Chapter 9
Sabine knew where Gideon had been.
Not where he was now.
Important distinction.
For fifteen years, he lived on the Oregon coast under the name Grant Vossler.
He repaired boats.
Kept no organization.
No crews.
No throne waiting.
That disappointed Sabine.
She had imagined a hidden patriarch.
Instead, Gideon had chosen ordinary life.
He sent the camellias to Eleanor because it was the only promise from his old world he kept.
Then seven years ago, Sabine found him.
She visited once.
Told him Marina was alive.
Gideon nearly left immediately.
Then Sabine delivered the second lie.
Marina hated him.
Blamed him for her mother’s suffering.
Wanted no contact.
Gideon believed her because guilt is easy to manipulate.
“Why didn’t he contact me anyway?”
Marina asked.
Sabine smiled sadly.
“Because your father could respect a boundary even when it destroyed him.”
That line hurt everyone.
Then eighteen months ago, Gideon discovered Sabine had lied.
How?
One of the old Voss men saw a photograph of Marina—now Delphina—at a charity dinner beside me.
Recognized her.
Sent it to Gideon.
He realized his daughter had entered Winterbourne life.
He sent the red camellia.
Emergency.
Then disappeared from Oregon.
He was looking for her.
“What happened?”
Sabine looked genuinely uncertain.
“He came east.”
“When?”
“Fourteen months ago.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
That I believed.
Gideon no longer trusted his sister.
Good.
Then Mother remembered something.
A man had attended one of our winter charity dinners fourteen months ago.
Older.
Gray beard.
Invitation under another family’s guest list.
He never approached her.
But he stared at Marina for most of the evening.
Mother assumed he was a donor.
Marina went pale.
“Did he have a scar here?”
She touched her left eyebrow.
Mother nodded.
Her father had been thirty feet from her.
And left.
May you like
Why?
That became the next question.
