Page 72 of Halstead House

My silence alerted her, and her head lifted from where she’d been fidgeting with the flowers. Lucas had entered the room to catch the last part, and I met his eyes over Mother’s head. He set down the large pot and gave me a puzzled look.

I took a deep breath and clasped my hands together in front of me. “I’m not going back to Providence with you tomorrow, Mother,” I said, although I’d have liked it if my voice had sounded more sure.

“Pish, of course you are. That was the understanding all along.” Mother laughed, a brittle and hollow sound that I didn’t hear often.

“I don’t plan to leave for another few weeks.”

“You’ve been here two months already. What difference will another make?”

“It might make all the difference in the world, to me.” I whispered the words, terrified to say them out loud, but knowing I had to.

“Yes, well, thank you for reminding me that this is all about you. Forget poor widowed Lillian back in Providence. Forget all the sleepless nights, worry, prayer, time, and money I’ve spent trying to do my best for you,” Mother whined. “You’re my only friend, my treasured daughter.”

“I’m sure Grace is grateful for all you’ve done for her...” Lucas stepped past her to come stand by my side, and our shoulders brushed.

“Are you a father, Mr. Halstead, and I’m unaware of it?” Mother interrupted. “Obviously not.”

His jaw clenched.

“Then you have nothing of value to add to this discussion. This is between a parent and her rebellious child,” she stated.

Lucas and I both spoke at the same time.

“I’m not rebellious for wanting to make a choice for myself,” I said.

“Grace is old enough to decide what she wants to do,” he stated.

Mother turned a hateful glare on Lucas, obviously seeing him as the bigger threat, and I felt him stiffen at my side. “So now you’re an expert on my daughter? I don’t think so. You need to stay out of this conversation and away from Grace.”

“Do I need to remind you that you are in my home where Grace is both my friend and employee?” Lucas seemed to grow three inches in that moment. “You have no say in who I speak to or spend my time with.”

Mother met him with silence, her eyes appraising. I could see the wheels turning in her mind, trying to figure out what angle to work, where to poke and prod, what would make him see her side of things.

I didn’t give her the chance. “I’m staying, Mother.”

She seemed hesitant to look away from Lucas, but she finally turned to me. “Against my wishes?” I chewed on my lip and nodded. “I’d like to know why.”

“She doesn’t owe you any explanation,” Lucas, still in giant mode, stated firmly.

“It’s okay, Lucas, really, I...” My throat was unexpectedly dry and I had to swallow.

His hand found its way to mine, the backs of our fingers tangling lightly, but not quite gripping. Courage like liquid fire chased up my spine, almost as though he’d given me a portion of strength to stay the course. I looked up to him, my mouth relaxing into a soft smile as our eyes met.

“Oh.” Mother’s face transformed from cold disdain to mocking humor. “You’ve set your cap for the Halstead heir. You think that he’ll take you and make all your fantasies come true. You’ll get to live in the fairy tale castle that Mary told you all about.” She laughed, but it was without amusement. “Darling girl, you’re a fool to think that a worldly man like him will be interested in ever settling down. I’ve protected you your entire life, and I can’t stand by and watch you be hurt this way.”

Mother had blown a hole right to the tender spot in the center of me. Of course I hadn’t come down to Lavender Island to seek out Lucas and try to live out my wildest dreams. He hadn’t even been on the list of reasons for me to run away. But he didn’t know that. He had no idea why I’d come. Her words made sense in the most bizarre way, and I was terrified that he’d believe them.

Mother pressed on. “Look around you, Grace, there’s no place for you here. They gave you a small job as an assistant so that you could feel useful and so that they could honor Mary somehow. That’s all. As soon as you leave, things will return to normal and they won’t miss you one little bit.”

Lucas tensed next to me and I knew he was preparing to say something, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to say it for myself, from my own place of self-worth.

“That’s not true.” I shoved the words through the lump forming in my throat. “They’ve become my friends.”

“They aren’t your friends.” She laughed again, a scratchy sound that made my ears hurt.

Lucas had had enough. His hand moved from near mine to rest on the small of my back, and I so wanted to lean into his side and let him hold me up. “I’m having a hard time understanding how a mother can speak to her daughter this way. Grace is welcome here for as long as she’d like to stay.” His voice sounded different, and I looked up at his face. Gone was the polite mask, and in its place was something fierce and almost primal. “You’ve insulted this entire household at this point. I should ask you to leave.”

His hand reached further to my waist, pulling me against his side, his grip strong as he seemed to hear my thoughts. He couldn’t have realized that he was literally holding me upright. My legs were rubber. I hated confrontation. I hated the words spilling around us and the anxiety they brought.

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