"The right to vote in this state was not won easily,” Samantha continued... “You are not doing anything improper. You are doing your civic duty.”

What a joy it was to be back in Mount Bedford, the place where she had learned early that mistakes could be fixed and that some rules were worth breaking.

“Samantha was indeed dazzling,” said Cornelia. “You should be quite proud of your niece.” “I always am.” Gard’s grin eased into a quieter smile. “As Lydia would have been.”

Someone had chosen those letters on purpose. They’d either named a corporation after her grandmother or were pretending to be her.

Agatha was dancing along to the music in a cotton dressing gown. “Oh, Samantha, there you are! I thought you’d never get here. I’m trying to figure out what to wear tonight. You can borrow anything you like.”

She silently vowed to live a ferocious, beautiful, and courageous life... But this wasn't the end of the story; it was only the beginning.