Stella reassured him with a smile. “It’s all fine; we’ve settled into our seats now.”
With a nod of understanding, Howard excused himself and moved away.
Sanford suddenly stood up from his seat. “I see an old friend. I’ll just go over and say hello.”
With that, he strode off.
Bella watched Sanford’s departure, and then turned to Stella with a curious look. “How does Lindsay know Pamela?”
Stella thought for a moment. “They probably met during their time studying abroad. The Clarks picked the finest schools for Lindsay, but she seems to squander her opportunities to make meaningful connections.”
“Stella, it would be best for you to avoid any contact with Lindsay in the future,” Bella said sternly. “I’ll have Whitney look into reputable brain specialists in Dorburn. If we can help Matthew regain his memory quickly, we can resolve the situation with Lindsay just as fast.”
Stella’s mind raced with images of Matthew as Bella spoke, her thoughts spiraling. Could it be that Lindsay had come to Dorburn without Matthew’s knowledge? Was her entire visit simply to leverage Pamela to irritate her?
“How could someone as honorable as Lucia have an adopted granddaughter Like Lindsay?” Bennett muttered, sharing Bella’s concerns.
A sudden thought seemed to strike him, and he turned to Bella. “Does Howard respect Stella because of you?” he asked.
“I don’t have that much influence,” Bella responded quickly.
“That’s odd. Is Howard actually humble then?” Bennett pondered aloud, appearing confused.
As the trio conversed, Pamela and Lindsay entered the room.
Pamela strode directly to Stella and sat beside her with a dismissive snort.
Seeing Pamela’s cold manner, Stella smiled subtly. “Have you managed to piece my invitation back together yet?” she asked.
Pamela’s expression darkened. Anger boiled within her, but she remembered her father’s warning and swallowed her pride.
“Here.” She slapped the crudely repaired invitation onto Stella’s lap.
“This is rather shoddy work,” Stella remarked, examining the invitation.
With that, she ripped it again and tossed the pieces back to Pamela. “Thank you,” she said. “You’ve just confirmed my status in front of Howard. I don’t need this invitation to affirm my identity anymore.”
Pamela, stood abruptly, anger flashing in her eyes, ready to confront Stella.
Yet Stella remained composed. “Your father holds me in high regard. I wouldn’t test me if I were you,” she said firmly. “I’m not sure why Howard is so courteous, but I certainly know how to leverage the authority I’m given.”
Pamela deflated at Stella’s calm assertion and reluctantly sat down again.
Lindsay witnessed the exchange and couldn’t help but warn Stella. “Remember, this is Dorburn, not Seamarsh,” she whispered. “You might want to show some restraint to avoid complicating things for Matthew.”
“What concern is it of yours? Even if Matthew were here, do you think he’d fail to discern right from wrong?” Stella’s reply was swift and sharp.