Adding to her distress were the town’s accusing eyes, scrutinizing them during the funeral. The townsfolk pitied the twins, believing they were now stuck with a wicked stepmother, the so-called gold-digger. Julia could hear the whispers and it infuriated her. Why did the townspeople have to be such busybodies? Couldn’t they mind their own affairs?
The reading of Harold’s will added fuel to the already raging fire. Harold had left his entire estate to Anna. The revelation left the town in an uproar. Anna, still reeling from the shock of Harold’s death, found herself at the center of a whirlwind of accusations, her world turning upside down once more.