Chapter 4Fortunately, he had arrived in the nick of time. Adrian caught Chloe teetering on the edge of hysterics and swiftly took over from a grateful Julia. Managing to address Chloe with more tact than her sister, he took on the task of calming her nerves. After Chloe had ceased sobbing and could speak without an excess of emotion, Adrian felt he could safely address the source of contention without causing a relapse.
At his request, all three trooped up another flight of stairs to Chloe’s bedroom. The girls sat on the bed, with the offending gown in a crumpled heap between them, as Adrian concentrated on the contents of the closet. Finding an example of what he was seeking, he removed a restrained dress in a soft apricot hue. Chloe complained, “But it’s so plain and boring.” Before she
