Her brother looked down with hardened steel-colored eyes. “As my insightful wife has advised me, I am picking my battles.” Lia peeked her head from her brother’s right side and smiled, letting Elise know all would be well.
Only then did she sigh, relieved to have that behind her.
Her brother led their party toward the open ballroom doors, Michael, Beverly and her grandmother having gone in some time ago. They made their way through the rose-and-ivory-decorated room, the crowd parted for them until they’d made their way to the dais flanked by white flowers of different varieties on rose colored linen. A footman arrived with a tray and she lifted a champagne flute and sipped.
“Excellent strategic move, child. Dressing down rather than wearing all those gaudy stones,” her grandmother whisp
