Page 39 of Lela's Choice

Lela rose to her feet. “What ‘ancient animosities’?” She licked her dry lips, willing the Debrincat matriarch to answer her intrusive demand.

“Your mother would have been proud that you took her name. You’re very like her, you know.”

“How do you know I took my mother’s name?” Lela whispered.

“She wrote to me after you were born, telling me about her beautiful Carmen. The strongest of all her babies, she believed.” She smiled at Lela’s surprise. “When Sophie told me her mother was dead and her aunt’s name was Lela, I asked questions.”

“You knew my mother?”

“She was my closest friend when we were children. She sent occasional letters until her death. I was devastated when she moved to Australia to marry your father.”

“My sister, Mariella, was named after you,” said Lela, feeling her way. “Mama loved Papa very much.”

“But she didn’t change him.” Bitterness entered the older woman’s voice. “A ruthless young man, interested in winning whatever the cost.”

“He was different when she was alive. Content, fun.” Lela knew exactly the kind of man he was, but grief had played its part in crippling him. “She was the only person he truly loved.”

“What about your brothers, Sophie, or you?”

“Boys are different.” Lela grimaced. “Little lords—and there’s that edge of self-congratulation in producing boys. He indulges Sophie too much. Perhaps we’ve all spoiled Sophie. Papa’s still a patriarch of the old style, so he also thinks he can control Sophie’s choices.”

“You understand love then, little Lela. And you must be a constant puzzle to him. What does he think of you?” Mariella Debrincat tilted her head to one side, a half-smile on her face.

“He respects me.” Lela had worked hard for his respect; she’d prefer to know he loved her.

“As he should. I tried to talk your mother out of marrying him.”

“Why are you telling me this?”Why didn’t Papa tell me this?

“Because he hated me for that, hated me for putting that pressure on your mother. When I discovered who Peter had brought home with him, I worried your father might try and hurt my Peter to punish me.” The older woman was shockingly right.

“I give you my word no harm will come to Peter for helping my niece.” Lela’s father still had the power to shame her. Lela would call him on this, but wouldn’t be disloyal here and now.

“I can see that, my dear.” She leaned forward to kiss Lela on both cheeks. “Very like your mother.”

After making their farewells, Hamish took Lela’s elbow to steer her out, his body shielding her from any onlookers in the house. “What’s distressed you?”

“She can see it too. He’s decided to punish Peter.”Illalu. “Papa would have recognised the Debrincat name. You told him we were coming here.”

“Yeah, he didn’t tell me he knew the family. Kept hammering the idea Debrincat was afterhismoney.”

“Mariella Debrincat’s wealth dwarfs anything Sophie could bring.”

“The motives of lovers and the benefits of strategic alliances are probably a hot topic for the Debrincat dynasty as well.” Hamish looked over her head. “Meeting you has allayed her fears of blackmail.”

“Blackmail’s not what I’m frightened of.” She shivered. “If Mariella supported the relationship, it wouldn’t matter if Sophie came from wealth or not. Would the Maltese government really prosecute Peter for having a relationship with Sophie now? Wouldn’t they take into account that she’s eighteen in two months? That she’s an Australian citizen where the age of consent is sixteen?”

“Mrs. Debrincat wasn’t prepared to take any chances.”

The fact Hamish recognised the threat terrified her more.

“That was one night,” Lela wailed.

“Mariella Debrincat will testify that Sophie slept with her.”

“Mariella Debrincat’s not in Gozo.”

“I’d put money on that old woman having given explicit instructions for domestic arrangements in Gozo. Separate bedrooms, with the relatives as chaperone.”

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