Proserpina, who had emerged from the kitchen, with a bowl of food in her hands, quickly shot her daughter, the only one who resembled her, a quelling look.

“Jamie! Don’t talk to our guests like that!”

And handing the bowl to Karina who had entered behind her, she glided over to Bianca and said,

“Come child, you can sit beside me.”

Bianca felt close to tears but Tara had come up beside her and sank onto a chair, reaching out to her comfortingly.

‘No Mamma. She can sit here, with Karina and me,” said the young woman.

Proserpina, who had been bending over her husband, serving him some food, looked...