Chapter 62: Beatrice’s Private Garden

Beatrice Whitmore walked ahead without haste, as if the path beneath her feet had memorized her pace long ago.

They were already beyond the visible order of Celestine Heights. No terraces. No symmetry meant for guests. Only quiet ground shaped by time rather than design. The air was cooler here, heavier with moisture and earth.

“Not many people are brought this far,” Beatrice said calmly. “The house is easier to understand than what it shelters.”

Lillian followed without speaking. She had learn