AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I made the right decision,” he said in a voice so smug it sickened me. “I couldn’t allow your relationship with her to continue as it was.”
“So, your solution is to sell her?”
“You might not like your position in life, Thomas, but you were born white, literally and figuratively.”
“You bring her back and I’ll forget this ever happened,” I said approaching him.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” he said. “I will even forgive your inane insolence, granted you apologize.”
“I might consider it if you bring Jeyne back.”
His eyes met mine. “That’s not possible.”
“Anything is possible. Isn’t that what you taught me?”
“You will forget about her,” he said firmly. “Starting today.”
“That’s not going to happen. This is Jeyne, Father. Jeyne. We grew up together. How do you erase someone from your memory, someone you’ve known your whole life?”
“You’ll find a way.”
“No, I won’t!” I turned to leave but he blocked my path.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m not going to stand here and watch you destroy lives,” I said. “I’m going to New Orleans. To bring her back.”
“Not while I’m still alive.”
I wasn’t going to be blackmailed by what was, after all, a veiled threat. “If you must die, then let it be so.”
It was as close as I had ever come to defying him on his own terms, to express my scorn so openly, and for a moment, he was clearly startled. I made a move to walk around him but he grabbed me roughly by the arm. I pushed him away and picked up the fireplace stoker nearby and raised it back, ready to strike. HeMy fatherfroze in place.
“Tell me one reason why I shouldn’t throw you out of this house right now?” His voice was seething with rage. In a flash, the conversation I had a few weeks prior came flooding into view. I slowly lowered the stoker.
“Marie Levereaux.” I watched as his face went white. “Yes…what a charming little place she has in the city. I spoke to her for a bit. She was pleasant enough...and properly disguised. If one didn’t know better, you’d think she was a lady. But the truth is, she’s nothing more than a rich man’s whore. Isn’t she father? I wonder if Mother knows about her.”
He came towards me. “If you show much as breathe a word about this, I’ll—”
“What? Cut me out of the will? I tell you what. If you bring Jeyne back, I might just consider keeping this bit of information to myself.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No. Just bargaining.”
Without warning, my father’s hand came down hard and heavy across my face. It was the first time in my life he had ever struck me. The blow was painful but I didn’t flinch. He raised his hand to strike me again when my mother called out his name. She was standing in the doorway, angrier than I had ever seen her before. She swept into the room, her face red with rage. The door had been opened the entire time.
“Mary,” my father stammered. “I...”
“How dare you!” she said to my father.
“Mary, I--”
She turned to me. “Leave us,” she demanded.
I didn’t move. I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted my father to be hurt but not at the expense of my mother.
“I said leave us!” Her eyes were cold and hard.
