Since that day, Stewart and Irwin hadn’t come by to bother Briony again.
At last, her life had found some peace.
She spent the next few days holed up at home, indulging in a little online shopping spree. Most of what she bought were things she’d need as a mother–to–be–maternity essentials, as well as books on pregnancy and parenting.
Given that she was expecting twins, Briony decided to keep Gina on as her housekeeper.
When Gina heard the news about Briony’s pregnancy, she was genuinely happy for her. The guilt she still felt over what happened with Julia only made her more eager to take good care of Briony.
Briony made Gina promise to keep her pregnancy a secret.
She already had a plan for the future.
Within the next two months, she would make arrangements for her studio–possibly transferring part of her shares to a few of the senior artisans who’d been with her from the beginning. She’d step back to become a silent partner, then head to Silveridge.
In Silveridge, Carney and Gwendolyn White would look out for her. That’s where she’d spend her pregnancy and have her babies. Most likely, she’d end up settling down in Silveridge for good.
After hearing Briony’s plan, Gina smiled and said, “Your mother must be watching over you from above. Things will only get better from here.”
Briony smiled softly. “She even picked out names for my two little ones–Milo and Nina.”
“Lovely names!” Gina beamed. “They sound so blessed–happy little ones.”
Gently, Briony touched her stomach, her eyes full of tenderness.
For two or three days, Briony hardly set foot outside. Gina kept coming up with new ways to prepare nutritious meals for her.
Maybe it was the improved mood, or maybe the healthy routines, but Briony’s complexion had grown noticeably rosier.
Right after the holidays, orders for the studio started pouring in. Originally, Briony planned to reopen after the Lantern Festival, but there was simply too much work. After consulting the senior craftsmen, she decided they’d resume business on the twelfth.
On the second day back, Hannah landed a huge commission: a foreign investor had spent millions at auction on a late 19th–century blue–and–white porcelain vase.
Briony looked at the photos first–the piece was about twenty percent damaged, but restoring such an artifact would be no easy feat.
Pricing, discussing details, hammering out the contract–the whole process went smoothly. But on the day Mr. Ferguson arrived in Northborough with the antique, things took an unexpected turn.
The Hudson family, somehow having gotten wind of Mr. Ferguson’s flight, went out of their way to intercept him at the airport.
Briony’s cousin, Sophia Hudson, was also a restorer. The Hudsons had invested heavily in her career.
It was said that even during university, Sophia had earned quite a reputation. Her mentor–a renowned master in the field–often praised her talent and work ethic in public, insisting she’d make a name for herself in the art
restoration world.
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After graduation, the Hudsons helped her start her own company, specializing in appraisal and restoration, with the backing of an auction house. Her reputation soared.
These days, Sophia was something of a rising star among Northborough’s elite–a new generation besting the old guard.
Briony didn’t know exactly how skilled Sophia really was, but she was genuinely surprised that the Hudsons would go so far as to chase after a client at the airport just to snatch a deal.
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