“But you have to believe me. I would never do such a thing to Leo.”
Prim decided that it was a good time to exercise silence. Anything she would say could be used by Bridget in the unlikely event she was a co-conspirator. And if she wasn't, all Prim had to do was listen.
“For Aaron…” Bridget hesitated. “I do have my suspicions myself. Yet, I can't believe that he would go that far just to hurt Leo and implicate you, an innocent girl. I am not so sure that he would have the capacity to do such a thing.”
“I don't have any proof, Bridget. And frankly, I don't really mind. So far, your son’s plans have inflicted some wounds, but nothing critical. Not that I forgive him, but I can't spend my life looking over my shoulder expecting Aaron to strike.”
“What about Leo?”
“For him, this is personal. personal because they went after his reputation, and because he values my reputation as well. This double attack is not discouraging him, nor is it intimidating him. Aaron keeps circling the lion’s den, and eventually the lion will strike.”
“You must help me.”
“I don't think Imust.”
The Duchess looked at Prim, stunned. It wasn't like Bridget had ever met Prim, being spineless, but this time around, Prim showed a spine of iron. Something akin to pride passed by Bridget's eyes before sadness came over.
“No, you don't have to help me. But please do. My relationship with Leo has always been... difficult. But I don't want him to hate me, to even think that I will do such a thing to him. All I need is a chance to talk to him, to explain, to let him hear my side of the story.”
An explosive mixture came over Prim. First, it was the sight that she had in front of her, a miserable mother trying to fix the relationship she had with her son before it was too late. Then her own relationship with her parents was added to the mix. She was on the other side of this relationship, and she would love to hear, in a civilized, open, and sincere way, what her parents were thinking about everything. Trying to understand them in order to move forward.
And the last thing weighing in her decision was Leo himself. Decisive, tough, and light-hearted, carefree and relaxed as he may seem, Prim knew better. There was still a boy deep down who felt betrayed by his own mother. that felt abandoned and had all this rage festering inside him. If Prim harbored resentment for the way her parents treated her, she could onlyimagine how Leo felt being abandoned at a young age when he had just lost his father.
“I can invite you to the Mildenhall Estate. And I can somehow start the mediation between you and Leo. But after that, you’re on your own. I will not try to influence Leo. That is between you and him.”
Relief washed over Bridget. It was the same thing Prim saw before at the modiste. That same raw, unfiltered vulnerability. Her eyes welled with tears that remained unshed since there were still eyes on them. And though both of them had a plastered smile so that any onlookers would think that this was a cordial conversation, Bridget’s smile had some truth in it.
“Thank you,” Bridget said. “You have a gentle heart, and my son is lucky to have you. You are kinder than I deserve. You have all the reasons to not like me, and yet you are willing to give me a chance.”
“Do not thank me. I am not doing this for you. I am doing this for Leo. It is a heavy feeling to think that your own mother would betray you like this. I would love for this wound to stop festering.”
Prim got up and gave Bridget a little nod, a signal to their mutual understanding. Then the strategic plan resumed. Only this time frame was not feeling very confident. She could face the whole ton, but facing Leo was a different thing. Her only wish was that Leo would see that she was trying to help him, help him heal, and move on.
CHAPTER 26
Calling Card
“Are you sure you’re done?” Edwin asked.
“I know I am done for the day,” Leo said.
“Someone is in a hurry to leave.”
“I am always in a hurry to leave this place,” Leo put on his jacket.
“Not to go home, though,” Edwin said with open innuendo.
“The destination has nothing to do with my aversion of this place.”
“With the aversion no. But the eagerness has a lot to do with the destination, does it not?”
“You’re trying to tell me something. Say it and be done with it.”
“I am just happy that you’re happy.”
“This is not what you wanted to say, but I will accept it because I really have to go.”
Edwin looked at Leo in his office in Westminster. It was a hectic day, and they had been working for hours. Now, both of them were looking forward to going back home. Which sounded natural for everybody else except for Edwin and Leo, at least up to the recent past.
