Page 64 of A Scot's Pride
“Freya, you answer me, you wicked girl,” their mother shrieked.
Freya drew in a breath, finding it somewhere within her heart not to start shouting obscenities because she wasn’t one to curse but also because if she did, her mother would never listen. Her poor nerves.
“Well, Mama, it’s simple.” Freya’s voice was much steadier than she’d thought it would be. “You’re assuming that Leila was abducted by Campbell. But she went willingly with him to elope, knowing that she was underage, and you didn’t approve. Then she and her abductor held our carriage up at gunpoint, causing our carriage to crash, which caused me bodily injury. As in glass piercing my skin, and I had to be stitched up. All of those reasons put together, but even taken apart, are why she and this man—if you can call him that—were treated as criminals. Because they are criminals.”
Mama’s mouth had fallen open, and she couldn’t close it or form words, just flapped it like a fish. Someone ought to toss her back in the water.
“Is this true?” Papa asked Bryson, flicking his gaze to where Campbell sat tied up in the front of the carriage. Campbell had the good grace not to look at anyone. Though Freya supposed that was because he was a coward and not because he had manners enough to show he was contrite.
“Aye, sir.” Bryson’s tone was strong and sure. “I plan to take Campbell to the magistrate now for his crimes. He will be punished.”
“No!” Leila wailed, dropping to the ground in hysterics, her skirts billowing up around her, making her look even more dramatic and pathetic.
“Oh, can’t we put this all behind us?” Mama asked, kneeling beside her daughter, clutching Leila’s hand and trying to smooth her skirt. “My poor nerves, and Leila’s too. She made a mistake, and as good people, we should forgive her.”
Freya blanched. Had the baroness forgotten that her poor Leila had nearly killed her other daughter? Freya glanced at Riley, who had her brows raised nearly to her hairline in shock.
“A mistake?” Freya said, incredulous. “Is that what you call it? All of the things she did were not a mistake. A mistake is forgetting to put your napkin in your lap or skipping a loop when tying your boots. Intentionally running away with a man you have no business being with and committing highway robbery is not a mistake. Mama, you do understand that if it had been any other carriage, Leila would be in a jail cell far from here right now? Facing the noose, I might add?”
The baroness sat back hard on her heels and glared at Freya as if all the facts had been warped and pinpointed back at Freya instead of Leila. “Why would you say such a thing?”
Now it was Freya’s turn to open her mouth in shock and stare at her mother. How could she say such a thing? The truth? My god, someone please toss me back in the water with the fishes. This can’t actually be happening.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to say anything as Cousin Arthur took the lead. He stepped in front of the baroness, straightening to his full—if short—height as he stared down his nose at her mother.
“Madam, pardon me for saying so, but your daughter, Miss Leila, is completely to blame here. She has put her family through a scandalous ordeal that will have repercussions for years. Repercussions I’m not certain anyone will ever recover from.” He glanced at Grace. “. Five years may not be enough time to assuage the sensibilities of any commonsense person before Grace comes out in society. Miss Leila has disgraced your family. She has brought shame to the Grysham household, and you seek to blame the one who went to bring her home?” Cousin Arthur tsked and shook his head back and forth. “Shame on you for not placing blame where it is due. Perhaps because of your poor parenting, Miss Leila even felt herself adult enough to create such folly. You should be thanking Miss Freya and Lord Lovat for bringing her back rather than letting the law have its due.”
For the first time, Freya didn’t find her cousin irritating. He spoke with more sense than she gave him credit for or had heard him use, well, ever.
“Well, I never,” started the baroness, standing to her full height, which matched Cousin Arthur’s. She drew in a breath that meant soon Cousin Arthur would hear an earful.
But thankfully, Papa stepped in front of her, shielding Cousin Arthur. “Henrietta, that’s quite enough.”
Her mother’s name on her father’s tongue was so foreign to Freya that it was as if she’d never heard it before.
“Leila, go to your room, and do not attempt to leave it while we pick up the pieces of the mess you’ve made.” Papa used a stern voice that she’d never heard before. He’d always been so good-natured, and when he was annoyed with anyone, he walked away, preferring to be alone in his study and not to raise his voice.
Leila stared in horror at their father, waiting perhaps for the punchline and not believing what he’d said.
“Did you hear me?” he asked with steel in his voice. “Go. Now.”
Leila burst into sobs—which seemed quite practiced—and rushed into the house. Mama opened her mouth to speak again, thought better of it, and ran after Leila, calling her name.
Two peas in a pod. It was a wonder the entire family hadn’t borne a scandal before now.
Papa turned to Cousin Arthur. “I suspect you’ll want out of your marriage contract now, given the shame brought down on this family.” His words were not said kindly; the first show that he was irritated by their cousin’s censure.
“On the contrary,” Cousin Arthur said. “I am very fond of Molly, and she has a kind, pure heart. If anyone will be able to restore the family’s reputation, it is she.” He smiled at Molly with genuine affection, which Freya found oddly endearing.
Papa turned to Molly, his face emotionless. “And you, my dear, do you still wish to wed Cousin Arthur?”
Molly’s face flamed red, her hands folded demurely in front of her. She stared down at her feet and gave a nod. “Yes, Papa.”
“You’re certain?” Papa coaxed. “Now is the time to say if you feel otherwise.”
“I’m very certain, Papa.”
“Very well then. We’ll have the banns read for you and Riley at the same time. Ashbury has made it clear he will wed Riley no matter what.”
