That evening Alastair invited him inside. Corin hesitated, intimidated by the marble floors and towering ceilings. Celia tugged his hand firmly until he followed her. She sat beside him during dinner, watching him with a fascination that made the household staff exchange astonished glances. She would not eat until Corin did. She would not leave the room unless he stepped with her.
No matter how baffling the situation appeared one thing was clear. Corin’s presence unlocked something inside Celia.
Over the next weeks Alastair observed gradual changes that stunned every therapist on staff. Celia copied Corin’s gestures. She attempted new words whenever he encouraged her. She practiced short sentences with him while they explored the greenhouse or walked along the pond. Corin never treated her like a patient, or an oddity. He treated her like a friend. That authenticity became a bridge no professional could replicate.