Standing Up For Her

Austyn’s appearance caused quite a stir. He was tall, well-built, well-dressed, and carried himself with a confident, almost aristocratic air. Parents and teachers alike kept glancing at him surreptitiously, whispering among themselves. The other kids in class gawked at him openly. The similarities in Austyn’s and the twins’ features were plain for all to see. It was easy to conclude that he was their father. Kira said goodbye to the twins, oblivious to the attention Austyn was drawing. Austyn noticed it, but paid it no heed. On their way out, they ran into another parent who was running late. Tara Gilbert was an inveterate gossip. She was the one who started the rumour about Kira being a kept woman, partly out of revenge and partly out of jealousy. Seeing Kira standing next to such a fine-looking man, Tara curled her lips into a disdainful smile. ‘Miss Hewitt, I see you’ve found yourself another man. I’m happy for your kids. At long last, they’ll have someone to teach them some manner