When Prudence answered Lily’s desperate knock at her chamber door, it was with annoyance.
“You needn’t bang the door down,” she snapped as she stepped back to allow Lily into the antechamber. “What do you want? I’m having tea. By myself, I add, since there apparently isn’t a gathering this afternoon. Rather cheap of the family, I think.”
Lily ignored the scree of nasty comments as she shut the door behind her. “Prudence, I need to speak to you about Alice.”
Her stepmother didn’t offer her tea, but folded her arms in further displeasure. “I’m sure you have nothing to say.Iam her mother, not you, no matter what you think.”
Lily drew a shaky breath and tried to maintain her calm. As much as Prudence’s cruelty shook her, she hadn’t seen it often pointed at Alice. No, Prudence mostly ignored her daughter, but when she did pay attention, it was to push her to the forefront. To try to obtain the best through her. But perhaps she truly did care for her at that.
Lily clung to that idea, even if she deeply doubted its veracity. “I-I was just with Alice for her final fitting of her wedding gown.”
“Lovely, isn’t it?” Prudence said with a thin, cruel smile. “I sparednoexpense. Were you jealous it was far finer than your own to Manning? Honestly, your sister is marrying a viscount and will one day be countess. Whyshouldn’tI spend more on her?”
“You must know I care nothing for that,” Lily said. “Alice deserves lovely things and she looks beautiful. But you cannot be unaware of how unhappy she is with this match, Prudence.”
Her stepmother’s lips tightened. “What do you mean?”
“You watch her as I do, don’t you? You see how she has no connection to Lockhart. You see how she is always on the edge of collapse. Youmustsee it. She’s never been very good about keeping the truth from her expression.”
Though now Lily doubted that statement. Certainly Alice had done a fine job of hiding her true feelings for Mary.
“She will be happy enough when she has a fortune to spend and an estate to enjoy,” Prudence said. “Weallmake sacrifices for our futures. Do you think I loved your father?”
Lily flinched, for if Prudence hadn’t loved him, he had certainly loved her. He’d sacrificed his oldest daughter to make her happy. Chosen her over Lily every time he was offered the opportunity until the day he died.
“If you didn’t, then you must know, as I do, how empty that sort of union can be. You cannot want that for her, not with her romantic, sweet disposition. The wedding is still weeks away—could we not at least hold it to allow further discussion on this matter? Please, think of Alice’s happiness and well-being.”
Her stepmother’s nostrils flared and without warning her hand shot out. She slapped Lily so hard that her head turned and her cheek immediately stung so much that tears came to her eyes. She covered the heat of it with her palm and stared in shock at Prudence.
It wasn’t that it was the first time it had happened. But Prudence hadn’t struck her since she was a child.
“Don’t pretend you care about her happiness,” Prudence hissed. “You care about yourself. About havinghimfor yourself.”
Lily staggered back, hand still pressed against her cheek. She must have heard that wrong. Misunderstood. But how could she misunderstand? Prudence was perfectly clear.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
Prudence stepped forward and it took every ounce of strength in Lily to maintain her position as her stepmother pressed closer, her eyes lit with rage and her hands trembling. “Isawyou two at that rundown tower.”
It felt like Lily’s heart stopped beating, her blood stopped moving, the world stopped turning as she stared at Prudence. There was no doubt Prudence was referring to her and Lockhart. There had been two times she’d been at the tower with him. The first was when they’d toured it originally after he discovered who she was. The second when he’d broken down about his mother and they’d nearly kissed.
Both had been moments of high emotion and intimacy, even if they hadn’t given in to the feelings between them. Neither was a scenario where she would have wanted to be seen by anyone, but most especially this woman.
“When?” she whispered.
Prudence’s eyes widened. “Oh, were there more assignations than when he took you on your little tour? Did you spread your legs for him in the dirt there while your sister slept in her bed not a quarter mile up the lane?”
“No!” Lily gasped out. “I wouldneverdo that to her.”
“Why not? You certainly must want to marry a man of such title and fortune.”
Lily gripped her hands at her sides. Her stepmother was so entirely blind to reality. She drew a long breath. “Even if that’s what you think about me, you must understand that my hesitations aren’t about my own desires, Prudence. Please, put your hatred for me aside, put whatever you think of me and how you wish to hurt me aside, and know that I adore Alice. I wouldneverinterfere for my own sake and I haven’t. I only bring this to you because I must believe you love her, too, and want the best for her.”
“What do you know about what’s best for her?”
“She…she cares for someone else,” she said, and nothing further. She wasn’t about to say who to Prudence. Her stepmother would be shocked by the truth and it would only make things worse. And it wasn’t her secret to reveal. To do so would be just as big a betrayal as her feelings toward Lockhart were.
But Prudence didn’t look surprised by the declaration. She tilted her head back and chuckled. “Are you talking about Mary?”
