Later that afternoon, the carriage finally rolled out.
Inside it sat Eros at ease, Xena resting against his arm on one side, her head tilted comfortably against his shoulder, while Shade occupied the other, silent as ever, eyes half-lidded but aware of everything. Opposite them sat Sir William and Duke Icemake.
William looked distracted—far more than usual. His gaze drifted to the window, then to the floor, thoughts clearly tangled and heavy.
Duke Icemake, on the other hand, was in high spirits.
He leaned forward more than once, unable to contain himself. "I must say, Lord Eros," he began, voice full of admiration, "I had heard… terrible things about the Tate Estate. Ruin. Mismanagement. Rot." He shook his head. "All lies, it seems. Absolute lies."
Eros merely chuckled, folding his hands.
"If I didn't know any better," the duke continued, peering through the carriage window, "I would swear you built all of this in secret. At this rate, this place will rival the capital itself."
