Embers of A New Dawn

ling painfully, though she ignored it. She grabbed Sophie's hand tightly. "Sophie, if yo

dy of the Carter family. Once I'm better, I'll hand over all the keys, the accounts, t

leanor's grip. The words un

r past life su

r hand, smiling, calling her the new lady of the house, only to

honest maid, Eleanor dismissed it,

ained to Daniel, "Sophie was too eager t

g Sophie like an outsider to guard against. Yet no

eanor's aged hand, swoll

fting to a sycamore tree outside the window. "Daniel made

n predict the futur

he sunlight softening her beautiful

ut her prepared pleas and p

s girl, whom she'd watched grow up,

ie tucked the blanket around he

ing, she spotted Lily Harvey s

a while, her face streaked with dried te

y, "can we... can we talk priva

her silently, nod

ched the

ce, the hospital's red roof nearby, the

n unexplained

know you look down on me, think I'm just a village

uring hardships you can't imagine. I never had the nice clothes other gir

you deserve someone better. But Daniel's all I have. Please, let us be. Leave him, leave th

d still, wa

Lily's tearfu

ophie's calm, unmoved gaze

er eyes dry, unable

"I've said all this, and you're not moved at

d her eyes, her tone

erced Lily's f

ing at Sophie's serene dem

echoed across