Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“I’m not a child.”
“You’re still my daughter.” She carried the tray to the bed. “Take this.”
“I don’t want to take anything.”
“It will help with the pain.”
Her eyes narrowed at her mother’s insistence. “What do you know about my pain?”
She continued to hold out the pill and glass of water. “I know you survived an unspeakable trauma, and you’re in need of rest.”
Wendy’s body only felt numb. The true pain was in her heart. “I’m not taking that.” She still felt fuzzy from whatever drug they’d given her to subdue her onto the plane—a flight she had no recollection of.
Her mother set the glass aside. “Peter told us—”
“I don’t care what Peter said. He’s a liar and a monster.”
Her mother tsked. “You’re upset. Sometimes, when we’re hurting, we lash out at those closest to us, the ones who are only trying to help.”
“No, Mother. This isn’t about me lashing out or being too naïve to understand what happened to me. I know what happened. I’m the only one who knows. But you don’t care about the truth. All you and Father care about is how this will look when others hear.”
“The Pangbournes are a high-profile family, dear. We must consider the best way to defuse the fallout.”
“Fuck the Pangbournes!”
“Wendy!” She actually looked back at the door as if her greatest concern was being overheard.
“What is this obsession you and Father have with the Pangbournes? Is it really just their money? My God, can you think of anything else?”
“Your father has put a lot of work into situating you with a promising future.”
“He’s engaged, Mother!” She rubbed her temples, unable to conceive how someone could be so blinded by a bank account. “He’s also arrogant, egotistical, and horribly entitled. Is that the type of man you and Father want to see me settled down with?”
“All men have ego, dear. Confidence is a good trait.”
“No. There’s ego, and then there’s narcissism. When Peter’s not the center of attention, he’s dangerous and cruel.”
“Perhaps you’re being a bit harsh. He did rescue you, Wendy.”
“I wasn’t a prisoner. I could have left. He was going to let me leave.”
Her mother gave her a look of doubt. “I understand how confusing these situations can become. You did what you had to do to survive, but you’re not in danger anymore. Perhaps there’s someone you could talk to. I’m sure the memories are overwhelming.”
“Sure. Whatever.” She wiped her nose and sniffled. No one would ever believe her that James had come around. As much as he wanted her to stay, she knew in her heart he would have let her leave. He said himself that he didn’t believe in captivity and had no desire to keep her caged.
“But you shouldn’t blame Peter, dear. From what I understand, he did everything in his power to help you.”
She took a calming breath. This back-and-forth was useless. Her parents only heard what they wanted to hear. “I will never let that man near me again.”
“You’re upset.”
“Yes, Mother. I’m upset. Now, please leave me alone. I just want everyone to leave me alone.” She rolled to her side, turning her back on her mother as she left the bedroom.
Eventually, her father stopped yelling, and the front door slammed. Wendy closed her eyes, counting down the seconds before her peace was disrupted again.
Three…
Two—
Her father tapped the door, not waiting for an invitation to barge in. “I want you washed and downstairs in one hour. Leave those clothes for the maid. We’ll see that they’re incinerated.”
Wendy sat up. “Father…”
He looked away with unrestrained fury. “It’s too far, Wendy. Too far.”
She wasn’t going to make an excuse, just an apology. “I’m sorry for making you worry.”
His mouth firmed into a flat line. “Sorry won’t replace what you lost. You’ll realize that soon enough.”
She balled her hands into fists. “I didn’t lose anything. I’m still me.”
He shook his head. “People will hear about this. Your good reputation won’t hold, and once it’s gone, your options will dwindle.”
She was tired of having her value tied to her virtue, which invalidly dictated her choices. Men made far worse decisions and saw no consequences. She was through with the double standards. “I can make my own opportunities if I have to.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “You’ll have to. We’ll discuss more on the subject after you’ve cleaned yourself up.” With that final reminder, he shut the door.
When she changed out of her clothes, she didn’t give them to Liza. Instead, she folded them into a small ball and hid them inside the window seat. They were all she had left of James, and burning his belongings was simply too painful to bear.
Sitting through her father’s lecture had been an exercise in zoning out. She thought about how she used to climb trees and run around the yard barefoot with her belly out, equally as free as her brothers. Then one day, she was told to calm down, stand up straight, and suck in her stomach. She’d been holding her breath ever since.