Ruby wanted to roll her eyes so hard it hurt, but she kept her face calm, her voice soft. "I don't count," she said simply, picking up her glass of water.
Louis's eyes lit up like a greedy child handed a full jar of sweets. He leaned across the table, both hands slapping down as though he'd just won a prize. "Very, very good! Then give me half after I marry you! Hah—finally I won't have to depend on mother's allowance!" He laughed, his cheeks flushed with excitement, not noticing how every word made Ruby's smile thinner.
"And maybe," he went on quickly, as if afraid she'd cut him off, "you should get a new house—yes, a bigger one! We'll share a room, of course, and I'll need my own personal room too. Big enough for my clothes and snacks, and maybe a couch… oh! And a balcony, yes!"
