Chapter 116 - Hundred And Sixteen
"That is enough!"
Elena’s voice cut through the tension like a shard of glass.
Philip’s knuckles were white where he gripped the collar of his brother’s shirt. Eric stared back at him, his own eyes burning with the same intensity. For a long moment, neither moved. Then, hearing his grandmother’s command, Philip’s fingers slowly uncurled. He pushed Eric away with a final, resentful shove while he took a step back. Eric stumbled back a step, straightening his collar with a sharp tug, his gaze never leaving Philip’s face.
Elena spoke to her eldest grandson, her voice now slightly calm. "Take Lady Anne to her home."
Hearing this, Anne’s face fell. Her heart sank into her stomach. This was not how the afternoon was supposed to go. She had imagined gaining the Duchess’s blessing, not being dismissed from her home. She pressed her lips together, her hands twisting her dress until her knuckles hurt.
Then, Elena turned her disappointed gaze to her younger grandson. "You, too, Eric. Take your wife, the Duchess Delia, home. This lunch is over." She looked from one brother to the other, her expression hard as stone. "If you cannot behave with a shred of civility under this roof, then neither of you will be allowed back into this house ever again. Am I understood?"
"Grandmother," Philip began, a note of protest in his voice.
"I will not drag this unpleasantness out any further," Elena said, her voice rising now, a clear and final warning. "What are you going to do? Will you obey me or not?"
Philip was silent. His jaw was clenched so tightly a muscle jumped in his cheek. He wanted to argue, to defend himself, but he saw the look in his grandmother’s eyes and knew it was useless. He had pushed her too far. He gave a stiff, formal bow of his head.
Elena got up from her seat, placing her linen napkin neatly on the table. "I have lost my appetite," she announced to the room. With that, she turned and swept out of the dining area, her footsteps making sharp, lonely sounds on the marble floor.