Alaric smiled.
"You're looking good, Countess."
Vivienne went quiet for a moment, her eyes studying him with that particular intensity women used when deciding whether to be flattered or suspicious. Her lips parted slightly, then curved into something that might have been a smile.
"You're looking quite handsome too, my lord."
Alaric leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking softly under the shift in weight. He raised one hand, catching the attention of a nearby server with just a slight gesture.
The young man approached quickly.
"Jasmine tea," Alaric said. "And the honey cakes."
The server nodded and turned to Vivienne expectantly.
"Rose tea," she said after a moment's consideration. "And the lemon pastries."
"Of course, my lady."
The server bowed slightly and retreated toward the kitchen.
They sat in silence for a beat.
Just after few minutes wait the tea arrived in delicate porcelain cups on matching saucers. Then the pastries, arranged artfully on a silver platter.
