Finally the long-awaited day of the ball had arrived. Meg tried to smile, staring at her face in the mirror once more. Not even the beautiful adornment she wore on her head was enough to cheer her up. She didn't feel like going to the ball at all. But Angelina was very adamant that this was what Martha would want her to do. That she should live! To her misfortune, the first person she met at the event was Angelina who was impatiently checking the guest list. "You look nice in your clothes," she said dismissively, "I'll let William know you're here." Meg was about to say that there was no need to warn him, but before she could say anything, William came toward her, a cretinous grin on his face and a cigarette in his fingers. She had always found his behavior arrogant and superior. But lately he has been in good company. “You look very pretty today, Miss Margaret," he said, smiling. “My parents are looking forward to meeting you”. Meg was anxious to find James, sh
Meg pulled away abruptly, trying to understand what had happened. She touched her lips with her fingertips, feeling them still warm. Her blue eyes showed her confusion, Meg stared at James without saying anything. Her feelings were confused, she had always loved James and longed to be kissed by him. She had fantasized about this moment countless times before going to sleep, but never believed it would actually happen. Now that it did, she didn't know what to do or how to act in the situation. "Meg," he tried to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat. As Meg looked at him again, her sadness and disappointment were mixed with a hint of joy and hope. It was such an intense moment that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Without saying a word, she made the decision to flee, running in desperation. In her escape, she bumped into Angelina, leaving her surprised. "Here you are hiding," Angelina roared. James stood still, watching Meg pull away, he felt an urge
James was immersed in a deep melancholy in the living room, enveloped by a dense cloud of cigar smoke, while a bottle of liquor rested beside him. His lips still tasted of the burning kiss he had given Meg, and his mind remained immersed in the confessions they had exchanged. The love they felt for each other was undeniable, intense and true, but this was the tragedy that surrounded them. It was a forbidden love, an impossible love, destined to face innumerable barriers and challenges. Angelina appeared at the door, accompanied by the driver, showing signs of weariness on her countenance. "I wish you would have waited for me," Angelina expressed, revealing a slight hint of disappointment in her voice. He raised the bottle and took another sip before replying, with a slight disdain in his voice, "You know perfectly well how much these social events bother me." His lips pressed against the mouthpiece of the bottle as the bitter liquid trickled down his throat, momentarily bringing
Meg was going through a difficult time, perhaps the most difficult of her short life. When Martha died she felt immense pain, her soul was torn apart, but that pain was the work of fate, the pain she felt now, was not a work of chance, nor a fatality, the events were planned and executed by people close to her, and the person she loved the most did not believe in her innocence. Meg tried tirelessly to argue and explain her version of the facts by saying that she would never invite William into her bed, but her words fell on deaf ears. No one seemed to believe her or even hear what she had to say. She found herself without the right to defend herself, while everyone around her accused her. Everyone believed William's words. "A deep hurt took hold of Meg, especially towards James. They had known each other since childhood, he was fully aware of her feelings, he knew of her love for him. Therefore, the disappointment was even more intense, as Meg placed her hope in the strength of t
Meg felt like a prisoner, trapped in her own room. It was as if she was afraid to go out, and the thought of facing everyone outside was disheartening. She felt judged by everyone around her, as if she were an immoral woman and a liar. Defeated, her gaze roamed the yellowed walls of the room, finding refuge in the old china dolls that adorned the shelves. As Angelina, James, and Mr. Abraham fervently discussed preparations for the impending wedding, Meg felt increasingly excluded and disregarded. Everyone seemed more concerned with the details of the ceremony than with their own feelings. She could hear them discussing the most convenient date, the ideal place for the wedding, and even where they would live after the ceremony, as if she had no voice or active participation in it all. It was as if her will and her emotions didn't matter. An anger boiled up inside Meg, growing with each passing minute. How dare they ignore her wishes and plans for the future? How could they simply imp
Meg was determined not to get married, but before she did, she decided to have a talk with William. She felt calmer now and was able to articulate a whole sentence without collapsing into tears. "Are you going somewhere?" asked Angelina after seeing Meg leave her little bag on the table along with her hat and umbrella. "I need to go to the Barton residence, I have some business to attend to with my fiancé," she said, putting the hat on her head and leaving. "James has forbidden you." "And what is he going to do? Fight me into marriage?" she asked sarcastically. On the way to the Barton mansion, Meg relived in her mind the disgusted expression in James' eyes when he caught her in a compromising scene with William in bed. That grotesque image remained etched in her memory, fueling her anguish. The Barton mansion was imposing, filled with grandeur and all the splendor of a noble family. Although they had lost their titles, they retained their fortune and influence in Britis
Meg left the Bartons' mansion in a fit of rage and without thinking about the consequences of her actions. Although she felt a momentary relief to slap Wiliam's cynical face, she soon realized that her rash attitude would bring lasting problems, dooming her to have a scheming enemy. As she walked quickly, Mr. Abraham ran after her, calling her name desperately. He reached Meg with his automobiles and urged her to enter. "That is not necessary," Meg replied, still shaken by the situation. "Please allow me to take you home," Mr. Abraham insisted. After a few minutes of deep silence, he broke the ice. "That was an impressive slap," he said, with a mixture of admiration and concern in his voice. Meg remained silent. She knew she couldn't undo what she had already done, but she also had no desire to do so. "Mister Abraham," she said in a shaky voice, fighting back the tears streaming down her face, "Someone needs to believe me. I did not invite William into my room. I never would!
James thought too much, especially early in the morning when he was too awake to sleep and too sleepy to do anything but smoke. So he would just sit there in his office lost in daydreams and whining, he would let his eyes wander around the bookcase full of books, while his mind was lost in thought. However, Meg's blue eyes were the subject that most often stole his thoughts and left him absorbed in rambling. He sighed before taking another drag on his cigarette. Maybe Mr. Abraham was right and he was wrong. Maybe William had set him up and someone from inside his house facilitated his entry in exchange for some financial benefit. Although the servants in his house were old and loyal to his late mother who had always been a kind woman, they were not crazy about his wife, Angelina. He felt rather stupid, Meg was a good and innocent girl who would never take a man into her bedroom. And he was a foolish man who was blinded by jealousy. While James was immersed in these thoughts, o