Chapter 10
Evelyn had her own apology to make.
To Sabina.
She resisted.
“I protected her.”
“No.”
I looked at my sister.
“You used her awareness because you didn’t want to confront Delphine yourself.”
Silence.
Evelyn hated that.
Good.
She had suspected Delphine’s household strategy and quietly encouraged Sabina to report.
Why not tell me directly?
Because she feared I would accuse her of disliking my fiancée.
Maybe I would have.
Family histories create predictable defenses.
Evelyn and Delphine never liked each other.
I would have discounted the warning.
That was uncomfortable to admit.
Still, Evelyn placed risk on someone with less power.
She met Sabina privately.
Then told me afterward:
“She said I made her feel like if she quit, she was betraying your mother.”
That landed hard.
Teresa Ellis had served our mother.
Sabina had grown up around stories of loyalty.
Evelyn unknowingly used that inheritance.
“Did you apologize?”
“Yes.”
“Did she accept?”
“She said she heard me.”
Same phrase.
Good.
No forced absolution.
Evelyn stopped involving staff in family observation after that.
If she distrusted someone, she told me herself.
May you like
Loudly.
Unfortunately.
