The conversation with Darius did not end when I left the room.
It lingered, settling into everything—the way I moved through the estate, the way I thought, the way I chose my next step.
I found Richard in the small, sun-drenched antechamber off the main study. It was a room designed for informal meetings, with comfortable chairs and a table large enough for maps but intimate enough for conspiracy. He was already there, a steaming cup of tea in his hand, studying the reports we had drafted the night before. He looked up as I entered, and a small, knowing smile touched his lips.
"I trust you slept well," he said, his tone light but his eyes sharp and analytical. "After your... meeting with the Duke."
"I slept fine," I replied, taking the seat opposite him. "And you? I hope the guest quarters were to your liking."
