The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 198: When history repeats (2)

"This is why I stated that I was speaking to my granddaughter. I didn’t want to come to this point, but since you asked, yes, I am upset she poured your tea," said Melanie.

Melanie had seen this treatment once before, and she was still tired of men with status acting like they were made of gold.

Penelope frowned. "I offered to pour his tea because I wanted to, not because Tyrion expected it of me. This is an uncomfortable setting to be in since we have not spoken in a while. Pouring helped me to calm my nerves."

"And what are you nervous about?" Melanie asked. "What did you think I would do to you, Penelope? I am still your grandmother."

"It is not what you would do, but rather what you would say and now my worries were confirmed. I pour my husband tea, yet you view it as something worth speaking of. Why?" Penelope asked.

What would Melanie think if she learned that instead of sending the butler or a maid, Penelope carried water or something refreshing to Tyrion?

It was a kind gesture which Tyrion had done for her as well.

"You know why," Melanie replied.

"No, I don’t. Anything I do for my husband is because I want to. I don’t know what goes on in your marriage to grandfather, but I have never felt forced," said Penelope. "I am not you," Penelope reminded Melanie. "My marriage is not your own. I married for love."

"Penelope!" Melanie said in a scolding tone.

"We should keep our voices low and in a respectful tone before one of us loses our tongue," Tyrion warned Melanie.

Melanie’s mouth was slightly ajar right before she left. "See, this is what I was worried about. I tried to lead you on the right path in place of your mother to avoid this. He is the same as your father."

"Mother," Melody whispered.

This wasn’t what they came for.

Penelope couldn’t believe Melanie. "Hearing that he is like my father isn’t an insult but rather a compliment. I am grateful my husband has the same qualities as the man who raised me. My father is a wonderful man, so if you compare them, then my husband is wonderful as well."

Penelope planned to be respectful, but she couldn’t sit here and allow Melanie to make up some false narrative about Tyrion. She certainly wouldn’t allow her father to be insulted.

"You said that I spoke to you, a child, about your mother, but it turns out they placed you in conversations you shouldn’t have been a part of," said Melanie.

"If you are speaking of how I know about your relationship with my father, I have learned of it from your interactions. From the things you have said about him during our visits, as if you wanted to turn me against him," Penelope responded.

Penelope hated that Melanie thought that since her relationship with Edgar wasn’t good, then he had to be a terrible father or an awful husband.

It wasn’t so. Penelope could never say that her father was awful to her, and she never thought her parents weren’t meant to be together.

Penelope took a deep breath, not wanting to work herself up. This was meant to be a good day, and it would stay that way.

"From the moment I met your father, he has always looked like he wanted to kill me," said Melanie.

"Wasn’t my father the one who found where you were, reminded you that you have a daughter here-"

"Penelope!" Melanie yelled.

"-And had you brought her back here so you could see her? He must be so cruel to reunite a daughter who was worried about her mother. Or was he cruel because you were forced to tell your family you had a daughter? Which is it?" Penelope asked, wanting an honest answer.

"It must have been hard for you to admit to your husband that not only were you married before, but you had a daughter you never spoke of, never visited, and no longer cared for. Before you accuse my mother of telling me, the court keeps records," said Penelope.

Penelope had been curious about everything, along with Lily. It had been a hard task to get to the court without her father knowing, but they managed to read the old files on the case.

"I hope that my father bringing you back to Lockwood isn’t the reason you hate him, or because he is protective of my mother. After everything she faced, you should be pleased that she found someone who cares for her so much," Penelope said, feeling the same frustration she felt with Tabitha.

"We should move past the tea," Melody spoke up. "It’s best we speak of something more civil."

"No," Penelope spoke up. "I am tired of having to avoid conversations because she is not ready for them. You are the oldest one out of all of us. Why should we have to wait for you to speak or wait for you to realise what you did wrong?"

"Do you think your mother is perfect?" Melanie inquired. She could list a few instances where Alessandra wasn’t perfect.

Penelope smiled. "No. My mother has never claimed to be perfect. If you spent a day with her, you would know she thinks she has many flaws. We all make mistakes. Some of us can admit we have made them."

Melody worried this would spark another argument. "Penelope-"

"Don’t," Tyrion said, stopping Melody.

It was time that Penelope got to speak her mind.

"You know nothing about the past. I don’t care about what you have read from the case. Your father could have twisted it," Melanie said.

Penelope laughed since she knew that was unlikely.

Edgar had always hated the court, and Penelope doubted her father would have used his money to bribe anyone so he could make Melanie look bad.

"Unfortunately, you made yourself look bad. My father didn’t have to do anything. A woman who abandons her child and moves on to a new life can appear good no matter how you portray yourself," Penelope said, wishing Melanie could stop with the blame.

Melanie smacked her hand against the table, startling only Melody. "I did what was best for my daughter. Her father adored her, so I left her in a stable home where she didn’t need to worry about being fed. I thought he would care for her. He was to care for her."

"But he didn’t. Why did you expect so much out of a man who didn’t treat you well? I have been fortunate not to meet my grandfather, and I know he sounds to be a terrible man, but that doesn’t excuse you. Why can’t you admit that you also made a mistake?" Penelope asked.

Melanie’s single confession would fix so much.

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