She clutched the basket to her chest, its faint warmth seeping into her palms, and smiled through the tears pricking her eyes. "Thank you," she murmured, more to herself than to the maids.
Behind her, Sarah and Thalia exchanged knowing glances.
Emma dipped her head. "He said you mustn't worry—that you need only smile, and you will conquer the whole room."
Salviana laughed softly at that, the sound trembling but real. "He would say something like that."
Her nerves did not vanish, but they softened. She could almost hear Alaric teasing her in that quiet, mischievous way, telling her that she would blind them all with nothing more than her presence.
She hugged the basket close, her silent cross now a little lighter.
"Very well," she said at last, her voice steadier, her eyes glimmering. "Let us go to this tea party."
