Rebecca sat on her bed with her phone in her hand, staring at the screen as though it might suddenly light up with a message from Grandma Carter. For weeks, she had been used to the constant pings..small texts, reminders, instructions, little notes about what she should wear, what she should learn, how she should behave if she was to be the future wife of Elias Carter.

But now, the silence was deafening.

Not only had the messages stopped, but her parents had just received an official letter from the Carters’ lawyer. The words were cold, written in the clipped tone of formality: “The engagement between Elias Carter and Rebecca...