Chapter 19

• JOAN'S POV
• I couldn’t stop crying as Lady Irene pulled me away from Sir Derrick’s office. The memories of Jake's hits and my own screams haunted me. The memories replayed in my mind like a broken record. I remembered how he would always insult me coupled with the cold look in his eyes when he would hit me.
• Lady Irene held me gently, patting my back with one hand and rubbing soothing circles on my arm with the other. Her touch was comforting. Her touch felt so different from the cold violent hands I remembered.