Franklin smiled carelessly, his eyes fixed on me with a clear warning. From our first meeting as children until now, this was the first time I had sensed hostility from him.
It was truly irritating.
But aristocratic upbringing allowed me to maintain a smile in public. Releasing Luzie, I said, "Of course, Uncle Franklin. Please come in, Alexandre must be waiting impatiently."
I extended my arm for Zara to take, and we walked towards the manor together. Zara's body trembled slightly. When she spoke, her voice was near tears. "I'm sorry, Allyn. Perhaps I shouldn't be here. Luzie must have misunderstood…"
"No, Zara," I tried to keep my voice calm. "It's not your fault. This is all because of that damned Luzie."
"No, Allyn, Luzie must not have done it on purpose…"
Zara defended Luz
