For very good reason, Leonor had always been timid around nobles. Noblemen were to not be trusted while noblewomen were entirely out of her realm.
While she wasn't privy to all of the gossip in Burien, she heard enough to know that her perspective was unfounded. There was a nasty competitiveness that led people to do dishonorable things.
The longer Alma stayed in Montclair, the more Leonor realized she was in a league of her own. She was who noble women strove to be and it was no wonder she was the center of noble society for many years before she took a step back from public life to live out the rest of her years more peacefully — until the duke summoned her as help for his wife.
