The sprawling Sinclair estate was heavily guarded. For the New Year's Eve reunion dinner, all the members of the Sinclair family who normally lived elsewhere had returned.
Mr. Sinclair sat at the head of the table, flanked by his wife and daughter. Next to them were his two sons and their wives, and then came the grandchildren.
Adhering to the principle that family harmony was paramount, everyone ate in silence, enjoying their dinner in a slow and orderly fashion.
After dinner, Seth Sinclair, Ethan Sinclair, their father, and their second uncle went to Mr. Sinclair's study to receive a lecture from the old man.
No sooner had the lecture ended and Seth Sinclair strode out of the study than a servant approached him. "Mr. Seth, Mrs. Sinclair would like to see you in the solarium."
When Seth Sinclair arrived at the solarium, Mrs. Sinclair and Eleanor Hawthorne had their eyes lowered, looking at a stack of photos on the crystal coffee table.
