The change was subtle at first, averted gazes, half hearted smiles, and murmurs that stopped abruptly when Sarah entered the room.She felt it in the lingering glances of the maids, the wary looks from the staff as they passed her in the halls.The Caldwell mansion, vast and daunting, had begun to feel even colder than the marble floors she walked upon.It didn’t take long for the whispers to drift into the open air.One afternoon, Sarah was browsing a small book collection in the study when Eleanor’s friends, Mrs. Donovan and Lady Ashford, came for tea.They hadn’t expected her to be in the room, and when they noticed her, their conversation faltered. But not for long.“So, she’s the… other one,” Lady Ashford murmured, voice just low enough to seem polite.Mrs. Donovan’s lips curled into a forced smile. “Yes, it must be quite the adjustment for her, I imagine. From barns to ballrooms, one might say.”Lady Ashford chuckled, not even attempting to mask the derision in her tone. “Poor t
Last Updated : 2024-11-29 Read more