My father turned to me, and the arrogance was gone from his face, and in its place was the naked, fawning hope of a man who has just realized he insulted the most powerful person he will ever meet.

“Josephine — my sweet girl.

You should have told us.

If we’d known you were married to Mr.

Prescott, we never would have—”

“Treated me like garbage?” I finished for him, keeping my voice even.

“That’s precisely why I didn’t tell you, Roderick.

I wanted to see who you were when you believed I had no power.”