This estate knew my footprints better than any place on earth. And now Stuart was coming home to claim his inheritance.
“What will happen to us?” Margaret asked, her voice small against the vastness of the estate.
“We do our jobs,” I said simply. “That’s all we can do.”
What I didn’t say was how my heart ached when I thought about Jared. He wasn’t just my employer — he was my friend.
We’d spent countless hours working side by side in the small garden behind the main house. There, among the climbing roses and stubborn weeds, we’d shared stories, silence, and laughter.
“Grandpa, I finished my homework. Can I help with the planting?”