Chapter 4

I flipped through the book. It was a handwritten collection of poems, the handwriting neat and elegant—obviously the work of someone well-educated.

I praised, "Hey, the handwriting's pretty nice."

Gabrielle gave a smile. "Is it? I think it looks pretty good, too."

After a few days, Gabrielle stopped by to let me know she'd be away for a while—she was heading out for a boat ride with a new friend she'd just met.

"Sophia, I met a Ms. Griffith at the market last time. Her family does business, and she's super nice," Gabrielle said. "She invited me to go boating…