Seeing that Sharon Dalton had not only pushed Aurora Sterling—who had kindly tried to help her up and give her a way out of the situation—but was also spouting increasingly insane nonsense, Mrs. Sterling grew so furious the veins on her forehead throbbed. She quickly ordered a nearby maid, "Hurry up and help my granddaughter to her feet!"
As a maid helped her up, Aurora Sterling took the opportunity to whisper a few words in her ear. Once Aurora was steady on her feet, the maid quietly slipped out of the banquet hall.
Just then, the main gate to the Sterling family estate swung open. Timothy Sterling was home.
Timothy Sterling had spent the morning playing golf with several business partners. As it happened, those partners' wives and daughters were attending the luncheon at the Sterling residence, so the men decided to accompany Timothy back to the estate.
