the urge to move closer andsmooth her daughter s hair herself. Mrs.Driscoll stopped by the shop before I closed.She mentioned that she saw you going into HamTucker s house. She still has an eagle eye, I see. And a big nose. Loretta s smile was hesitant. You saw Ham,then. Yes. Vanessa turned on the stool, but didn t rise. He lookswonderful, almost unchanged.We had some pie and tea in the kitchen. I m glad you had a chance to visit with him.He s always been sofond of you. I know. She took a bracing breath. Why didn t you tell me youwere involved with him? Loretta lifted a hand to her pearls and twisted the strand nervously. Isuppose I wasn t sure how to bring it up.To explain.I thought youmight be & might feel awkward about seeing him again if you knew wewere & She let her words trail off, certain the word dating would beout of place at her age.Vanessa merely lifted a brow. Maybe you thought it was none of mybusiness. No. Her hand fell to her side. Oh, Van& Well, it isn t, after all. Slowly, deliberately, Vanessa patched up thecracks in her shield. You and my father had been divorced for yearsbefore he died.You re certainly free to choose your own companions. The censure in her daughter s voice had Loretta s spine straightening.There were many things, many, that she regretted, that had caused hershame.Her relationship with Abraham Tucker, wasn t one of them. You re absolutely right, she said, her voice cool. I m notembarrassed, and I certainly don t feel guilty, about seeing Ham.We readults, and both of us are free. The tilt of her chin as she spoke wasvery like her daughter s. Perhaps I felt odd about what started betweenus, because of Emily.She had been my oldest and dearest friend.ButEmily was gone, and both Ham and I were alone.And maybe the factthat we both had loved Emily had something to do with our growingcloser.I m very proud that he cares for me, she said, color dotting hercheeks. In the past few years, he s given me something I ve never hadfrom another man.Understanding. She turned and hurried up the stairs.She was standing in front of herdresser, removing her jewelry, when Vanessa came in. I apologize if I seemed too critical. Loretta slapped the pearls down on the wood. I don t want you toapologize like some polite stranger, Vanessa.You re my daughter.I drather you shouted at me.I d rather you slammed doors or stormed intoyour room the way you used to. I nearly did. She walked farther into the room, running a hand overthe back of a small, tufted chair.Even that was new, she thought thelittle blue lady s chair that so suited the woman who was her mother.Calmer now, and more than a little ashamed, she chose her next wordscarefully. I don t resent your relationship with Dr.Tucker.Really.Itsurprised me, certainly.And what I said before is true.It s none of mybusiness. Van No, please. Vanessa held up a hand. When I first drove into town,I thought nothing had changed
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