Unending Devotion (Michigan Brides #1)(86)

And when Lily would try to reassure Daisy that eventually she’d meet a nice young man who would love her and want to marry her, she would only say, “Nice boys won’t want a girl like me.”

Lily prayed Daisy wasn’t right. They would have to work hard to put the winter behind them, forget about it, pretend it never happened. Eventually, the memories would fade. And when the right man came along for Daisy, maybe he could forgive Daisy for her time at the Stockade.

A squeak of a desk chair and the thump of a book falling to the floor came from the library.

Lily moved toward the door with a new lightness of step. Whatever could bring Daisy from her room and fill her with fresh laughter was worthy of capturing and using again.

Another soft laugh came through the crack in the door, followed by a gasp.

Lily didn’t bother to knock. She pushed the door open with a ready smile, breathing in the heavy scent of varnish and musty books.

But her entire body came to a crashing halt at the sight before her. Her blood chilled into a frozen river. And her smile turned to ice.

Daisy was perched on the edge of an enormous oak desk flanked on either side by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Sitting in the chair in front of her was Tierney. Daisy’s skirt was bunched up, revealing her stockingless legs. And even worse, her bodice hung loosely, exposing her.

Much to Lily’s dismay, Tierney leaned his face toward the girl. As his lips made contact, Lily expected Daisy to push him away and to utter horrified words of protest. But she didn’t move.

Lily took a step forward. She had to help Daisy put a stop to Tierney’s advances.

But Daisy closed her eyes and gave a soft sigh.

Did Daisy enjoy Tierney’s touch? Surely she didn’t. Surely she was only putting on a show.

But a deep part of her soul wrenched with pain at the realization that perhaps Daisy had become more tainted through her experiences than she wanted to admit.

Lily took another step into the room and shook her head. This was all wrong. Tierney had obviously cornered Daisy and forced her to debase herself.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, her voice trembling.

With a gasp, Daisy sat up and scrambled off the desk, tugging her bodice with trembling fingers.

Tierney leaned back in the chair, its creak echoing in the tense silence. He crossed his hands behind his head and grinned. “Well, hello there, Lily. How are you today?”

The purplish half moon beneath one of his eyes was all that remained from Connell’s beating.

Did he think this was a game? He was a married man. Daisy was vulnerable and hurting. “How dare you do this to my sister!”

He shrugged and perched his feet on the edge of the desk, crossing them at the ankles. “What can I say? Your sister is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

Daisy dipped her head. But Lily could see the flush of pleasure his words brought the girl.

Angry flames seared Lily’s insides. “You know we’re trying to make a new life for ourselves. Leave Daisy alone. For the love of all that’s good and decent, let her try to put her past behind her.”

Her plea rang through the library, against the dark paneled wainscoting of the walls to the bright bay window in the front and the dark billiard room in the rear.

“Daisy’s a grown woman. She can decide what she wants.”

“No, she can’t.” Lily glanced around the room, her fingers itching to grab something—anything—to throw at Tierney’s mocking face. She spotted a knit blanket draped across one of the cushioned chairs near the fireplace.

With determined steps, she retrieved the covering, draped it across Daisy’s shoulders, and then propelled the girl toward the door.

Daisy didn’t resist. She hung her head, letting her long hair fall into her face, refusing to meet Lily’s gaze.

“Daisy is the only family I have left.” Lily spat the words at Tierney, hating his grin that rose higher. “She’s my responsibility. I won’t let you hurt her. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to stop you.”

Tierney lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Whoa! Don’t crucify me.”

“You’re nothing like your brother.”

“I try hard not to be.”

She didn’t stop to analyze the bitter edge to Tierney’s voice. Instead, she circled her arm around Daisy and hurried her back to their bedroom. Once the door closed behind them, she brushed Daisy’s hair aside and began to fasten the buttons at the back of the dress. Lily’s throat ached and her fingers trembled.

“Stop, Lily.” Daisy shrugged her hand off and walked toward the large window. She yanked open the curtain, letting light spill into the dark room. For a long moment, the girl stared out the window, tears sliding down her cheeks and the knit blanket drooping down one bare shoulder.

Anguish tore through Lily’s stomach. She wanted to go to Daisy and pull her into an embrace, comfort her, and reassure her that everything would be all right. But there was a stiffness to Daisy’s stance that stopped her.

“Stop treating me like a child,” Daisy finally said, swiping at the tears.

“But you’re only sixteen—”

“And stop acting like my mother.”

“I’ve always taken care of you.”

“I don’t need you to anymore.”