"What is wrong with you? You think that engagement is worth its weight in gold?"
"If she needs a kidney so badly, try a slaughterhouse. I don't want your charity."
Lavinia wrenched free from the nurse and stumbled forward, collapsing to her knees at my feet.
"Sister! Please! It hurts so much!"
"Save me, and the position of Mrs. Delgado is yours again!"
She wept with picture-perfect fragility, tears rolling like rain off a pear blossom, drawing stares and whispers from every direction.
Josephine's gaze slid past me to Melody standing behind me. Something vicious twisted across her face.
"So you'd rather die than stay, and now I see why. You ran off to be some man's mistress! You've even got his little bastard!"
"Come with me! Call your man out here. I want to see who has the gall to touch a Henson daughter!"
She lunged for Melody.
"Don't touch my mommy!" Melody swung her cane and cracked it hard against Josephine's shin.
"You little brat!" Josephine yelped, hopping on one foot, and raised her hand to strike.
Ice flooded my veins. I drove my foot into Josephine's knee.
She screamed, both knees slamming into the floor, and crumpled in a rigid kneel right in front of Melody.