To her credit, Prim didn’t shrivel and diminish herself. That would mean that you felt unsafe in his presence and in their house. At the same time, Prim did not ask for forgiveness, and that told him one thing. Bridget did not come uninvited. Prim had allowed her in.
“Leo,” Prim started.
“This was all my fault, Leo.” Bridget intervened.
“I will address the subject of uninvited and unwanted guests in my house in a minute,” Leo cut off his own mother.
“It is not Prim’s fault. I used the fake excuse and burst into the room, forcing her to cater to me till you came.”
“I dislike being lied to, so I would suggest you explain yourself now, Prim.”
“I invited your mother for tea.”
“Why?”
It felt as if a volcano was trying to contain itself. When he looked at her with that look that said she made the decision that affected him without consulting him first, he was ready to erupt. He would have if Bridget hadn’t intervened.
“You wouldn't talk to me and wouldn't answer my letters,” Bridget said, taking a step his way.
Leo lifted his hand to cut her advance short. It's been years, too many years since his mother had touched him like a son. It was quite suspicious that she wanted to do so under these circumstances.
“Please, Leo, you must hear me out. I know you think I plotted against you with Aaron. I promise you, I had nothing to do with any of this. Until you pointed it out at dinner, it hadn't even crossed my mind that Aaron would do such a thing to you.”
“You have said your piece, and now it's time to go.”
“Leo, I am your mother. I would never do anything to hurt you.”
Leo chuckled cruelly at those words. That might have been true while his father was alive, but not anymore.
“Then you have nothing to fear, Lady Covington. The truth, you see, has the annoying ability to always surface in the end, no matter how hard some people try to bury it.”
“I am begging you, believe what I'm saying is true. It pains me to think that you have this opinion about me.”
“Then take that pain and imagine how it would be to know that your mother and her son would go to such great lengths to smear your reputation and destroy you.”
“I see that you are angry, but-”
"I am not angry,” Leo cut her off, his voice dangerously calm. “I am rightfully indignant. There is a difference. One is an emotion. The other is a verdict.”
Bridget faltered against his resolve and took one small step back, as if Leo had attempted to strike her. The blow was more devastating than any physical harm. The message was clear. Leo would not stop his pursuit. He would find the evidence he was looking for, and he wouldn't hesitate to lay it before a judge, a jury, or all of London.
“Leo, please.”
“You have made your plea, even if you had to use a ploy for this audience. Now, please leave my household and never come back here. Do not contact my wife or me ever again.”
The Duchess lost her posture, her shoulders slumped, her eyes fixated on the ground. Perhaps she was hiding her frustration, perhaps she thought that a few tears would change his opinion. Whatever she had in her mind, she must have now just realized that she was going back empty-handed.
Without saying anything else, Bridget turned to Prim, touched her lightly on her hands, and left the room. The sound of the front door closing echoed throughout the state.
Leo looked down at the elaborate designs of his oriental rug. He took a deep breath to calm himself and to conjure a sharp intellect as well as restraint so that he would keep his calm and make the right decision for his family’s future. Only when he thought he was ready did he turn to face his wife.
“Is there some kind of excuse you’re going to procure for this blatant violation of my home by my own enemies?”
“I was trying to help you.”
“Strange. From where I was standing, it seemed that you were helping Bridget.”
“When I said you, I meant both of you.”
