Flora Gray described hatching a plan to flee the farmhouse run by Mrs. Lynch. She hid in a laundry van and slipped away in town, then traveled by bus toward home, rehearsing a plea to her parents to take her back.

When Flora reached Gray Manor, she found it owned by Mrs. Peterson, mother of her former schoolmate Percival. Mrs. Peterson revealed that the Brauns had sold the manor months earlier after auctioning the Grays’ possessions, and that Flora’s parents had vanished amid rumors they had gone to France while claiming Flora was at a Paris finishing school. Mrs. Peterson also mentioned a young man, John Preston, had recently come asking after Flora.

Flora, seven months pregnant and desperate, accepted Mrs. Peterson’s offer of room and board in exchange for domestic work. She lived in former servant quarters, cooked and cleaned, and hid herself as her pregnancy advanced. She saw that the library had been stripped and learned society acquaintances had bought up Gray heirlooms.

Flora told Mrs. Peterson she had taken the Fabergé egg with her and had hidden it at the farmhouse. Seeing an opportunity, Flora agreed to sell it. She handed the egg to Mrs. Peterson, who later returned with an envelope of money, saying it had been sold to a writer through Mr. Peterson. Flora suspected the Petersons kept a large share but accepted the funds as her lifeline.

With her due date approaching and her parents still missing, Flora left the manor, moved to the city, and rented the apartment that would later become Molly’s home. She deposited the money in a bank account labeled “the Fabergé” and secured work as a maid for the Astors via the Petersons’ connections.

After a few weeks, Flora went into labor while cleaning. The Astors brought her to the hospital, where a kind nurse stayed with her during delivery. Flora gave birth to a healthy girl with dark hair like John Preston’s and named her Margaret, called Maggie. Holding her newborn, Flora felt overwhelming love and resolve.