The woman gave a soft sigh, her shoulders easing slightly as the weight of a dozen wandering stares settled back into their own spaces. Her expression, though still composed, held a glimmer of regret, and she looked at Lucas with a kind of sincerity that was rare in rooms where pride reigned supreme.
"I must apologize," she said, her voice low enough that only he could hear it now, a contrast to the sharp tone she had used to silence the others. "It wasn't my intention to draw attention to you. I shouldn't have spoken so loudly, especially when I didn't yet know the situation."
Lucas regarded her for a moment, quiet as always, measuring the truth in her voice. He could tell that she meant it. There was no mockery in her eyes, no hidden amusement, and no flippant disregard for the scene she had sparked. She simply hadn't expected him to be who he claimed to be, and her surprise had gotten the better of her. For that, she was owning it.
