Carla lingered nearby, her steps slow and deliberate.
At the servant's urgent summons, Carla and Haylee turned back toward the grand Hugh Estate.
Haylee's eyes lit up with excitement. She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper, "This is it! He must've tried the braised pork! This is your chance to win him over!"
Once inside, Ned gestured toward the plush chairs, his demeanor calm but commanding, and signaled for tea to be served.
"To what do we owe this visit, Miss Sweeney?"
Ned looked every bit the friendly elder, his wrinkled face framed by graying hair, but his sharp eyes betrayed his calculating mind.
This was Carla's second time meeting him.
Their first encounter had been at her father's somber funeral, a memory that still weighed heavily on her heart.
Now, Carla sat with
