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The Martins called it ‘the cottage,’ but it was a multimillion-dollar house, built to blend with the natural landscape while also being luxurious and efficient in its design. It was outfitted with the best kitchen appliances, enormous windows offering a view of the lake, huge bedrooms and a wraparound upper deck. The colouring and furnishings were tasteful greys and soft blues; the house felt like a water-worn pebble or piece of driftwood. Helen and Edward Martin had had it built before the children were born, but it was regularly updated and people often wondered if it was new. When asked, they smiled patiently. It’s been in our family for years, they’d reply, which was code for something to do with old money and taste, only perceivable to those they wanted to impress.
Diana learned
