Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Months after Thomas's imprisonment, Ella and Evan receive word that Mary Higgins has fallen gravely ill. They rush to Ashford but arrive too late—Mary dies of a sudden fever, leaving her daughter Lily orphaned. With deep compassion, Ella and Evan decide to adopt the little girl, navigating legal formalities and the child's grief. They bring Lily home to the estate, where she slowly blooms under their love, and Mrs. Gable's heart softens as she sees the new family take shape. The chapter ends with Ella and Evan watching Lily play in the rose garden, a symbol of hope and new beginnings.
Chapter 15: The Little Rose
The weeks after their final visit to Thomas passed in a quiet rhythm. Spring had fully arrived, and the gardens of the Raymond estate burst into life—roses climbing the trellises, lavender swaying in the breeze, and a carpet of green spreading across the lawns. Ella spent her mornings with Mrs. Gable, learning the household accounts, and her afternoons at Evan's side, visiting patients in the poorer districts. They were building a life together, one of purpose and peace.
Yet in the quiet moments, Ella often thought of little Lily—the sharp chin, the pale eyes, the way the child had offered her rag doll so trustingly. She had written to Mary twice, enclosing a small sum and a kind note. Mary had replied once, her handwriting shaky, thanking them for the money and saying Lily was well. But the second letter had gone unanswered.
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