Rapture's Rendezvous (44 page)

“I'm going to show you just who is boss around here,” Nathan said, moving toward her. He reached up and wrapped his hands around her neck and forced her down.

“What. .. are . . . you doing . .. ?” she gasped, feeling ice water filling her veins, having to have her face so close to. . . .

“Just shut up,” Nathan growled, forcing her face into his crotch.

“Please. . . .” she gasped, struggling. But he soon had her mouth quieted by something of revulsion to her. She gagged and kicked as he began to thrust inside her mouth, over and over again, until tears fell from her eyes, not even then helping with her utter disgrace of the moment. When he finally became all tremors, she felt pain down the back of her throat and gagged even more, then wiped at her mouth when he pulled away from her, laughing hoarsely.

She closed her eyes and fell forward, crying hard, hitting her doubled-up fists against the floor. She would never be so humiliated again. Why had he done this to her? Why had he chosen to take her in such an abnormal way? She hadn't even known such ways existed. Oh, how her throat ached. Would she even be able to face another human being after such an ugly violation to her . . . mouth . . . ? “Get up, you bitch,” Nathan growled, reaching down to grab her roughly by the arm. “Don't you think I know what you've been up to?” He laughed shrilly. “But I'm going to let you continue to play your games
with that union fellow. Maybe you can even get me some information to help me with my plans.” He placed his fingers through her hair and yanked her head back. “Do you hear, slut? I should've known better than to marry a luscious wench like you. From what I've found, you're all whores. Damn, dirty whores.”

“Please let me go, Nathan,” Maria whimpered. “I'll never do anything else to make you angry at me. Honest. Please don't hurt me, though.” Her thoughts went to her gun. She had placed it deep inside her closet, beneath her hat boxes. If she could only act innocent, play the role of someone who meant to apologize, then she could possibly get the gun and use it on him.

“Beg,” he hissed, jerking even more strongly on her hair.

“I
am
begging,” she cried. “Please don't hurt me any longer.”

His hands dropped to his side, letting Maria crumple to the floor in a heap. She continued to cry, hoping he would leave the room. But he continued to stand there and wait for her to reach composure of some degree. She sobbed another time, then pushed herself up from the floor, looking upward at the ugliness of his face and the emptiness of his eyes once again.

Oh, how she hated him. Oh, how she loathed him. He was even more vile than she had ever imagined another human could be. She inched her way toward the closet, but once there, she knew she couldn't use the gun. She just couldn't shoot another human … being … even if this one was the lowest of all forms.

Nathan walked to the window and stared outward,
laughing shrilly. “No. I won't hurt you,” he said. “But I can't say as much for those who try to disturb my coal mine employees.” He swung around, glaring. “You see. Maria, after the fence is completed, I plan to have machine guns mounted atop blockhouses constructed of oak logs. Then if anyone should try to intervene in my business, I shall shoot to kill.” He laughed once again, moving toward her. “So you see, my pet, my plans to keep my coal mine running with my Italian . . . uh . . . friends will continue as in the past.”

“But. . . machine . . . guns . . . ?” she gasped, inching her way from him as he continued to move toward her.

“Machine guns. Bang . .. bang. .. .” he said, pointing a finger at her. “Shoot to kill. That's going to be my motto.”

“You're sick,” Maria hissed, forgetting her fears of him. She now could only think of Michael and the danger he was in. How could she tell him? Or would he have already found out? Surely his men had found out the gruesome details of Nathan Hawkins's plans. There would never be a way to win. Never.

“Not sick,” he said, kicking at the skirt of her dress. “Rich. Filthy rich. And I intend to remain so.” He rushed from the room, leaving Maria to stare blankly after him.

Rising, she walked as though in a daze toward the window, seeing the peacefulness of the vineyard stretched out for miles and miles. The green leaves were swaying gently in the breeze and the sun's rays rippled in velvets onto the vines, so peaceful, so calm and peaceful. But that was the only thing that was peaceful in this area of southern Illinois.

Maria lifted the window, listening. The pounding and hammerings at the coal mine had ceased. Had they completed the fence? Were they now constructing the blockhouses, readying them for their machine guns? Slamming the window shut, Maria began to pace back and forth. What could she do? She felt in a worse prison now that Nathan knew of her involvement with Michael. Then hope sprang forth. He hadn't mentioned Michael's name. Maybe he truly didn't know. Maybe he was just playing another game with her?

Going to the bedroom door, opening it, Maria listened. She heard voices, then crept to the top of the staircase and listened even further. She tensed when she heard Nathan giving orders to his representatives.

“… And I want it posted all over the town of Hawkinsville that all persons in the possession of firearms, equipment and munitions of war are required to surrender the same to you and that all assemblages in the streets, either by day or night, are prohibited.”

Someone besides Nathan spoke up. “Okay. But what are we to do if anyone gives us trouble?”

“Damn it. Shoot to kill,” Nathan responded angrily. “And tonight, I want you to make sure all of Hawkins-vilie's businesses are closed. Especially the saloons. I will have no one loitering the streets where it is possible for anyone to speak of this thing called the ‘union' to the coal miners Then if anyone ventures out onto the streets after dark, give them a fair warning to return home, and if they don't, shoot. Don't hesitate. Shoot. I can always bring another shipful of dumb bastards over from Italy. If killing just one of them is needed to show our power over them, if this is needed to encourage them to listen to me, then damn it, do it.”

“And Ruby and her half-wit husband? You know that he succeeded in surviving our attack the other night. You know that information can be exchanged at Ruby's by the men while they're gamblin'and whorm'.”

“You go to Ruby. Order the house shut for the time being,” Nathan said. Then he chuckled, saying further, “And you tell Ruby to remember what happened to Clarence that one other time when he didn't succeed at coming through the attack as well as the other night. Remind her that if I can order my men to castrate a man, I can also order them to do worse to a woman.”

“Okay. As well as done. Then what about your wife?”

“I have ways of taking care of her,” Nathan said. “And you be sure nothing happens to her brother and father. They are of use to us. Remember that. When the time comes, we'll just take care of them all at one time. • Do you understand?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

Maria's hands went to her throat. She began to tremble violently, then crept back on to her bedroom, closing the door gently behind her. Was it all truly happening? How could anything such as this happen in America? She and her family had been transported to a place of war. She threw herself across the bed, sobbing. How would it all end? Oh, what could she do … ?

A sudden determination seized her. She rose from the bed with a set jaw. She knew that she couldn't solve anything by weeping like a baby. She had to warn Michael. Only by doing so could any of them have any hope for the future. She hurried to her closet and searched beneath the hat boxes, then cringed when her fingers made contact with the cold steel of the gun. She
wrapped her fingers around it and pulled it out, holding it away from her, looking at its pearl handle and the glint of the steel of its butt. It was a threatening piece of equipment to her. But she knew that she needed it. After hearing Nathan speaking with his representatives, she knew that everyone needed to be armed. Wasn't he ready to shoot them all as though they were dogs?

Hiding the gun inside her beaded purse, Maria crept to her door and opened it, listening once again. There were no voices surfacing from the parlor. Maybe they had gone. She would just have to take that chance. Ruby's house was her destination. Ruby needed to know, as well as Michael. Maybe Ruby and Clarence could even manage to get to Michael and warn him. Maria knew that she couldn't travel to Creal Springs. She knew that it would be too risky. Nathan Hawkins's representatives were everywhere . . . like hornets . . . ready to attack.

Tiptoeing, Maria began her descent on the staircase. She clutched at her purse, feeling its extra heaviness, wishing she had no need for a gun. But it was her only protection now. Michael's arms were no longer around her. . . her Papa and Alberto were deep inside the bowels of the earth. When they came to the surface, what would be awaiting them? Would the fence frighten them too much? Would her Papa's health weaken even more seeing that he was a prisoner for sure in this land of. . . freedom . . . ?

“I've got to quit worrying and hurry onward,” she whispered to herself. “I must move through the Indian grass just like the Indians must haveall those years ago.
I mustn't let Nathan's representatives see me. I have to get to Ruby's before they do. Maybe Clarence can figure out what to do.”

But Maria felt coldness circling her heart when she
remembered Nathan's words about Clarence and what
Nathan had ordered done to Clarence all those years
ago, and now what Nathan threatened to do to
Ruby

Inching her way down the hallway that would lead her past the kitchen, Maria's breath came in short gasps. She still wasn't sure about Mama Pearl. Could Mama Pearl be trusted?

Maria stopped and listened, then swung around when she heard footsteps approaching. When she saw Mama Pearl moving toward her, Maria stood as though frozen, now not knowing which way to turn. Mama Pearl would know that she was planning to leave, because Maria held her purse tightly in her hand. And Maria hadn't been known to leave through the back door. Mama Pearl would have many questions.

“And where ya'all headin', Sweet Baby?” Mama Pearl asked, wiping her hands on an apron, eyeing Maria questioningly.

“Out,” Maria whispered. “I need . . . some . . . uh . . . fresh air.”

“But ya'all were ahready out this mohnin',” Mama Pearl said, lifting a heavy brow. “Why on earth do ya'all needs to go out again? Ain' ya'all a feisty thing?” Mama Pearl cackled and moved on past Maria, into the kitchen.

“Mama Pearl,” Maria said softly, looking from side to side.

“Yes'm?” Mama Pearl said, lifting a rolling pin, placing it onto a wad of pie dough in the center of the kitchen table.

“Please don't tell Nathan I'm out, should he ask,” Maria blurted, flushing.

“Lawdy be. Why's riot?”

Maria cast her eyes downward, fidgeting with the beads of her purse. “Well, Mama Pearl, you know how busy Nathan is,” she said softly. “Why worry him about my . .. uh . .. restlessness.”

“Sho' nuff has been keepin' his nose to the grindstone lately,” Mama Pearl said, puffing as she pushed the rolling pin back and forth. “Just did see him leave with those workin' men o' his a minute ago. Guess the poh soul will be workin' till nightfall. Yes'm, Sweet Baby, I guess yo' be right. I won't speak of any restlessness to him. Mighty sweet of ya'all to care so much.”

Maria felt the heat of her anger inside herself, hating to pretend a liking for the man who had so recently humiliated her in such a degrading way. She forced a smile. “Yes. I do worry about him being so involved,” she said, then moved toward the door.

“Goin' the back way, Sweet Baby?”

“I like to walk through the vineyard,” she replied weakly. “Reminds me of Italy.”

“Yes'm. I understand,” Mama Pearl said, giggling softly.

Maria rushed on out the back door, stopping to breathe a deep sigh of relief. She had gotten past Mama Pearl without any difficulty. Now she had to be sure to evade the watchful eyes of all of Nathan's representatives.
She moved toward the thickness of the vineyard, then stooped, hiding as she moved quickly from one row to the other, glad to finally reach the tall Indian grasses that would lead her to Ruby's house.

The sun beat down on her head and back, making perspiration bead her brow and her heartbeat become erratic, making her become almost lightheaded, but she continued to push her way through the thickness of the grass until she finally reached the fence. She moved slowly around it, watching all around her for any signs of movement, and when the dogs came barking and howling at her, she began to chew her lower lip, knowing that alone was reason for discovery.

Rushing, she reached the gate and ignored the leaping dogs as she moved toward the front door, then fell inside, gasping for air. When Ruby appeared before her, Maria rose and clung to her arm, panting.

“Ruby. Ruby, you just don't know what's happening,” she cried.

“I think I might,” Ruby drawled, turning, beckoning with a nod of the head toward the door that led to the back rooms of the house. When Michael and several more men made an appearance, tears sprang forth from Maria's eyes. She rushed to Michael and fell into his arms. “Michael, oh, Michael. You're safe. Oh, thank God. You're safe,” she blurted clinging-to him.

“I failed to tell you that my meeting place was so close by a while ago,” he said, holding her to him. “I guess I should have. Maria, you are panting so. What's happened?”

She brushed tears from her face with the back of a hand and looked upward into his eyes. To her, blue
most normally meant a restfulness, a peacefulness. But in Michael's eyes, there was no trace of such feelings. She could see so much more. And this made her even more frightened for his safety. She now knew him to be a man of daring.

“Michael, I've just overheard much being said at my … uh … at Nathan's house,” she said. “It all frightens me so. You need to know. I fear that we all might be dead in the end.”