The Beauty Of Rose

A F T E R

Bert nodded.

"Do you know how many?"

"He's lying," Victoria hissed.

"It's hard to say, Sir. Miss Sill did her best to be discreet so I cannot give an approximate count. But I directly observed the passing of two gentlemen in the hallway or staircase."

"Thank you," Matthew said. He turned to Victoria. "See?"

"He's lying, Matthew! Rose probably fed him exactly—"

"Enough!" Matthew thundered. "I'm not going to play this game with you any longer. Whether or not you want to admit to your folly is your concern. But I'm done."

"What are you going to do?" Victoria challenged. "Try and beat the baby out of me?"

The suggestion made Matthew feel physically sick. "You're going to leave this very minute."

"I don't get at least a day to arrange my things?"

"When I met you, you wore three cheap dresses that you threw out the minute I bought you more. I gave you the world Victoria, and you squandered it for God-knows-what. If you'd just kept your legs closed, you actually would've succeeded in becoming my wife." He couldn't resist the urge to laugh. "Thank God you didn't."

"So, I leave with nothing?"

"You can leave with the clothes on your back. And even that is courteous. I have never met a more vindictive, evil person my entire life."

Victoria's face did not react to the insult. "And if I refuse to leave?"

"I'll drag you out myself."

"She ruined everything," Victoria whispered.

"You're the only person you have to blame for your predicament."

"If she hadn't stuck out her neck and opposed a divorce that should've ended years ago...if you hadn't burned down her lovers house....if she didn't exist..." Victoria looked as if she were fighting back angry tears. "None of this would've happened." Matthew laughed coldly. "What's so funny?" she bit out.

"You," he said. "You're a complete jest if you think that my wife is the mistake here. It's you. You may seem appealing on the outside, but within, you're ugly, Victoria. Absolutely hideous. The only reason I haven't bothered to call the constable about your murder attempt is because they'd never convict a pregnant woman, anyway. They'd blame it on nerves, or the petty jealousies of mistress and wife."

Matthew walked so close to her he could smell her rotten perfume. "I'd never hurt a woman. So, no, to answer your question earlier, I could never raise a hand to you." He put his mouth to her ear. "But if I could you see you hung for all the heartache you caused my wife, I would gladly pull the trap door." He heard Victoria take a sharp exhale. He drew back so his blue eyes directly connected with her green ones. "That is how much hatred you've inspired in me. Do you understand?"

Tears were trailing down Victoria's cheeks. Matthew couldn't tell if they were real or fake, but he didn't care either way. "I understand." Without further persuasion, Victoria lifted her chin, and walked out the front door. Matthew shifted his attention to Bert.