"London? But, you never said why…" Meg asked again later the next morning when he'd brought it up again. Andrew nodded, confident.
"Marguerite, love…London is a fine place to raise a child. We could have a little house outside the city where you could teach him all sorts of things and he would have the finest tutors…none of that school nonsense for my son." He replied and her mouth dropped as tears framed her blue eyes. She was hardly able to speak.
"But…my whole family…they're here. I'll never see them!" She said, her chin quivering. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Darling…your mother could go…yes you and your mother could have such a lovely time in the English country." She eyed him.
"This doesn't make any sense…" She sniffed, "You're family is here. Your business is here. Everything is here." He nodded.
"Well, there will be…times…when I am not with you. Obviously I can't just forget my business."
Something was screaming that this was not right in her mind, but she was still trying to absorb the initial shock of it all. He took her in his arms.
"Meg…sweetheart. Let's talk about this another time. You're fragile right now…it's Christmas…" She pushed him away.
"God damnit I am not fragile!" She screamed at him. "And I am certainly no idiot! Something is going on here and you think I am some naïve imbecile who won't figure it out?" He shook his head.
"No Meg…I never said…"
"It doesn't matter Andrew. You were thinking it. You're always thinking it…" Her voice was cold as the winter outside, her blue eyes accusing.
"Stop it Meg…" He said, his voice warning.
"It's Roxana, isn't it Andrew?" She stopped and put her hand to her mouth. "Oh my God…Brett was right. You did kill Justin didn't you?"
"Marguerite…" His voice was low.
"You're obsessed with her…" She spat at him, full of not only jealousy but confusion and fear. He glared at her, his midnight blue eyes almost black with rage. "Why then?" She went on, "Why did you marry me?" She asked, pointing her finger at him like a sword. Suddenly, he grinned, terrifying her to the point of nearly fainting. She swayed where she stood.
"I needed an heir. Plain and simple." He said casually and she stopped, staring at him in shock.
"Y-you married me to breed me like a Goddamn horse?" She asked and he nodded and cornered her against the wall in her moment of weakness.
"And it will only be you going to London with our son Meg, for you see I will be here with Roxana…and my beautiful money." He said, a slightly insane look in his eyes. She held both of her arms over her stomach protectively and began to pray in the back of her mind.
"And what do you plan to do about her husband?" She asked, trembling. He cupped her delicate chin in his hand and smiled.
"He won't be an issue. Jacqueline has assured me." He replied and Meg's eyes widened.
"So that's why she was there that day!" She spat at him and he nodded.
"Yes…and I must say…that girl can do wonders with her mouth." He chuckled. Bitter tears came to her eyes and something snapped inside of her for she found the strength to bring her tiny hand up to his face and punch him as hard as she could.
Quick as a cat, he slapped her once and then again the opposite way and she knew she would be bruised.
"Don't cross me Marguerite or it will be worse for you and your child." He said and she nearly laughed at the irony.
"Oh Andrew, don't you mean your heir?" She asked and he glared at her. Again he had her backed against the wall.
"I could lock you up in an institution and send the child to boarding school…yes that sounds perfect actually. Why hadn't I thought of it before?" He asked, his voice suddenly laced with insanity as he looked down at her.
"You know what Andrew? Fuck you." Meg found the courage to spit into his face and pushed out of his grip.
Without any other thought, she sprinted from the house and left him in the nursery with his anger. Clutching her middle, she hailed the first hansom cab she saw and climbed in just as he was coming out of the house and after her. Where could she go? Certainly not her mothers, he would go there first. Christine's too…Roxana! He wouldn't dare go there with Erik. He was too much of a coward. She sobbed against the window until they pulled up to the house.
"I'm sorry sir, I don't have any money…if you could just wait a moment, I could go get some from my friend…" She said and he shook his head, seeing her condition.
"Go on now…consider it a favor." He said and drove off as she ran to the front door, looking around. An older woman answered and whitened when she saw Meg's condition.
"Easy darling…come sit…I'll go see that the Lady comes down." Meg nodded and let the woman usher her into a comfortable chair with a foot rest. Her heart was beating so hard, she was sure it would fly out of her chest.
"Meg?" Roxana's voice came as Meg opened her eyes and saw the woman kneeling before her. Her eyes were wide with worry. "Jesus Christ…Erik!" She called for her husband. "Erik!" He rushed into the room a few moments later, looking at Meg in surprise.
"Little Giry…I didn't expect to see…oh no…" He said, seeing her face. He looked at Roxana, who had her hand to her mouth in horror.
"What has he done to you Meg?" She asked. Meg was speechless. She couldn't even get a word out. Her mouth opened but nothing came until she began to cry quietly.
"I'm so stupid…stupid…stupid…" She repeated as Roxana pulled her close.
"No Meg…you are not stupid." She said, closing her eyes to the pain of the memories.
"Merry Christmas Andrew…we got you a pocket watch because Justin said you always wanted one like your grandfather's…" Roxana said, handing her brother-in-law the watch. Her husband was downstairs with his family and her father.
"It's great Roxy, thank you so much." He said with a smile as he pulled her in for a long hug. "You're so good to me…" He added, making her feel a twinge uncomfortable, but she decided he was just happy.
"Well Andrew, you are a great friend." She said, smiling prettily. His eyes darkened.
"Is that all Roxy? Only a great friend?" He asked and she looked at him in confusion.
"What else would you be?" She asked innocently and he shrugged.
"I don't know…I just thought I mean…" He stopped and looked down at her for a moment. She giggled.
"Andrew, you're not making any sense…" She laughed and he smiled, suddenly pressing his lips to hers. Instantly, she pushed him away. "Andrew no!" She cried and he bit his lip.
"Why him Roxy? Why Justin? I loved you…" She touched his arm compassionately.
"Andrew I adore you! As a brother…I love Justin…we're married." She replied as he shook his head.
"I would do anything for you Roxana…he can't take care of you like I can…" She stopped smiling.
"Andrew…don't say that. We love each other and take care of each other…please…give up this…dream. It isn't going to happen…I don't want to hurt you but I just can't feel that way for you…" He dropped at her feet like a child and began to beg.
"Please Roxy…I can't live without you…I think about you every day…I love you…I love you…" She knelt in front of him.
"Andrew. Stop this. I am married to Justin. I love Justin."
"But Roxana…"
"Andrew, I'm pregnant." She said, hushing him. He shook his head and began to stand up as did she. "Andrew, wait…please…" He ran from the room and out of the house leaving her to cry her frustration.
"Sweetheart…are you alright?" Justin entered the room, coming to hold her. She shook her head. She wiped her eyes quickly and nodded. She couldn't tell Justin…it would break his heart.
"Fine…I'm fine dear. Just a bit under the weather…" She answered and he grinned.
"That's to be expected though Roxy…" He said, caressing her flat middle. She smiled, trying to hide the uneasiness she felt and allowed herself to sink into his arms.
"I love you Justin…" She whispered and he smiled, a bit surprised at her sudden show of affection.
"I love you too Roxy."
"You can't bring my mother or Christine here…he'll find them and want to hurt them as well. But please send word to them that I am safe and I have left Andrew." Meg pleaded and Roxana nodded, calling for Carolina and giving her the instructions.
"Meg, I want you to rest. Talk later. You can stay with us as long as you need to. You have to take it easy for that baby though." She instructed, handing her a cup of tea. Meg nodded, laying her head back against the back of the chair. Within minutes, she was asleep, her breathing regular and soft. Roxana spoke to Erik quietly across the room.
"What do we do? Erik, he is going to find her and then what? Back to the torture chamber?"
"Torture chamber?" He asked, thinking a moment, an idea coming to him. "Roxana my dear…I shall need to write a letter."
"To whom?" She asked, in surprise. He smiled almost fondly.
"An old friend."
"Where is she Reynolds?" Andrew asked as he stood in the foyer of the Reynolds' home. Brett looked confused.
"Who?" He asked and Andrew growled.
"My wife! Don't play games!" Brett pushed Andrew away from him and glared.
"I don't have your wife and if I did, believe me I wouldn't still be here. I'd have had her at the courthouse annulling that sham of a marriage you two have. You slick bastard." He said as Andrew eyed him.
"I'll be back if I don't find her." He warned and Brett feigned excited.
"Oh really! I will so be looking forward to it Monsieur Andrew!" He said in a sarcastic mock feminine voice. As the door slammed shut, Brett muttered, "Prick."
"Who was that dear?" Marie Reynolds asked, coming into the foyer for a moment. Brett sighed, seeing his mother.
"No one Ma…just a wrong house." He kissed her cheek. "Listen Ma…I have to go out for a bit…is that alright? I know the wedding is tomorrow…but I'll be back later." He said and she looked at him a moment before nodding.
"Not too late Brett…the wedding is at ten in the morning and you're Garrett's best man. Please don't be late." She said in her soft spoken tone. He nodded, pulling his coat and and leaning down to give her a hug.
"Love you Ma." He said before running out the door.
Looking around to make sure Andrew's carriage was gone, he pulled his horse from the stables and saddled him as quickly as he could. Meggie, where would you go? She was too smart for Andrew…he knew it. She wouldn't endanger her mother and Christine was sitting inside his own home with her husband and his family. The only other options would be the opera and Roxana's. He chose the latter, opting to speak to someone before searching through an opera house under construction. He rode almost in a daze, and truthfully when he got there he didn't know how as involved in his thoughts as he'd been. One of the maids answered the door and eyed him.
"Is Lady Destler home?" He asked and she nodded as she allowed him into the foyer.
"Wait here Monsieur." She said and he nodded politely. Roxana appeared a moment later with her finger to her lips.
"Meg is here but she is asleep…" She whispered, moving him into the kitchen where Erik was seated James teaching him how to draw. He nodded in acknowledgement at the boy, who repeated the gesture.
"What happened Roxy?" He asked and she motioned for him to sit down.
"Brett…it isn't pretty. She's pretty bruised." His eyes widened.
"He hit her?" Roxana nodded.
"He hit her alright. Pretty damn hard too. She's left him though. Says she isn't going back. That's all I found out before I told her to rest."
"If I would have known that I'd have killed him myself when he came to my house raving like a lunatic." He replied, staring at his hands. Erik raised an eyebrow.
"You really care for her, don't you?" He asked and Brett nodded.
"She's everything I never wanted." He said with half a grin and Roxana looked confused.
"Don't you mean ever wanted?" She asked and he shook his head.
"I never wanted to get married and have children and be nagged by a woman day and night. But with her, it just doesn't seem so bad." Roxana eyed him.
"Brett…you frighten me sometimes." She laughed and he shrugged. Erik chuckled as well as Jamie presented his masterpiece.
"It's a flower!" He said and Erik looked at it, it really was quite good for a three year old. Though the petals were tiny and the stem extremely crooked it was quite nice in it's own abstract way.
"Very good James…why don't you try…a tree?" He asked and the boy nodded as Roxana stood.
"I'd better go check in on our little pregnant guest." She said with a laugh. Brett nodded.
"I'll come too." He said and they left the room together. Erik looked down at James.
"Do yourself a favor and don't fall in love…" He said and Jamie laughed.
"I writed on me!" He said, proudly showing his hand. Erik couldn't even hold back a chuckle.
Roxana had covered Meg with a blue blanket she'd gotten after James was born from Katherine and Andrew. She was completely out and looked just like a little girl with her golden hair tied up in a pink ribbon, the lustrous silken strands framing her smooth porcelain white face as if she were a doll. The only thing that gave away she was a woman was her pregnant belly, which was still not large for a woman who was six months pregnant.
"I'll stay with her Roxana…" Brett said, keeping his eyes on her and laying his coat on the sofa beside Meg's chair. Roxana messed his hair.
"Brett…you might as well relax and sit with us in the kitchen where there is life." She laughed. He shook his head, still serious.
"No Roxana, I am not leaving her side. What if he comes here? What if he comes and tries to hurt her?" He stopped to look at her face. "Look at her face…" He said, as if it was he who had been hurt.
"Fine…I'll be in the kitchen." She said, adjusting Meg's blanket before she left him in the dim light of the room. He sat on the foot rest beside her feet, facing her.
"Oh Meg…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been such an ass to you when we first met. Maybe none of this would have happened." He said to her, though she was still asleep. He tried to imagine what her child would look like and pictured a girl. A little girl with her eyes and hair. He could marry her and raise the child as his own…no! What the hell was he thinking? She wasn't even divorced or considering it yet and he was already making plans for the future.
"Brett?" He heard the sleepy little voice whisper and caught her staring at him in confusion. "What are you doing here?" She asked, sounding more like a five year old than herself. Hesitantly, he touched her swollen cheek.
"Andrew came after me today looking for you…I figured I'd start here and got lucky…" He said, his gaze moving to her middle.
"Did he do anything to hurt the baby?" He asked worriedly and she shook her head.
"He just slapped me…twice…but I punched him!" She said, almost with a proud tone in her voice. Brett chuckled.
"So that was why he had a fat lip…" He said and she nodded.
"It's bad Brett…he wants to get rid of me…he said once the baby is gone I am going to London with the baby and he is going to divorce me I think…He is after Roxana…he never loved me Brett…never…" Her chin quivered and he had to look down to stop his own.
"Meggie, please don't cry…" He begged, taking her hand. With his other hand he barely brushed her cheek with his finger tips.
"I can't help it…" She sniffled. He drew her tiny form into the broad width of his body and she held onto him as if he were her escape from drowning. When he looked down again they were almost touching noses.
"What are you thinking?" She asked, and he smiled.
"I'd like to kiss you right now." He said and to his surprise she tilted her head up and did just that.