I looked away.
She continued gently.
“You are allowed to stop, Olivia. You don’t have to carry everything forever.”
At the time, I didn’t fully understand what she meant.
But less than twenty-four hours later, those words would return to me.
On the afternoon of the party, I arrived at Alderwood three hours before the guests were expected.
I checked every detail.
The flowers.
The table settings.
The candles.
The champagne.
The musicians.
The buffet.
Everything looked beautiful.
Daniel approached me near the entrance.
“Miss Doyle, is everything satisfactory?”
I smiled.
“It’s exactly what I hoped for.”
He looked at my red dress.
“That color suits you beautifully.”
I felt myself blush.
“Thank you.”
Guests began arriving around six.
Camille appeared shortly afterward in a long silver evening gown, with twelve-year-old Hannah following behind her.
Hannah was quiet, thoughtful, and almost always carrying a book.
She looked at me and smiled.
