Chapter 7: Coffee and Cherry Blossoms

Sebastian was forced to eat his own words when they stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight before them. The Princeton Estate was in full bloom with cherry blossoms. Clouds of pink flowers stretched endlessly beyond them, and the road leading to the manor was carpeted with pink petals.

“We don’t have to go to Japan to see cherry blossoms in full season,” Conrad said, smiling.

“It’s nice,” Nicolas remarked.

A gust of wind swirled past, releasing a myriad of flowers from the trees, petals raining down on the car, some landing on the windscreen. Sebastian was too stunned to turn on the wiper and continued driving until they reached the front courtyard of the two-hundred-year-old stately manor, which most foreigners liked to call the Grand Castle of St. Joseph Island, made of massive gray stone that had stood up against many winters.

The estate was immaculately maintained with lush, green lawn and neat, pretty flowerbeds their father loved. The water feature of cupids and fairies, t