Dr Meyer looked down at his wife and son in disbelief. 'You defy me in this? After everything.' He broke off. 'Of course! What should I expect?' Dr Meyer almost seemed to bow to his wife as he made to go inside. A strange smile settled on his lips. 'At least do me the favour of consuming the chocolates I have bought for you at considerable expense. Perhaps you will find it possible to obey me in that.' He lurched towards the open door, his shoe heels clacking on the boards of the veranda, as he fled the possibility of any response.

A moment later a door slammed inside. She felt the reverberation in the boards beneath her chair.

Excerpted from A Vengeful Longing by R.N. Morris. Reprinted by arrangement with The Penguin Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. Copyright (c) June, 2008.