Larissa's return

Adela, no longer anticipating Egon's arrival, had changed into a more comfortable nightgown. Her gaze was no longer fixed on her falcon, who now occupied the mews. The absence of her feathered companion made her room feel strangely vacant.

Yes...You tell yourself that...

She settled into a seat by her window and gazed at the moonless sky, her mind began to slow down as the night ticked away, a contrast to the racing thoughts she had about her family's secrets throughout the day. But the emptiness that accompanied her in the silent night seemed to amplify her sense of isolation.

Rarely had Adela felt so lonely in her life.

Suddenly, the quietude of Adela's room was interrupted by a faint knocking on the door just as she was removing her hairpins and letting her hair down. She had been expecting her sister's arrival, but not at that hour and certainly not directly to her chambers.

As expected, Larissa's return boded ill tidings.