Page 14 of The Beauty and the Boxer
Meredith felt like she was being lured intoa trap. She shook her head.
“I only meant that they do,” she saidtentatively. “Men always try to exploit women, through one way oranother.”
“Men like me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not a gentleman, Miss Taylor. I wouldnever claim to be, but I wonder if you were referring to men likeme, of my social stature, or if your assessment was of all men ingeneral?”
Meredith stared at him. What a strange thingto ask.
“It was in reference to all men,” sheanswered. “I’d hardly single out your character, Mr. Archer.”
“If that is that case, I wonder,” he said,taking a step towards her, his body coming close to hers. “Who hurtyou and did you let them get away with it?”
Meredith felt the color drain from hercheeks as she glared into this horrible, handsome man’s eyes. Whata private thing to ask someone. What a crass, invasive thing toask.
“W-why would you assume that anyone hurtme?”
“I don’t assume it, I know it,” he all butgrowled as he leaned forward, causing Meredith’s breath to hitch.He was much too close now, mere inches away. “But I amcurious…”
“A-about what exactly?”
“About you, Meredith Taylor.”
Feeling heat creep up beneath her collar,Meredith retreated when the echo of her sister’s voice camedrifting through the room.
“Here we are, Simon,” Sarah said loudly,giving Meredith time to walk away from Jack.
She put a respectable distance between themby the time her sister and brother-in-law entered the room.
“Yes, dear,” Simon said, somewhat confused,before turning his attentions to his brother. “Ready, Jack?”
“Yes,” Jack answered.
“Ah, Meredith. I assume Jack has told youabout his venture with Mr. Dent?”
“I was just explaining to Miss Taylor themechanics of the grain elevator,” Jack lied smoothly, beforeglancing at Meredith. “Mr. Dent has invented a steam powered grainelevator. A clever man out of Buffalo, New York. The logistics aresound and the capital that would come from investing would berather impressive.”
“How impressive?” Meredith asked.
“Ten-fold,” Jack said, smiling at hereagerness. “I wanted to make sure that you didn’t have any qualmswith your money being put in such a venture?”
“Not at all,” Meredith said, unsure. “Itrust you, Mr. Archer.”
The words were hardly any granddeclarations, especially since it concerned money that she hadwholeheartedly trusted with Jack, but it made him pause. In fact,all three of them were staring at Meredith as though she had justsaid something outrageous. She knew why of course. Sarah had neverknown Meredith to trust anyone, not since her failed marriage and,while she was sure Sarah had shared some of her history with Simon,she wasn’t sure how much, except that he too knew she distrustedall men.
All men, except apparently Jack.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Meredith said ratherquickly, nodding her head as she went. “I’ve a lesson to attend toat the moment.”
“Of course,” Simon said as she walked pastJack.
“Good day, Mr. Archer.”
“Good day.”
She was up the stairs and down the hallway,halfway to the nursery before she let herself rest against a wall.Breathing deeply, she wondered why she had said something sotelling to a room full of people. People she knew, but still, shehadn’t felt so revealed in years. And why did Jack’s presenceseemed to affect her so?
