Her father had good taste, Prudence had to admit it, even as she watches Zelda. She can see a slight shudder to the woman, her father likes his women tame, controlled, loyal. So she stays silent, her eyes locked on Zelda as she moves closer.
Zelda looks at her just as silently. She moves closer, still silent, then before Zelda can speak, moves to push back ginger curls, letting her fingers brush against the bruising forming.
“He can’t care for you… you know. He never could.”
Zelda shifts, pulls away and looks down and Prudence waits, watching.
“He hurt you.”
“He’s a passionate man.”
Zelda’s voice is light, cautious and Prudence barely stifles her laugh.
“He’s passionate alright… he’s also not kind.”
Silence falls, for a moment, Prudence watching Zelda before she speaks.
“You are more powerful than he is, we both are… I could care for you better.”
In the end, she does convince Zelda, she can see it, even as Zelda’s hand slips into her own. The two walk, arm in arm, talk and Prudence smiles when her father nods, then walks away, accepting the choice. He had cared for her, of course, for a long time, so her choice to take Zelda for her own is welcomed.
She spends that night watching Zelda sleep, the woman is still nervous, cautious, timid even and Prudence knows, despite this being the worst possible way to get back at Sabrina, she wants this, even when it’s dangerous for them all.