[Protagoras]

Since the amount is small, they may merely have decided it was cheaper to pay her off.

One could certainly speculate about that. It may have been the case in our gutless society.

It doesn't however, change the facts.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It doesn't however, change the facts.

The decisive "fact" for you is that they settled, which is a circular argument at best.