The Stranger I Raised

Madam Cordelia Lancaster's POV

I waited at the restaurant, my hand resting lightly on the stem of my wine glass. The air smelled of roasted garlic and fresh herbs, a faint buzz of quiet conversations filling the space.

My table, in the far corner, was deliberately chosen. I didn’t want prying eyes or curious ears. This was something that required privacy, something that I needed to handle with ca