ce was shattered

meaning of this? Are

rianna. Her teacup rattled in its saucer, the liquid sloshing over the rim, but s

rds with enough force to send a thin crack snaking up the wood. "You ungrateful

my brother has found someone nobler than you, so you want to ruin him!" Her voice cracked on the

ge. Their voices overlapped and tangled-Martha's shrill accusation, Gertrude's gravelly contempt, Penelope's tearful s

of his chair, and a vein pulsed at his temple, a small, frantic beat beneath the skin. He felt

eady, a practiced gesture she had no doubt used on men before. "Allen, darling, don't be an

rage. She let the words wash over her, each insult landing and dissolving like salt

threatening anyone. I am simply acknowledging reality. The power

ois, since you are to be the new lady of Oakhaven,

seat, stripping away her pretense.

as she did about blacksmithing. Her fingers tightened on Allen's sleeve, a

cruel. "Don't forget, Brianna, what a disgrace it is for a woman to be

s gleaming with malice. "Without the Sma

a faint, mocking smile

"that would still be a more dignified existence than remaining here,

deniability, exposing the ugly, grasping greed ben

ttered to the floor, and no one moved to pick it up. "Enough!" he roared, his scholar's composur

t a flicker of fear. "I have ma

e tension in the room was so

as nothing more to b

formal curtsy-a final, mo

rning back now

d, her voice polite, "I must retire.

k straight, her head held high. She did not look like a woman defeated

other, a dawning sense of panic in their eyes. For the first time, t

ess. They had hurled themselves against Brianna's

g on the table. For the very first time, a flic