'Alexa!' Beta Andrew called shocked. 'is it really you?'

'The one and the same!' she said shrugging and smiled wistfully. 'Are you disappointed?'

'Who do we have here?' Camellia said, coming into the room. If she was shocked to see her elder half sister, she did not let on.

'I was told that you were devowed by some rogues, when you were running away from bringing shame to us!' her father explained.

'Is that so?' Alexa asked looking meaningfully at her step sister. 'Did her sister really think ...