ith excruciating normalcy

ng like the polished clockwork it had always been. Adrian, however, felt entirely out of

ce in the corridor or when he entered the library with fre

egun to avo

e slight shift of the eyes, a downward tilt of the head whenever Adrian en

t terri

-

cup resting on the grand piano. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there - may

n in his journal

d he even

with someone who wo

ht down and let the

ir

s familiar, but colder

ias standing in the doorway, carryi

sed - but there was a certain dullness in h

ly," Adrian sa

early today. I was instructed

l he sounded - like so

ve to be so d

n - the words slipped out

ep. "I'm not sure w

took a slow breath. "Yo

, carefully. "I've

step closer. "

as a lo

softly, "It's

ass. Adrian's chest tigh

they hadn't. There was no anger there. Just underst

he both of us

rds came. None that wouldn't shatt

d walked away, the linen

-

rely ate

m. Clarissa tried to engage him in another round of matchmaking tal

, almost-forbidden conversation days ago. The room was dimly lit now, moonlight bleeding through the glass

etter t

he felt something too - and was

th something like panic. Or hope. He

y at the sound o

ther housekeeper collecti

and let his head fall back

-

, the stor

indows, wind whispering through the chimneys like something old and alive. Ad

e music room. And the silence

oking the courtyard. Somewhere down there, Elias would be tucked away i

reached for the jou

back - a clean,

ed up h

his way. But he didn'

h

l? Or is he just afrai

pen. Then, for the first time, he added so

nds out, he'll

arply and pressed his

something dangerous

e didn't w

-

t filtered through sheer curtains. Adrian rose early, shaved, dressed in a slate-

etting anyone know that

e window. The housekeeper was outside, crouched beside a stone basin, scrubbing it clean with gloved

longer than h

anced up - and ca

second, nei

his head slightly, and

way from the win

efore this became so

it alre

-

ubbing away the cold water and soil. But his mind wasn't on the task. It

meant to

ng had made

- really watching him - it had tak

supposed t

secret that would ruin more than

s, staring down at t

n't affo

it seemed,