"Where were you today?" my husband scowled at me.

"I went to mass" I lied praying now that he believed me.

He nodded his head and turned back to his important case, so I was able to slip past the parlor doors and make my way up the large mahogany stairs of our home. I slipped into our room and quietly shut the door behind me.

Lying on the bed I can catch a glimpse of myself in the porcine edged mirror on the wall across from me. Since I had washed my face with the cold cloth from the water basin my ugly black and blue bruises are now apparent. You see I am the wife of Jack Webbster the most feared lawyer in New York City. They say he is devils spawn the way he wins every case with venomous and clipped words of which have no compassion could ever come. They speak in hushed whispers as I pass in the market place, and you must be wondering by now who they is well that is a question of simple answer every one.

For you to best understand me and my story perhaps I shall start at what could be called the beginning. I was born of Elise and James Parker in the town of wealthy Manhattan. Among me were five brothers and sisters. My brother Mark is now thirty and his wife Amelia, who is twenty-four, have been married four years; and they are excepting their second child. My sister Carry was taken from us by a horrid case of meningitis that spread to her heart. Carl my other brother is now twenty and in the middle of planning a marriage. My sister Sara is twenty three, only two years younger than I, and she is by far my favorite sibling; though she now lives far away in California. Finally my other sister Tamara has also left us, she died a year ago in a train crash coming to visit home.

My father died before I could reach the age of five; and mother was always away at parties or fancy trips, so I was pretty much raised by my governess. Mother always stressed the importance of us girls growing up and marrying a rich and well respected man. My mothers favorite saying always was "Antonia one day you will marry and it will be your greatest honor." If it is only one thing I know then this is it...Jack is not my honor he is my downfall.

We were married on the eve of New Years just three years ago. He has had a horrible temper from the start hitting me when I do the slightest thing wrong. I am made to do the cooking and the cleaning even though we have more than enough money to hire help. I am allowed no privacy my days are planned and all my letters to friends checked. Now you must wonder why I am smiling well I have a secret and a secret it shall be kept.