FOX RIVERāS PERSEPHONE by LUCY MILLS The wealthy Andertons were envied and esteemed by the rest of high society, a family beļ¬tting of the equally idyllic Fox River Estate. The elegant manor had a south facing parlor with lovely French doors that, when opened to let in the soft breeze and serene views of the grounds, created a perfect environment to host the ladies of the area for tea on days that allowed it. Unfortunately, the late August afternoon which would be so perfect for this kind of occasion was overshadowed by a somber mood. In the place of her usual guests, Lady Anderton was hosting two prestigious-looking men dressed in dull colors and serious expressions. To young Charlotte Anderton, known a ectionately by her family as Lottie, the worst part of all this was the absence of her sisterās comforting energy. An absence which was the very reason for the presence of the unfamiliar men in the lovely mansionās parlor. āAs I understand, your daughterās disappearance was in the wake of preparations for her marriage, correct?ā the lead private investigator droned. To Lottie, the manās manner of speaking was frustrating, to say the least. She wanted more than anything to know more about the disappearance of her closest conļ¬dant and friend, but the investigatorās slow explanations between long drags of his pipe made even this discussion mind numbing. Her mother always said impatience was her greatest vice; Lottie would argue that this could be avoided if her patience wasnāt constantly being tested. And while her mother may not agree, Lottie felt that she was doing a fairly commendable job of being patient as the investigator went through his questions for her family one by one. Being the youngest child following four brothers and a sister, she was accustomed to being considered last. Even forgotten at times, which is what she assumed had
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