Read Online Dangerous Men (Flynn Family Saga Book 2) by Erica Graham - Free Book Online

breath.  “I’m
sorry.  I’ve been so caught up with my own problems that I never asked.  How
was the trip?”  She touched Maggie’s hand gently.  “Sam wired me that your
parents had died.”
    Maggie nodded.  “I know.  He said
he asked you to take me in, that you said yes.”
    Kate nodded back.  “Of course I
said yes.  You’re the daughter I always wanted, Maggie.”
    Tears filled Maggie’s eyes, and she
looked away.  “The Major says the same thing.”
    Kate took Maggie’s chin in her
strong fingers and turned her to face the fire.  “Why are you crying, Maggie?”
    Maggie rubbed her eyes hard.  “Because
my own parents didn’t want me!”
    Kate pulled her into her soft,
strong arms.  “Oh, Maggie.”
    They clung to each other, the woman
and the child, for comfort against old hurts.  Finally, Maggie drew a deep
breath and pulled away.  “Let’s talk about something else.”
    Kate nodded.  She dried her eyes
with a lace handkerchief.  “How was the crossing?”
    “The Major said it was a rougher
crossing than usual.  First, we got hit with cholera.”  Maggie talked about the
trip, and Kate listened, interrupting only occasionally with questions.
    Then, the front door banged open.
    Kate sighed and went to help her
husband into bed.
    Maggie sat staring at her cold tea
a long time.  She saw Lucy and Michael, smiling at each other.  She saw Michael’s
expression change, saw his hand curl into a fist, saw him strike his wife
viciously.  She winced as if his fist was real and not just a memory, as if he
struck her instead of her mother.
    Maggie sighed and washed the
dishes.  Then, she climbed the stairs to her room, but it was a long time
before she fell asleep.  She kept listening for sounds from Mrs. Hamilton’s
room.
    Sunlight woke her early.  She got
up and went down to the kitchen.  Kate stood at the stove with her back to
Maggie.  Maggie began to slice the bread for toast.  Kate turned.
    A dark bruise stained her cheek.
    Maggie dropped the knife.  She got
up and went to the back door.
    “Maggie!  Where are you going?”
    Maggie turned back to her.  “To get
the Major.”
    Kate took her arm.  “Don’t. 
Please.  He’ll hurt Richard, and he’ll get into trouble for it.”
    “I didn’t get help for my mother,
and my father killed her!”  Maggie’s voice broke, and her throat felt tight.
    Kate’s breath caught.  “Is that how
she died?”
    Maggie looked away and nodded.
    Gently, Kate squeezed her
shoulder.  “And your father?  How did he die?  Did Sam—did he have to—”
    Maggie shook her head.  She turned
back to face Kate.  “No.  He shot himself.”
    Kate’s hand tightened on her
shoulder.  “I’m sorry.”
    Maggie nodded slowly.  “So am I.” 
She pulled free of Kate’s grasp and went out of the door.
    “Maggie!”
    Maggie’s back stiffened, but she
kept on walking until she reached Hannah’s boarding house.  Hannah answered her
knock.
    “Where’s the Major?”
    “Upstairs.  The second door on the
left.”  Hannah stepped back and let Maggie inside.
    Maggie ran lightly up the stairs
and knocked on the door.
    Sam opened the door and frowned.  “What
is it, Maggie?”
    Maggie drew a deep breath.  “He’s
hitting her.”
    Sam scowled.  This wasn’t the same
frown he used when he was pretending to be angry with Frank or Ben or Flynn. 
The fury in his face frightened Maggie.  “I’ll be right out.”
    Sam slammed the door shut.
    Maggie leaned against the wall and
shut her eyes.  “What have I done?” she whispered.
    A few minutes later, Sam emerged
from his room.  His pistol hung low on his hip, and he brushed past her without
speaking.  Maggie opened her mouth and shut it again without speaking.  Fear
clawed at her as she hurried to catch up to Sam.  He went to the backdoor of
Mrs. Hamilton’s house and opened it so hard that the door struck the wall,
cracking the plaster.
    When Kate saw Sam, she turned
away.