“Father,” Camilla speaks up. “I am sure Prim would never try such a devious scheme. This is our Prim we are talking about.”
The gentle reminder coming from the mouth of a young lady barely out of her leading strings made the truth starker. Vernon and Sarah Jenkins, the Viscount and Viscountess of Pembroke, Prim’s own father and mother, didn’t really know their own daughter.
“I see,” her mother softened. “Such outrageous lies.”
“Preposterous,” her father echoed.
Prim took a deep breath. Now she could focus on the real problem instead of fighting her own parents to persuade them of her innocence.
“But then,” her mother tilted her head and looked at Prim, “who would circulate such a lie and expose you?”
“I…” Prim was ready to argue the same thing.
“Oh, Prim,” her father shook his head.
Prim frowned again as both of them looked at her, their eyes dripping suspicion. They wouldn’t assume that she was… Moments ago, she was relieved that they agreed that her virtue remains intact, and now they were openly implying…
“Why would you conceive such a risky strategy, Prim?” both accused.
“Mother,” Prim tightened her jaw, “what is it exactly that you are saying?”
“We are simply asking if you wrote something like this,” her father said with a straight face.
“You think I wrote this?”
“Who else would?” her father shrugged.
“Why did you do that, Primrose?” Her mother added. “For some attention?”
The simmering flames of anger that Primrose has managed to keep in check roared. Her shoulders squared, her jaw tightened, and she dug her nails into her palms, desperately trying to contain the volcano that was threatening to erupt. This went too far.
It was one thing to allege that she was entangled in a scandal with a man. But somehow, to have them think that she would deliberately expose herself in such a way is way worse. Her own mother and father didn’t even pause to think before accusing her that she fabricated such a ruinous lie just to gain the spotlight.
They thought that she was reckless and inconsiderate. That she wouldn’t hesitate to drag her name, her family’s name and most importantly, her own sisters’ name through the mud for what exactly? Exposure? A moment of notoriety?
“I think I spoke too hastily before,” Prim said, her tone icy. “I said the article was a lie, top to bottom.”
Her parents shifted uneasily, sensing the shift in her posture.
“But the sheet spoke some truths.”
“Primrose,” her father warned.
“Especially talking aboutyourdevious plans to marry me off in trade for money and station.”
“Enough!” Her mother stepped closer.
“You believe that I would leak such things about my person, for personal gain, because this is something thatyouwould do.”
“I said enough!”
Her mother’s hand rose and fell on her cheek once with force. Prim’s head snapped to the side, the sting blooming hot and immediate. Her ears rang. Her cheek burned. Her neck throbbed with the echo of the blow.
Her sisters whimpered, and for a single frozen moment, the entire room seemed to stop breathing.
“Prim,” her mother closed the distance.
Still in shock, Prim felt her mother’s arms around her. The embrace warmed her cold body. Prim noted with a pang of disappointment the way her heart leapt. Neither of her parents was ever cruel, but they were never warm either. Being hugged by someone other than her younger sisters was a rare occasion.
