Chapter Nine: Adara

My mother uses the expression “could have knocked me over with a feather” when surprised.

That’s how I felt seeing Dane Wiltshire, the mysterious and reclusive billionaire, at our front door early that sunny morning.

I was stunned.

My shock turned to suspicion.

There’s another old expression I remember from school. “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” It means to be suspicious about people’s motives.

I wondered about the motives of Dane Wiltshire as I watched my sister set the table for breakfast, using our best plates for his pastries and our best cups for coffee and tea.

My mother is a Lupine like Dane, but she doesn’t like him, thinks he’s a snob, and is never able to hide her dislike of anyone.

To my surprise she rallied to the occasion. She took the seat beside him, gesturing to Mrs. Carville to sit on his other side. Father was at the head of the table, of course, and my sisters and I were across from Mother and our two guests.

As soon as we all were seated, Mother engaged D