The Winter Man by Diana Palmer

her uncomfortable. It was one more reminder of the distance betweenher world and his. She picked at her baked potato and lifted a forkful to her mouth. She wasn’t really tasting it now. It was something to do.
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell John to get a life and get off your back?” he asked suddenly.
    She seemed to draw into herself. “It wouldn’t have done any good,” she told him. “I did try that, repeatedly. It just made him mad.”
    â€œMaybe it would have helped drive the point home if you’d stopped forgiving him,” he continued doggedly. “Especially after he beat you up. No self-respecting woman would take that sort of behavior from a man.”
    Her face flushed. She put down her fork and glared at him across the table. “That’s so easy for a man to say,” she began in a low, angry tone. “You’ve never been beaten to your knees by an enraged man bent on making you pay for not loving him. I had bruises all over my body and I was terrified that he was actually going to kill me! He yelled at me and called me names and said he’d beat me to death if I didn’t give in and agree to marry him.” She wrapped her arms around her body, as if she felt a sudden chill. Her eyes went blank. “I believed him. I was sure that he was going to kill me. In the end, I just screamed and screamed. I expected to die. It was a miracle that I got a locked bedroom door between us in time to call for help. The sound of police car sirens was the most beautiful music I’d ever heard,” she added in a soft undertone thatmade Tony feel even worse. “The policewoman who came in first gave John a furious look and when he started toward her, she drew her service pistol and pointed it right at his nose. I knew she’d shoot if he came any closer, and I guess he knew it, too, because he stopped. He sat down on the sofa and started crying. He said it was all my fault because I wouldn’t marry him.”
    â€œHad he been drinking?”
    â€œYes. But not enough to make him out of control,” she said bitterly. “The policewoman told me that. She asked me to press charges, but John came on his knees to beg me to forgive him. He was sobbing. I felt embarrassed and guilty and I agreed not to have him arrested. It didn’t win me any points with the police,” she added. “But I don’t know that having him arrested again would have done any good. It certainly hadn’t stopped him from stalking me, or spreading lies about me. He’d been arrested before, but he was always out in a few days, starting all over again. I got over the beating, but I would never go to his apartment again or let him in if he came to mine. I made sure there were always people around when he came to the library.”
    Tony felt very small. “Frank said he spread lies about you to your boss.”
    â€œYes. And to the patrons.” Her eyes closed in bitter memory. “I thought I’d lose my job forever. I would have, if Frank hadn’t talked to a few people. He’s been the bestfriend to me through all this. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”
    â€œHe’s sweet on you,” he said deliberately. “But he thinks you wouldn’t give him the time of day because he works in a low class of job.”
    â€œThe job wouldn’t matter if I could feel that way about him. I wish I could,” she added quietly. “But I can’t.”
    The confession made him feel good. He didn’t want to know why. He finished his coffee. “Want dessert?” he asked.
    She laughed. “I’d have to put it in my pocket,” she said. “I’m stuffed.”
    â€œSo am I. They have a good kitchen staff here.”
    â€œI’ll say.” She finished her own coffee. “Do we push the trolley back down to the kitchen?” she asked.
    â€œGood heavens, no,” he exclaimed.