Violet didn’t invite them to stay for dinner, so Tristan and Nova left well before the evening meal.

As they walked away, Violet’s maid couldn’t help but ask what had been on her mind for a while.

“Ma’am, if you don’t mind me saying… you didn’t seem to like Miss Nova very much before. What changed?”

Violet sat down on a bench in the garden, gazing up at the darkening sky. “It’s not about liking or disliking her,” she said quietly. “She’s the ...