I Was Her Servant for Five Years, Now She Begs Me to Stay novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: On Her Knees

Camille's POV

My mother had never said a word in public that my father hadn't written for her.

Now she stood in the front row with her pearls in her fist, and two hundred people turned to look.

"Lucille," Gerald said. "Sit down."

"No."

It was the smallest word I had ever heard her say, and the whole room heard it.

"Five years ago my husband told that young man our daughter would be harmed if he told her the truth," she said. "It wasn't true. The doctor never said it. Gerald said it, and I said it after him, every month, and I told Nolan he was a saint."

"Mother," I said.

"I gave the board's counsel every date this morning, in writing." She was shaking. "Now I'll say it where Gerald has to hear it. Two years ago I saw Camille's face in the garden, and I knew she had her memory. And I said nothing again."

Nobody coughed.

"That boy knelt on this floor," my mother said, "and I held his arm while he did it."

She turned to Nolan.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry, Nolan."

He looked at her for a long time.

He didn't say it was all right.

I loved him for that.

The chairman of Ashworth Marine's board got to his feet, buttoning his jacket.

"Gerald," he said. "We'll want your keys and your office by Monday morning."

"You don't have the votes."

"Look behind you."

My father looked.

Every man in the three rows of dark suits had risen with him.

Gerald stood alone in the aisle in his perfect morning coat, with his hand still half raised toward the guards.

The guards weren't moving.

Not one of them looked at him.

Preston's father had Preston by the sleeve.

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