She began almost casually, like she was sharing gossip over coffee. "Daisy and I weren't close at first. She was cautious around me, which I understood. But I liked her. We had a mutual friend, and we'd run into each other at charity events and afternoon teas. We got to know each other. "
Her voice softened, almost warm. "Last year, at one of those gatherings, she seemed upset. When I asked what was wrong, she wouldn't tell me.
So I did some checking and found out her father, Owen, had some heavy gambling debts. And she hadn't told her husband. "
Maggie looked straight at Julian, her voice calm and steady. "I helped her solve it. Out of gratitude, she told me that you, Julian, were distant and cold. She was afraid you wouldn't help if she told you about the problem. "
The Col
