Chapter 1 #3
“Och, aye.” Athena sat back with a satisfied grin.
“He says that the only way our clan can move into the future is if we ken our past, so he is paying for the manuscripts, then the finder’s fees, then the bonuses.
Why, last month a piece came up in auction in Inverness that was really quite scandalous.
It was a packet of letters from an Oliphant lady to her husband in the last century, full of personal details, and he paid almost two hundred pounds for it. ”
Mother, whose brows had risen at the line an Oliphant lady, now dropped her jaw and made a little choking noise.
“Good heavens,” Bonnie placed her teacup on the table as well, but her gaze remained locked on Athena. “Clearly he is passionate about such a project.”
“And I am as well. I have made it clear to Da and all our couriers that I will pay double for documents related to Oliphant women. So easily, we are overlooked and ignored, and I am tired of it.”
As Bonnie murmured “Hear, hear” with a glance toward Mother, Tiffany found herself blinking. Lady Athena must be wealthy indeed, to make that kind of offer.
“Tiffany!” Mother’s sharp, sudden call startled Tiffany so much, she actually jumped, but did her best to arrange her features into a vaguely curious smile as she met her mother’s eyes. “Do you have anything to add to this fascinating discussion?”
Before Tiffany could answer—not that she was doing much more than murmuring, “That sounds fascinating”—her mother had turned back to Lysander and was saying with utmost confidence, “My eldest daughter is as intelligent as her sister, but knows no man likes to have his nose rubbed in it, so she—”
To Tiffany’s—and Mother’s—surprise, Athena interrupted her.
“On the contrary, Baroness Oliphant. In my family, we value education and would never think of belittling a person just because she enjoys learning as much as we do.” The look she turned on Lysander was almost angry, as if urging him to participate. “Is that no’ right, brother?”
As all eyes—including Tiffany’s—turned to him, Lysander lazily crossed one leg over the other and nodded, his gaze still glued to Tiffany. She resisted the urge to squirm in her seat like a naughty child. “That is correct, Athena. I ken ye enjoyed yer schooling.”
“Yes, well, it did not do her much good, did it?” muttered Mother snidely.
Bonnie and Tiffany both sucked in gasps at their mother’s poor manners to mention The Incident, and Lysander finally—finally—turned his cold gaze from Tiffany. “What was that, Baroness Oliphant?”
For a moment, Mother looked uncomfortable, and while Tiffany knew it would be cruel to rejoice in another’s discomfort, at least she wasn’t the one pinned under Lysander’s glare anymore.
But Mother wouldn’t be Mother without the ability to brush off any judgement which didn’t meet her standards.
She regained her equilibrium remarkably quickly.
“Oh, poo, Lord Blah-blah-blah! I am certain ye understand I mean no disrespect to your family. But you have to admit that finishing school did not accomplish what was necessary when it came to Lady Athena.”
Mortified by the insult, with Athena sitting right there, her smile frozen in place, Tiffany realized she was leaning away from her mother, trying to distance herself.
“My sister is an intelligent, brave, strong-minded young lady, and I admire her greatly,” Lysander bit out coldly.
“Yes, of course you would think that.” Mother smiled tightly at Athena. “But even you would admit, Lady Athena, that you are not exactly the model of propriety a young lady should aspire to be.”
Tiffany resisted the urge to groan and pinch the bridge of her nose.
Surely Mother couldn’t be this snobbish?
Was she the only one who could see Lysander’s hands tightening on the arms of his chair? Was he about to launch himself across the tea setting to strangle her mother?
“I am certain you all must love your sweet nephew very much!” Tiffany burst out, the only thing she could think to do to defuse the situation. Unfortunately, her attempt only drew Lysander’s attention back onto her once more.
His changeable eyes were bright with anger when he raked his gaze over her. “Indeed,” he finally bit out, and she could see him relaxing his hold as he inhaled slowly. “Wee Callan is a wonderful lad.”
“The light of our lives,” Athena agreed stiffly.
Mother merely sniffed again as she leaned forward to place her empty cup delicately on the table.
“Really, Tiffany, bringing up such a topic in polite company. I thought you knew better than that.”
Her scold might be half-hearted, but Tiffany did her best to hide her incredulity—and hurt—that her mother would blame her for such a faux pas.
Luckily, Lysander came to her rescue. “Why no’ tell us more about Da’s fascinating library plans?” he suggested.
As Athena—still glaring at Mother—began to describe her father’s efforts, which were aided by Lady Dumpkins, Tiffany felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. She exhaled and sent Lysander a grateful smile.
But his hard stare told her he hadn’t forgiven her for what she’d done wrong.