Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Ella and Evan's peaceful life with Lily is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Evan's mother, Eleanor Raymond, who disapproves of the adoption and demands Lily be sent to a boarding school. A tense confrontation forces Ella to defend her new family, while Evan stands firm. A letter from Mary's past reveals a hidden inheritance, softening Eleanor's stance and securing Lily's future. The family emerges stronger, with Mrs. Gable's wisdom guiding them.
The days following Frederick Hale's dismissal were filled with a quiet joy that Ella had almost forgotten. Lily’s laughter echoed through the halls of the estate, and the little girl’s trust grew with each passing hour. She clung to Ella’s hand as they walked through the garden, her small fingers wrapped around Ella’s like a lifeline. Evan watched them from the terrace, a soft smile playing on his lips. “You’ve given her a home,” he said one evening, his arm around Ella’s shoulder. “But it is she who has given us a family.”
Mrs. Gable, too, had softened. She spent afternoons teaching Lily to sew, her stern face breaking into rare smiles when the child presented her with a crooked stitch. “She has good hands,” the old woman murmured, and Ella knew that was the highest praise she could offer.
But the peace was not to last. One crisp morning, a carriage pulled up the gravel drive, its polished black surface gleaming in the pale sun. Ella was in the nursery, reading to Lily, when the butler appeared. “Mrs. Raymond, you have a visitor. Mrs. Eleanor Raymond, of the Boston Raymonds.”
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