Page 244 of Ashen Torment

Étienne stands aside and Richard enters.

“Am I disturbing you?”

I lift my chin toward him, indicating the chair opposite me with a gesture of my hand.

“Eat with me.”

He moves slowly and settles into the chair across the table, still wearing his gloves.

“I have already breakfasted, thank you.”

Marie approaches with the teapot, I turn toward her.

“I shall see to it, Marie. You may go.”

She offers a slight bow, chin toward her chest, and leaves without a sound. I take the teapot and pour the amber liquid into the cup before Richard, his gaze follows every movement, yet he does not meet my eyes.

“Is something troubling you?” I ask.

He pulls off his brown gloves, then takes the small cup in his hands and grips it.

“Thank you...”

He takes a sip and sets it back down.

“I wanted to speak with you, Evander,” he says at last, keeping his eyes directed elsewhere.

I lift my cup, the hot coffee grazing my lips.

“Tell me. What is it?”

He shifts slightly in his chair.

“I did not mean to be discourteous the other day.”

“Discourteous?”

“At the Fairfax estate, I... I saw you two so close, I didn’t—”

“You thought how indecorous it was.”

“No! It isn’t that, not at all!”

I lift the plate of scones and move it toward him.

“I was only worried that someone might see!”

“See what?”

“W-what do you mean, Evander? To me, it seemed—”

“What did it seem to you?”

“You two seemed close!”

I take a scone between my fingers. “And?”

“And—”