“She’s had a difficult few months.”

Mariana lowered the tray onto the sideboard.

Her eyes moved briefly to the far wall, where a small security camera was mounted above an old landscape painting.

I knew now that she and Rosa had checked its angle.

Patricia set down her coffee.

“Evelyn, you told me you wanted to discuss changes in the household.”

“We do,” Evelyn said.

“We need to establish some sensible boundaries before Julian returns.”