Sara Vistro sat alone in her chambers as the late night light filtered gently through the tall windows. Then a soft knock broke through her thoughts, and a young maid entered carefully, carrying a silver tray with a cup of tea and a small plate of neatly arranged cake slices.
The maid's uniform was different from what Sara was used to. She approached slowly, set the tray upon the small table beside Sara's cushioned chair, and bowed her head respectfully. Sara gave her a faint nod and thanked her quietly. Her voice was gentle, but there was a trace of exhaustion beneath it. As the maid turned to leave, Sara hesitated, then called out softly, asking how Edward was doing since the staff must have seen him moving through the manor.
