w clung to the garden hedges, and golden light streamed through the tall windows of the

nt and cousin had already left for their morning spa appointments, leaving him alo

gh no one would ever read it. It wasn't what he wrote t

ace for attraction. But now, Elias existed in every stillne

ant poured his tea. It wasn't Elias. It

he room, where Elias sometime

today," ca

the head housekeeper, adju

e. "He requested the morning to hand

quickly. "Of cou

ger, as if she sensed something beneath the

rian remained vacant, an

-

es and fountains that rarely saw guests. He paced slowly along the gra

being f

st like everyone else. And yet, not knowing where he was, or what

and sat on a stone bench. He pr

getting o

for Elias. Not for anyone. Love

lways." That phrase had been drilled into him - from the age of ten, when he cried after

supposed to

asn't like

-

roaching footste

ooke

rather than his usual uniform - charcoal-grey slacks and

different.

find you out here,

lightly. "I didn't ex

needed to do earl

explanation. No detai

iliar posture and voice. It was ridiculous - he was acting like som

ir," Adrian said, his

pped closer. "Do you m

ed. "No. Of

runched beneath their shoes. The silence stretched, n

u out of uniform,"

uty," Elias replied without loo

"You don't seem like the type

t," Elias said. Then, after a pause

hing in that statement - a shadow of an

to ask. Bu

, "Do you regret

walking a step behind no

not exactly glamorous.

his tone lighter. "Rooms full of

's eyes didn't shift away. They met h

lias said. "It's people

harder than th

ugh the hedges. Adrian wanted to reach for something to say, an

manor, eyes scanning the tal

to the village?" he asked

ifted - just slightly

was

would come. But a quiet curiosity had bloomed

-

desk, the journal still locked in it

light. The garden below was empty now, the bre

just to fill the silence - or if there wa

wn secrets. Maybe Adrian

have been comfort

rrifi

oor pulled him f

eked inside. "Sir, I've placed

" Adrian sa

Her voice hesitated. "You seem

up, startled

ptical look. "Sometimes sil

nd, she dipped her he

-

unpacked a small paper envelope and slipped out a photo

than ten, standing in fr

posture. Only the worl

awer of his nightstand and

- the questions, the s

to feel the tension that had been buil

came here for," he

ing in the window of the master's study a

mmedi