Flora described the immediate aftermath of the Braun Summit at Gray Manor. After Magnus Braun departed, Reginald Gray dismissed the staff and praised Flora for swaying Magnus, calling her an asset for the first time. Augusta Gray called her both a blessing and a potential “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” and Reginald pocketed Flora’s gifted Cartier pen under the pretext of keeping it safe, signaling her parents’ sudden, self-serving valuation of her.

With the Workers’ Ball ten days away, the manor swelled with retained temporary staff as Augusta orchestrated a grander event than ever before. Rooms were re-curated to flaunt family heirlooms, culminating in a lavish, newly polished silver display near the ballroom. When a temporary maid asked for the silver pantry, Flora followed Mrs. Mead to the basement. There, while polishing silver, Flora sought clarity about Magnus’s intentions.

Mrs. Mead bluntly explained that Magnus Braun was considering Flora as a match for his son, Algernon. Flora protested she was too young and wanted university, then deflected with a cutting remark about Mrs. Mead’s nephew. Mrs. Mead was hurt, and Flora recognized her own prejudice and ignorance. The conversation ended with Mrs. Mead noting that feelings change and that much hinged on Flora’s meeting with Algernon.

As the ball approached, Augusta filled the manor with daffodils and Reginald stocked premium whiskey to please Magnus. At school, Flora earned top marks for a paper on Aesop’s fables; unexpectedly, John Preston (Mrs. Mead’s nephew) smiled supportively. After class, amid newfound interest from invited classmates, John approached Flora and asked to be called “John,” seeking a reset between them.

Seeing John’s kindness triggered Flora’s buried childhood memory: during a traumatic tea-party incident, a little boy named John had found and lovingly repaired her ruined storybook, leaving it hidden in an oak’s knothole. She realized she should have believed in John rather than in fairies.

Back in the classroom, John praised Flora’s courage at the summit and affirmed she had saved her family. He asked for a truce and requested a dance at the Workers’ Ball. Flora agreed, felt an electric connection as they shook hands, and John kissed her hand. They parted with the promise to dance, even as Flora remained bound to the impending meeting with Algernon and the expectations it carried.