Ursula tädin onnettomuus : $b Novelli

A bright summer day envelops the elegant gardens of Saint‑Mandé, where young Aline Bernard flits among roses, her thoughts as tangled as the pruning she does. The heat presses down on the tidy estate, and the chirping of swallows seems to echo the restless beating of her heart as she anticipates a conversation that will shape her future. While the household hums with quiet activity, Aline feels the weight of expectations pressing from every polished wall.

Inside the drawing‑room, her father rises to speak of marriage as a perilous game of chance, while Aunt Ursula offers a solemn nod of approval. The family’s careful plans hinge on a single decision, and the arrival of a handsome, blue‑eyed captain in a crisp uniform adds both hope and uncertainty. Aline stands on the cusp of adulthood, caught between the comforting routine of her garden and the looming promise—or peril—of what lies ahead.