she said.
Aurora's eyes widened, momentarily confused about how Mary was aware of the incident at the marketplace. Then she realized Adrian was her brother, so she must have heard it from him. Did he also tell her about the argument they had? If so, Mary would know the roses were a form of apology. However, since she wasn't aware, Adrian must have only shared part of the story.
Taking a deep breath, Aurora said, "Consider the extra coin as my way of expressing gratitude for the roses. Let him know I appreciate the gesture, but I do not want it to seem like I owe him anything because I don't. This is the best I can do, considering I see him as a friend."
