"Clara, darling!" Mother glided into the room, her arms outstretched dramatically. "I simply had to see how you were settling in!"
Relief washed over me at the sight of her familiar face amid the chaos of moving. Lady Beatrix Beaumont might be overbearing, but at this moment, her presence felt like a lifeline in this enormous mansion.
"Lady Beatrix," Lucian stepped forward with a gracious bow that betrayed none of the irritation I'd glimpsed moments earlier. "What a delightful surprise."
"Marquess," Mother curtseyed elegantly. "I hope I'm not intruding. It's just that a mother must ensure her daughter is properly established before her wedding."
I watched Lucian's face carefully. His smile remained fixed, perfect—too perfect.
"Not at all," he replied smoothly. "Clara is fortunate to have such an attentive mother."
