Chapter 87

Emma could smell Melvina as she sat waiting on the beautiful couch, even before she appeared through the doorway to the sitting room. Her scent always reminded her of something fresh; a fresh Bloomington flower. She committed it to memory to ask of the name of the older woman’s skin products. She thought her soap or perfume, whichever one it was, was refreshing.

“Emma…” Melvina called tentatively, as if tasting the name for the first time on her tongue. But Emma knew it was none of that. The beautiful older woman was just surprised, very surprised to see her at her home.

When the little girl, Eva, had dispersed, perhaps running into her room, she had queried Maya endlessly about the family which seemed like royals and why she, Maya, seemed close to them.

But Maya had just told her that the family were popular and kind to everyone in the county; and so the county inhabitants, like she, liked getting acquainted to them.

She had nodded on agreement, but hadn’t q