The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 64: The gift (3)

"Scarlet! Dear?"

Scarlet sighed upon hearing her mother’s voice. She had made the mistake of not calling her mother to tell her about Ian and now her mother was here. "I am in the study," she answered.

"Working yourself away when you should have been on your way to tell us about the man you are going around town with. I bought you a gift and something from your father," Samara said, raising the two boxes she carried. "I think mine will be what you enjoy most."

Scarlet decided to take a break from work to entertain her mother. ’Thank you. I would have made the trip to you if you told me there was something you wanted to give me. Where is father?"

"He went to see an old friend so I came to see you. Now, must I start us off or will you?" Samara asked, speaking of Ian. "If not for seeing you with him at the ball, I would have thought that new liess started. It is the same man right?"

"It is," Scarlet replied, taking the boxes from her mother. "One is from you, the other is from father, and the third is from who?"

Samara wasn’t certain. "I picked it up to bring it to you. It was on the table by the door when I came in. There isn’t a name."

"It is probably something to throw away," Scarlet said, inspecting the box which was a little larger than the others. "I am allowing Ian to court me. You will see him by my side in the future. What are you doing?" She asked, confused by her mother touching her face.

"I just wanted to check if you are well. I thought you were going to ignore men for a little while. Not that I think you should do that. Do you like him? Truly?" Samara questioned, hoping Scarlet wasn’t making another mistake.

Scarlet avoided her mother’s gaze. "He is not like Jack, mother."

"The Jack I knew in the beginning isn’t the Jack I see now. We can never truly know someone, Scarlet. I don’t want to see you hurt again. I won’t stop your father a second time," Samara said, referring to Leonard wanting to harm Jack.

"You won’t need to stop him. Please stand back a little mother," Scarlet advised her mother. She was opening the unmarked box sent to her. "A gift," she read a note.

Samara drew closer to Scarlet to see what was inside. "What is- Who sent this to you?"

"It belongs with the others to be burnt," Scarlet replied, closing the box.

Samara regretted bringing the box to Scarlet as it was filled with things meant for a baby. It was sent to mock Scarlet for all that was said about her not having a baby. "Scarlet, I am so sorry. I thought that it was something meant to be handed to you. Have you been receiving many boxes like this?"

"This one is my first. I should have just sent it to be burned. That was my mistake," Scarlet said as she took the box to the door.

"I will find out who sent this to you. They are taking this too far. Making jokes out of a divorce that doesn’t concern them. I think it is the stupid little thing by his side," Samara concluded.

The woman Jack had now was a fool based on what Samara had seen so far. It would come as no surprise that Beth would enjoy rubbing in Scarlet’s face that she had a child.

"It does not matter. I am not upset by it," Scarlet honestly replied. A childish gimmick wasn’t enough to get under her skin. "It could have been done by anyone so don’t make anything of it."

"You shouldn’t be mocked since you didn’t have a child. You were lucky that you didn’t have a child so you wouldn’t have been stuck with Jack forever. A child was not the reason you two got divorced. Why did you allow him to go around saying that was the reason?" Samara asked.

"Because I don’t feel the need to explain myself to people who will believe what they want to. Weren’t you the one to tell me that I didn’t need to explain myself? My mouth will hurt from all the talking I would need to do to end rumours. Let it rest," Scarlet replied, wanting to move on. frёewebnoѵēl.com

There were too many rumours about her or her family and not enough time or personal interest to end the rumours. The town had already made up its mind that it would believe anything said about her. Jack’s affair was known and yet she became the villain.

The town thrived on gossip so nothing she said would make a difference.

"You were asking about Ian," Scarlet said, changing the conversation. "He is busy if you were thinking of meeting him and it is too early in what we have for you to meet."

Samara didn’t believe that seeing the baby’s toys and clothes did not bother but what was she to do when it was so hard to get Scarlet to say what she was feeling?

Samara smiled, moving on as Scarlet wanted but Leonard would hear of this. He would get to the bottom of this and deal with the person. She didn’t care how anyone described Scarlet to not be hurt by anything, Scarlet had feelings just like everyone else.

"Another family gathering is coming up. No, you do not have to attend as I will not be going. Neither will your father or grandfather. I have not forgotten how they enjoyed speaking of your divorce. We won’t be gracing them with our presence and Scarlet, I know that he isn’t too busy to see me. That is what you are doing."

Scarlet frowned.

Samara approached Scarlet to tidy her appearance. "I brought you into this world, Scarlet. I watched that personality you have grown. Do you fear your father and I will scare him off?"

"I am worried about my father being the one to do it. It is still too soon. Give me a little more time," Scarlet requested.

"I will but you must promise that you will tell me first before your relatives start calling my home. I don’t want to be surprised by news about you. Since I won’t get to meet him soon, warn him that he won’t need to worry about your father because I will find him first should he hurt you," Samara warned.

Samara didn’t like gore like her husband did but when it came to her daughter, she would hurt someone.

"I will warn him," Scarlet promised.

"Now, my gift needs to be opened. Something important was sent back to us to have for a few weeks. A precious family heirloom. The queen’s heart," Samara said, watching as Scarlet touched the necklace after opening the box. "You can wear it to the private gathering I know the queen invited you to. Show it off."

"You are evil, mother. You know it will upset those in the palace that this is still in our hands," Scarlet said, entertained by how innocent her mother tried to look.

"It’s good to ruffle a few feathers once in a while."