What Winston really meant was that Justin Hawksley had gone out of his way to make this long journey, not because of any urgent business, but because Lucille Lowell was here.

Lucille shot Winston Flynn a yful re. “Pennie, do something about him, would you? Miss Sumner’s right here, and he’s just talking nonsense.”

Pennie Hawksley only shrugged, undeterred. “Well, he’s not wrong, is he? It’s not like he’s making things up.”

Edith Sumner sat quietly beside Justin, acutely aware of the many eyes lingering on her. She could sense that some of them were waiting to see her lose herposure, hoping she’d put on a show.

Without a word, Justin let his hand drop and gentlyid it over Edith’s, resting on her

knee.

He looked up at Pennie, calm but with an edge to his voice. “Oh? And what exactly makes Winston’s words so reasonable? Go on, I’d like to hear it.”

Pennie straightened her back, bracing herself against the weight of Justin’s gaze. “Isn’t it obvious? If you weren’t here for Lucille, you never would’ve bothered toe all the way out to Southborough.”

Lucille’s cheeks flushed. She tugged on Pennie’s arm, whispering, “Pennie, stop it. You’ll give everyone the wrong idea.”

Her protests only made Pennie more stubborn. Jerking her arm free, she raised her voice. “I’m just telling the truth! Everyone knows it, so what’s there to misunderstand? Why keep pretending there’s nothing going on?”

The mood around the table shifted instantly.

The older rtives exchanged disapproving nces, muttering about Pennie’s bluntness. Lucille pressed her lips together, looking helpless and wronged. Winston tried ito /ismooth things over, ss in hand, and offered Edith a nervous smile. “Don’t take it to heart, Miss Sumner, Pennie’s always been a bit thoughtless–speaks before

she thinks.”

Edith felt a chill in her palm.

It was like being back at university–the same sense of being quietly excluded. Most people around her had kept their distance then, just as they were now.

b15:44 /b

Even Winston’s supposed apology was just another way of taking sides, asking her to put up with Pennie’s behavior. It was as if he was telling her, *If Pennie steps all over you, it’s only because you let her.*

Justin’s voice cut through the awkwardness. “It’s not that Pennie doesn’t think before she speaks. She’d have to have a brain for that.”

A small gasp swept through the room.

Uncle Oliver and Aunt Car looked visibly embarrassed. Uncle Oliver tried to lighten the mood with a forced chuckle. “Justin, is that really how you talk to your sister in front of everyone?”

Justin didn’t so much as flinch. He leaned back in his chair, rxed butmanding. “If she embarrasses my wife, why shouldn’t I return the favor? My wife is her elder, after all. If Pennie can’t behave, and her parents won’t step in, then I will.”

As he spoke, Justin tightened his grip on Edith’s hand, his touch steady and reassuring. Some of the tension in her face eased, and for the first time that evening, she managed a small smile.

Pennie, who was supposed to be the star of the day–the bride, stepping into adulthood–looked on the verge of tears after Justin’s blunt reprimand.

Lucille, ever loyal, wrapped her arms around Pennie and dabbed at her tears with a tissue. “Don’t cry, Pennie. You’ll ruin your beautiful makeup.”

Once Pennie was a little calmer, Lucille shot a fierce look at Justin. “If you have a problem, take it up with me. There’s no need to make things so hard on Pennie–she has her pride, too!”

Justin arched an eyebrow. For the first time that night, he actually looked at Lucille. “Miss Lowell, if you’ve got a problem, then bring it to me. But leave my wife out of it.”