Margaret slowly shook her head, her eyes dropping to the brass buttons on my sleeve.

“You’ve always let us down when your brother needed the family behind him, Emily,” Margaret said.

“Seven thousand dollars of mine went to cover his office overhead in Richmond,” I said.

Margaret pressed her palm to my forearm, her touch light but sharp.

“That money was family capital meant to protect Daniel’s position,” Margaret said.

“Daniel is building a legacy in this county, and all you bring home is old uniforms and one problem after another,” Margaret said.

“The annual defense gala is December sixth at six o’clock,” I said.