“He needs to understand that Eleanor is dead.”
“He understands that better than anyone.”
Victoria raised her hand.
That was when I stepped out of the doorway behind her.
She did not see me immediately.
I had enough time to understand that this was not a single argument that had gone too far.
Victoria was comfortable.
She believed she was alone with people who had less power than she did.
Then she turned.
Her entire face changed.
The anger disappeared.
Her eyes filled with tears so quickly that, for one second, I almost questioned what I had witnessed.
“Daniel!” she cried. “Thank God you’re here!”
She rushed toward me and pointed at Grace.
“This woman has completely lost control. She pushed Noah, and when I tried to protect him, she attacked me.”
Grace stared at her.
Noah buried his face against Grace’s shoulder.
Victoria placed one trembling hand over her chest.
“I was terrified. Your son could have been seriously hurt.”
I looked directly into her eyes.
“I was standing behind you the entire time.”
The tears stopped.
Her mouth remained open, but no sound came out.
“You saw everything?”
“Yes.”
Her hand dropped from her chest.
“Daniel, I can explain.”
I walked past her and knelt beside Noah.
He looked at me through wet eyelashes.
“You believe me?”
The question hurt more than anything Victoria had said.
“I do.”
“You won’t make me call her Mom?”
“No.”
“You won’t leave again?”
I glanced at the bruises on his wrist.
“I’m sorry I didn’t listen sooner.”
Grace tried to stand, but she was unsteady.
I helped her sit against the wall and called the estate physician.
Then I stood and faced Victoria.
“The wedding is canceled.”
Her face went white.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
“You cannot throw away our future because I lost my temper for one second.”
“This was not one second.”
“You weren’t here. Noah has been difficult for months.”
“He is five.”