"Hades!" she screamed in rage. Silk curtains tore as nails were raked across them. Pillows were swept to the floor and set upon; with a ripping sound there were feathers adrift in the air.
She collapsed amid the chaos, sobbing. "I hate you. I hate you!" Her voice broke into the motionless air, hung amid the feathers, shivered in its anger.
He stood with shadowed eyes on the other side of the closed door. He knew she thought he couldn't hear her, knew she thought he was elsewhere attending to business as usual--knew what she thought of him. When her furious sobs had given way to shuddering breaths he said quietly, "The door isn't locked," an
