Michael descended the front steps of the manor, his gaze falling on the luxurious horseless carriage parked in the driveway. Nearby stood three familiar figures—two women and a man. A single glance was all it took to recognize them.
"Ah, Michael, you're here," Brian Winterborne said warmly, turning to greet him with outstretched arms.
"My lord." Michael bowed calmly, then added with equal respect, "My lady."
When he rose, he met Mary's eyes as she nodded at him with a gentle smile. But his attention was soon drawn past her, to the person he'd spent the most time with over the past three years.
Melody Winterborne.
She had changed. No longer the petite, doll-like girl she once was, Melody had grown into a budding young woman. Her blue hair, once tightly braided, now flowed freely down her back like a shimmering waterfall.
