Chapter 17 - Lily Returns To The Secret Garden
A week later, little Lily walked through the quiet, sunlit gardens of the former Vance estate with a small wooden box.
The grand mansion stood empty, its expensive furnishings tagged for public auction to settle historical restitution claims.
Lily knelt beside the ancient oak tree near the stone patio, digging a small hole in the rich, dark soil.
She placed the wooden box inside, containing old photographs, yellowed letters, and the antique wooden pocket watch.
“Grandpa said the past belongs in the earth where it can grow into something new,” Lily murmured softly to herself.
She covered the box with dirt, patting it down gently before placing a single white rose on top of the fresh mound.
May you like
She looked up at the sky as a gentle spring breeze rustled through the green leaves of the canopy above.
The dark shadows that had haunted the estate for seventy years were finally gone, replaced by the warmth of morning sun.
