Chapter 4: The Warmth Inside
Arthur lifted Emily out of the cold tub and wrapped her in his dry wool coat. He turned to Leo. ""You're coming inside. You're soaked to the bone.""
The inside of the mansion was vast, filled with marble floors and quiet echoes, but Leo walked in without awe or fear. He sat on the edge of a velvet couch near the grand fireplace, wrapped in a thick towel provided by the head housekeeper, Mrs. Gable. She brought out two warm bowls of soup and hot tea.
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""He lives near the old docks, sir,"" Mrs. Gable whispered to Arthur in the hallway. ""His mother works double shifts at the cannery. The boy spends his afternoons roaming the hills.""
Arthur watched Leo carefully teach Emily how to hold a cup of soup without spilling it, his movements patient and gentle. There was no pretense in the boy, no hidden motive. In a world where everyone wanted something from Arthur's wealth, this child had brought the only thing money couldn't buy: hope.
