Elissa had no patience left for Marcia’s endless usations. She looked straight at her grandmother. “Grandma, the police have already been called. They’re still investigating.”
“Don’t you try to twist the truth!”
Marcia’s righteous indignation was almost theatrical, her tone fiercely protective, as if she were shielding her own child. “Hickey was hurt, and you were the only one there. Who else could it be? It’s been days, and you haven’t even bothered to check on him at the hospital. If that’s not a guilty conscience, what is?”
Elissa could hardly believe Marcia would stoop to such twisted logic.
Her grandmother’s sharp gazended on Elissa, voice cold and stern. “Elissa, is what your sister–inw said true?”
“It is, but I’m not-<b>” </b>
“That’s enough!” her grandmother cut her off, her tone icy. “No matter how much you and your sister–inw quarrel, the child is innocent in all this. There are guests here today, so you can spend the night in the chapel and think about what you’ve done.”
The Atwater family’s chapel was both a shrine to their ancestors and a ce for upholding family discipline. Tucked away in a lonely corner of the garden, it was quiet and secluded. In winter, it was freezing; in summer, stiflingly hot.
It wasn’t as harsh as the Murphy family’s punishment of kneeling on gravel, but a night in the unheated chapel in the dead of winter would almost certainly leave her with a fever.
Elissa lifted her eyes, ncing at Frank. He remained unmoved, his expression unreadable. She gave a wry twist of her lips.
“Grandma, I know, I was the only one there, but I was just-<b>” </b>
She was about to defend herself when a suddenmotion from the
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Chapter <b>95 </b>
staircase drew everyone’s attention.
The Atwater family turned to look, and Elissa realized–Rowan had
arrived.
Wherever Rowan Murphy went, he was always surrounded by admirers. Tonight was no exception; a small crowd of society’s elite clustered around him, eager for his attention.
He seemed to be in unusually good spirits, not brushing people off with his typical aloof indifference, but responding to them with a light, easy
manner.
Perhaps it was because tonight, he had brought a date.
Lorraine stood at his side, her hand resting elegantly on Rowan’s arm. Her evening gown was perfectly tailored, entuating every graceful curve.
So, she’s his girlfriend now… Lorraine.
Gentle and poised, Elissa thought, they matched well.
She shifted her gaze away, keeping her expression calm, just as Old Mrs. Atwater called out with augh, “Well, I didn’t expect to see you here in person tonight.”
“If I didn’t show up, and my sister was being falsely used, who else would speak for her?” Rowan replied with azy smile, half joking, half
serious.
The room fell silent at his words.
Since their falling out, this was the first time Rowan had publicly acknowledged Elissa as his sister. In the past, people had tried to prod him about their rtionship, but he’d never given a straight answer.
Only Elissa, eyes downcast, seemed unaffected. She stared quietly at the floorboards, giving no sign she’d heard a thing.
She’d long since given up trying to guess what Rowan was thinking. Now, surrounded by the Atwaters and with the tes watching from the sidelines, she knew better than to make a scene in front of all these
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people.
Old Mrs. Atwater tried to catch Elissa’s eye, silently urging her to smooth things over. Elissa didn’t even nce her way, so the old woman shot a sharp look at Marcia instead.
Marcia clenched her fists, her expression awkward as she tried to save face. “Mr. Murphy, I was only speaking out of turn. I didn’t mean to use Elissa–she is my sister–inw, after all.”
“Ms. Carson,” Lorraine’s soft smile carried a subtle warning, “if you <i>know </i>you’re only guessing, maybe keep it to yourself next time. Otherwise, if Elissa is wronged, I’m sure Mr. Murphy, as her brother, won’t <i>take </i>kindly
to it.”
“Let’s not get carried away,” Frank said smoothly, his words both conciliatory and evasive. “Marcia just spoke without thinking. Of course, the Atwater family would never let Elissa be mistreated.”
“That’s certainly for the best,” Lorraine replied, clearly speaking on Rowan’s behalf. Then she turned to Old Mrs. Atwater, presenting her a birthday gift with a warm smile. “Mrs. Atwater, wishing you a long life filled with happiness.”
“Thank you, dear,” the old woman replied, beaming. She turned to Rowan, her eyes twinkling. “It’s rare to see you with a youngdy by your side. Should we be expecting good news soon?”
Lorraine blushed, saying nothing, waiting for Rowan to answer.
Since he’d walked in, Elissa hadn’t looked up once. She felt present in the
room, but at the same time utterly out of ce.
Frank’s words, for all their surface neutrality, made it clear he was taking Marcia’s side. The spot that used to belong to her, by Rowan’s side, was now filled by someone else.
She didn’t know where to rest her gaze, or even how to hold herself. No matter how she looked at it, she was the one who simply didn’t belong.
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