In her manor, Senna stood by the window of her room,staring down at the street, thinking.
Her maid, Esme, stood silently by the door, her face a careful neutral expression.
"His Grace's attitude towards Marissa is noticeably different from before," Senna said, her voice a low, cold monotone. She was not speaking to Esme; she was thinking aloud. "He didn't even pay me a visit to know how I was doing." She paused, looking down at the servants doing their jobs. "Last night, in that room... he was not just protecting himself. He was also protecting her. The way he looked at her was different. He has never looked at me like that before."
She remembered the look on his face, his fury, his gentleness and and expression she couldn't quite name. She remembered the way Marissa had so easily, so naturally, taken control of the entire, terrifying situation.
