Elite & Tawdry ✔ [COMPLETE]

Chapter 58

"What's happening?"

"This is preposterous. You will be hearing from my lawyer."

The Evil Elite - Prudence, Violet, and Elaine - sat front and centre as people began to file into the Main Hall of Westinghouse Manor. 

After confronting Prudence (and after Audrey threatened her with physical harm if she didn't spill about their actions) they had gotten a de facto confession that Tawny had been set up.

The three girls had been collected by Madam Fraus, and while Prudence was petrified and Violet was indignant, Elaine remained uncharacteristically cool and collected. In fact, she was filing her nails and not saying a single word.

The Main Hall was set up to look like a mini courtroom, and while the on-duty Dylantantes took their seats, Sarah, Audrey and Maddie stood off to the side. Dylan and Bryce were nowhere to be seen.

Madam Fraus paced back and forth in the front of the Hall. "Where is she?!" she barked to no one in particular.

The doors opened; a hush fell upon the Hall as Rebecca and Professor McCurdy appeared, Tawny in tow. At the moment, she appeared to be unconscious, though she still had her arms draped around the Professor's neck.

"I hear you were searching for Miss Matthews?" said Professor McCurdy.

Madam Fraus responded with an annoyed harrumph and pointed to the lone seat at the front of the hall. McCurdy sat down with his wife standing by his side.

"At last, we can commence this trial," said Madam Fraus.

"Trial?" asked Rebecca.

"This girl has been accused of stealing the private property of Westinghouse Manor."

"That's a lie!" Maddie yelled from the corner of the room. "Tawny was with us all afternoon! Besides, Prude even confessed that she was the one that took the bottle."

"Ah-ah-ah!" said Madam Fraus, excitedly, pointing her finger up to the sky. "Under DURESS. This 'confession' was rendered null and void the second Miss Gale threatened Miss Lee with bodily harm."

"But you have no PROOF that Tawny even took the bottle!" said Sarah. "Why are you believing their word over hers?!"

"Clearly, these three upstanding students have nothing to gain by reporting a heinous act," as she said this, Madam Fraus gestured to Elaine, Violet, and Prudence. Elaine especially looked at the crowd with an expression evoking a cat that had swallowed a canary.

Madam Fraus continued: "Meanwhile, the two of you wish to defend this delinquent, this...this impoverished ragamuffin who's likely faking her injuries for sympathy!"

"She is guilty!" cried Prudence. "Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty..."

At first, it was just Prudence who was chanting, but as Violet gave the crowd of Dylantantes an intimidating glare, they followed suit and joined in.

"This crowd is getting out of control," Sarah said. "We have to do something...!"

From across the room, Maddie's eyes locked with Rebecca's. Though no words were exchanged, there was almost a telepathic exchange between the two of them, in which Rebecca's eyes invoked one clear message: "You have to save Tawny".

Maddie looked away, desperate to look at something else, anything else....

Her eyes locked on something on the wall.

"What is it?" Audrey asked, sensing her change in demeanor.

Madam Fraus approached Eugene and Rebecca, fully intending to literally pry the unconscious girl from the Professor's hands...