#Chapter 9: Apology Not Accepted

At Senator Hamilton’s praise of me, the crowd turns on Thea and her unnecessary outburst. “A lady should know better than to speak so loudly, especially if she doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” says one of the guests to his wife. The words are spoken at normal volume, but with the hush of the crowd, are audible to all those nearby. “Thea may be the biological daughter of Preston H. Owens, but she shows none of his wit or intelligence,” the wife replies. “Good thing her father missed this event, or he would undoubtedly be embarrassed.” “Ashamed, more likely,” adds a nearby guest holding a mostly-empty wineglass. “For his own flesh and blood to behave no better than some uneducated backwoods hillbilly.” The words land like blows on Thea, who pales with each word. Tears well in her eyes. “Esther may be the adopted on in the family, but she seems to be the one who inherited their father’s poise and intellect,” another adds. Stricken-looking, Thea gasps a sharp, wet breat