Page 62 of The Marquess' Disguised Heiress
“What are we do to, Mother?”
“We have to stop Beth from seeing the man. Immediately.”
Victoria nodded, knowing her mother was right. “All we need to do is accuse her of stealing from the family and carrying on with George behind our backs like a loose woman since Amelia saw the two of them almost kiss. That way, we will stop her from setting foot outside the house again unless escorted.”
“That sounds excellent,” her mother sighed. “But if that George or whoever he is, is doing something. He will just continue with it.”
“Mother, I think it is time to say yes to Count Fife for giving Eliza to him in marriage. She will be out and away from here, and the matter will go no further. If anyone asks us about Eliza, we can simply say she is happily married and living with her husband. Moreover, she left everything she once owned for us since her husband has more than enough to provide for her.”
Victoria could see her mother was hesitant about letting Eliza go, but it was important to send her away now. Or else it might end up harming the family.
“You are right,” her mother finally nodded. “I will grant Count Fife’s wish under the sole condition of him signing over Eliza’s inheritance to Edgar since, as her husband, everything she owns will belong to him after marriage. Once that is done, he can take Eliza away. But we will have to wait a little.”
“Why?” Victoria was annoyed.
“We need Eliza to plan the summer masquerade now that the Season has officially begun. This masquerade needs to be bigger and better than the spring masquerade, and only Eliza can do that for us. But once this is done, we will send her away, and in the meantime, we will confront her about what she has been doing in this house.”
“Let’s not delay one bit.”
Victoria had never been happier.
***
Count Fife.
Margaret was horrified that her very own mother and sister could be so cruel as to give someone as lovely and kind as Eliza to a man like Count Fife in marriage.
Moreover, they were making sure that everything she owned was signed over to them as well. As if treating her terribly for so many years was not enough, now they were planning to ruin the rest of her life as well.
It was too much. Margaret knew she could not stand silently and watch this absurdity unfold. She needed to do something.
But what can I do?
“I must talk to George, or whatever his name is,” she whispered to herself, immediately rushing away. Doing so would bring immense trouble to her and her family, but Margaret was not left with much of a choice. Eliza had suffered at the hands of her family already, and she did not need to suffer anymore. It was about time Margaret did something.
Chapter 17
“Beth?” Amelia’s voice made Eliza stopped dusting the library books, especially because the two of them hadn’t talked in days. Even after Eliza had made multiple attempts at reconciliation, Amelia had given her the cold shoulder, which made Eliza eventually stop.
“Yes?” Eliza noticed how Amelia did not meet her gaze, a guilty expression on her face.
That worried Eliza. It was clear that something was wrong.
“The countess is calling you into the parlour.”
Eliza could sense that her aunt would not be calling her for nothing, and Amelia’s guilty expression was enough to tell her that something was surely amiss.
Without asking Amelia anything further, Eliza quickly made her way to the parlour, wanting to know what was wrong.
She walked inside after knocking, her gaze immediately falling on the heap of things placed in the middle of the room. She tried to conceal the shock on her face as she realized those were all gifts her fairy godmother had sent her.
This is not good.
“Why have you been stealing from us, Beth?” Victoria’s sudden question shocked her, and she stared at her cousin dumbly, unable to believe her ears.
Stealing?!
Victoria opened her fist to show Eliza a ring, but Eliza had never even seen the ring before. Everyone in the house, including the Russels, knew perfectly well that Eliza was certainly not one to steal. Everything was falling to pieces.
