Lyra spent a moment admiring the scarf in her hands before draping it around her neck, tying it into a neat bow. It was a skill she had learned back when she served Miranda as a personal maid in the Stefford household.
There were many things she had to pick up just to keep Miranda from complaining, but looking back now, she realized those hardships had shaped her. They had made her efficient, capable—able to carry out any task with ease.
"My lady seems to like that scarf a lot," Penny teased, her voice laced with amusement.
Lyra's cheeks flushed, and she quickly averted her gaze, embarrassed at being caught.
Penny had been watching her from the side, and she couldn't help but feel happy for her. It was rare to see Lyra smile, but when she did, it lit up the entire room like the first bloom of spring.
Lyra picked up her notebook and wrote, "Is there a library here, Penny?"
