Astrid played with Marley in the stable while waiting for her wife. The pup was rambunctious, not afraid but determined. He would serve Vevina well. Astrid shook her head, still confused by what had transpired yesterday in the sewing room. She had seen a side of Vevina that she had never revealed to her, and while her defiance stunned her, she'd also admired it and even secretly enjoyed it. Beneath the mousy exterior Vevina presented to everyone lurked the makings of a courageous woman.
It had even surprised Astrid when she suggested they become friends. She all but admitted she wanted more from their marriage than just an arrangement. However, she worried whether she could give Vevina what she wanted. A friend was always there for you, always reached out to help, to protect, and she had
