Chapter 138: A Slap In The Face (2)
Madeline and Catherine exchanged glances before looking at the two startled men who puzzledly remained rooted to their spot. Struck by their presence, Madeline barely knew how to explain the scenario they just witnessed, hoping they don’t misinterpret her actions as discourtesy, but as she opened her mouth to speak, nothing could come out of it, leading her to close her mouth in dismay, facepalming at the awkwardness that now filled the rigid air.
How was she going to start proving her actions to the two of them when she herself was literally confused? She barely knew, but her worries decreased a bit when Cassian beckoned her over, and with her head lowered, she walked up to him until he shielded the two of them under the protection of his umbrella. Madeline watched as he took off his waist coat and draped it gently on her shoulder to help reduce the cold she was starting to feel.
"Are you alright?" He asked, and Madeline blinked in surprise, stunned that he wasn’t angry at her actions, instead, he sounded concerned about her, making a faint smile grace her lips as she nodded before returning her wary gaze to Catherine, who was still in shock from the slap she just received until Orson approached her with a stern gaze.
"What is wrong with you?" A bit aggravated by his sister’s actions, he felt embarrassed and couldn’t help lashing at her. "The families are already having a tough time as it is, don’t add to it with your drama this morning, save it for another day and behave yourself like the daughter of a Marquees before you land in trouble."
"But she slapped me!" Catherine tried to defend herself regardless, pointing an accusing finger at Madeline as though she was the attacker. "She’s the reason why Jeremy died, she’s responsible for everything that’s happening here, and you’re still defending her??"
"You say she’s responsible, how is she responsible? You sound brave to blame her for it, which means you have something effective enough to prove it, am I right?" Orson questioned. "Give me enough reason why I should believe that she’s responsible for the accusation being thrown at her?" At his strict questions, Catherine’s senses returned as the color on her face blanched, and she was left standing mute as no words could justify her accusations.
There’s no way she could bring herself into revealing how it all started with the bottle and the kidnapping. Orson would hate her for it, and she doesn’t want to be hated by her brother, and most especially by Cassian. It was embarrassing enough that he witnessed her being slapped by his own wife, yet he only showed loving concern to the wretch that hit her on the face.
Catherine could see this as nothing but a double slap as she dejectedly kept quiet.
The disappointment in Orson’s eyes wavered when he bowed his head in apology at Madeline, aware of what had happened before she raised her hand at Catherine. "Forgive my sister’s unruly actions, I will be sure to caution her myself. I plead on her behalf that you forgive her for this."