Cruel Shame (Knights of Templar Academy #3) - Sofia Daniel Page 0,81
you, Professor,” I said, cringing at my Richley accent.
Gideon’s mother turned, seeming to notice me for the first time. She was far too classy to give me the Richley up-and-down glance, but her controlled, closed-lip smile said she wasn’t happy with his choice of girlfriend.
I offered her a polite smile and forced myself to remember that this was for Gideon. Even if he knew his mother wouldn’t approve of me, it was still better than coming out to them before he was ready.
Gideon’s mother had already ordered for us the night before, and we started with king prawns cooked in tempura batter served on a salad of edamame beans, and pickled vegetables. The waiter served us sparkling grape juice that tasted almost like wine. It would have been a delicious meal if Gideon’s mother stopped lapsing into another language.
Professor Adewale explained that it was Yoruba and made a point of saying that everyone in Nigeria of a certain level of education spoke perfect English. Dr. Adewale either didn’t get the hint or didn’t give a shit.
I hummed and smiled at the right places.
When the waiter cleared the main course, Gideon’s mother turned to me and frowned. “My niece tells me the allegations about your grandfather are false, but how do they say in English? There’s no smoke…”
I pursed my lips. The woman spoke the language better than me.
Gideon placed a hand on my wrist in a silent signal to leave the talking to him. “Elizabeth Liddell is a very disturbed young woman, prone to violent outbursts.”
His mother pursed her lips. “Because of the cocaine?”
Professor Adewale placed a napkin to his lips and groaned. “We agreed not to bring up these subjects at the table.”
“Miss Hancock is here to answer for the headmaster,” Dr. Adewale said with a sniff.
The conversation continued like this, with Gideon’s mother firing question after question, and everyone else at the table telling her to back down. My heart sank. Normally, I’d come out swinging at a time like this, but I was here for Gideon, and couldn’t wreck things by telling his mother to shove her accusations up her ass.
A man took one of the seats nearby and turned his face toward our conversation. I glanced over to his table and met the eyes of Lachlan. Gideon’s phone buzzed, and I gave him a sharp nudge. He glanced across the dining room and inhaled a sharp breath through his teeth.
“Mother,” his stern voice cut through the argument. “Would you like to know why a supposedly well-bred young woman would act in such an unseemly manner?”
She tilted her head and raised her brows.
“Some of them crack under parental pressure to conform to unobtainable expectations.” He laced his fingers with mine. “Lilah is a friend who came to support me during your stay, but our relationship is strictly platonic.”
Dr. Adewale’s gaze darted from my face to Gideon’s and them down to our joined hands. “What about all the purchases of women’s clothes and makeup?”
I bit down on my lip, finally understanding why the woman was so hostile. Gideon spent a lot on luxuries, and she probably thought I was draining him dry.
“They’re for me. I’m…” He gulped a mouthful of water, and I squeezed his hand. “I wear those things, and that man over there is my boyfriend.”
Dr. Adewale’s gaze darted to where Lachlan sat with a hand raised. She placed a hand on her chest and exhaled a long sigh. “Thank almighty God. I thought we would be stuck with an unsuitable daughter-in-law.”
“Mother!” Gideon snarled.
I placed a hand on his shoulder. There was no need to upset the woman on my account. “Now that the truth is out, I’ll give you the chance to meet Lachlan. I hope you enjoy the lunch.”
Gideon’s father stared at me with his lips parted. I got the impression he would prefer a daughter-in-law like me over a son-in-law, but I didn’t stick around to listen to the fall out. After folding my napkin on the table and saying my nice-to-meet-yous, I thanked him for lunch and strode toward the hallway.
Footsteps hurried after me. I turned to find Gideon a few feet away, his features stricken.
“Lilah, I’m so sorry.” Gideon’s voice was hoarse with emotion. “Please let me take you back to the academy.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine. It took a lot of guts to come out like that. You’ve got to stay and for the conversation with Lachlan.”