Page 84 of The Beauty and the Boxer
But Jack had passed out.
Chapter Eighteen
Meredith found it hard to sleep, however.She paced the floors of the house for an hour or so, coming to themusic room, only to turn around and go to the dining room. Itdidn’t make any sense why she should be so restless, but she wishedthat Jack would come to her, suddenly and in the middle of thenight. She closed her eyes upon returning to her room, her backagainst the wall as she imagined him there, in her room.
It would be scandalous and yet she was aloneand had no better thing to think about. As she laid down, sheimagined his thick fingers, gripping her soft skin at her hip, herthighs. Pushing her legs apart as he found her center. She let herhand move down towards her legs and imagined it was Jack’shand.
Her dreams were equally filled with visionsof Jack. She couldn’t seem to outrun him and when she woke up, shehad decided that she would go to visit him.
Dressing in a flattering green and goldstriped day gown, she entered the dining room to see Sarah, Daniel,and a visibly exhausted Simon, sitting around the table. Simon hadworked late the night before and had gotten in very late. He wascovering his mouth as he yawned, nodding while Sarah beamed at hersisters.
“Meredith, you’re looking particularlylovely this morning,” she said, taking up a glass of water.
“Thank you,” she said as she fixed herself aplate.
“Beatrice, how was your ride yesterday?”
“Fine,” Beatrice said, though her eyesseemed fixated on her plate.
They had hardly sat down when a screeching,banshee-like yell echoed throughout the house.
“Where is she? I demand you return her atonce!”
Meredith, Beatrice, and Sarah all looked upfrom their breakfast, recognizing their mama’s voice instantly.
“Oh, dear,” Sarah said as she pushed herchair back to stand.
A long faced, full brow woman with deep-setwrinkles and hair the same hair color as Sarah, but hers was whiteon the sides, came charging into the dining room.
“Mama,” Sarah said, but the woman held upher hand.
“Don’t you dare speak to me!” she barked,walking straight towards Beatrice. “That you would actively aid inher running away while I am her mama.”
“Mama, Sarah didn’t have anything to do withit,” Beatrice tried as she stood up. Meredith did as well and cametowards her youngest sister, putting a protective arm around her.“Neither of them helped me.”
“You will stop talking this instant!” sheyelled. “I’ve every right to lock you away for your insolentbehavior!”
“Mama, please,” Meredith started. “Beatriceonly wanted to visit for a while.”
“Oh! And now the harlot who killed herfather wishes to speak?” her mama snapped, her wild eyes flickeringfrom one daughter to the next. “God forgive me for having suchwicked girls!”
“Mama!” Sarah tried.
“Do not speak to me! You no longer outrankme, dear daughter, having decided to lower yourself to this,” shewaved a hand at a still sitting Simon. “Rubbish.”
“Now see here—”
“How dare you!” Meredith said, seeminglyunable to hold back any longer. She felt an uncomfortable tremorrise up in her chest as her hands begin to shake. She hatedconflict, but her mama was behaving irrational and she had hadenough. “Howdamndare you come into Mr. Archer’s home andthrow insult after insult at him and your own children. You’ve noright to say such things.”
“Don’t you—”
“No. It’s your turn to listen,” she said.Sarah and Beatrice stared at Meredith, mouths agape. Glaring backat her mama, she took a deep breath. “Mr. Archer loves yourdaughter, most ardently and she loves him. They are the kindest,most generous people and you refuse to acknowledge them because ofyour own foolish prejudices. It’s reprehensible. You simply do notcare if any of your daughters are happy and it’s positivelyshameful.”
“You dare speak—”
“Yes, I dare. I’ve witnessed a vast amountof love and honesty in this household and anyone who would come inhere and try to diminish it, simply for some archaic belief on ahuman constructure is ridiculous.”
Mrs. Taylor grabbed Beatrice by the wristand yanked her forward.
