A long silence settled over the gazebo after the declaration, giving Michael time to process the situation. Of course even if he were given hours, he might not be able to understand the actions of the man in front of him.
"I don't understand…" he said, slowly raising his head to stare at the man across from him.
At this, the lord gave a pained smile, "I am simply trying to make amends for my actions. From this point onward, you are a friend of our Winterborne household—no longer a servant."
The statement sounded genuine, but it was also confusing. Since he wasn't a servant anymore, did that mean he was essentially homeless? Would the Winterborne family still be paying his tuition towards Arcadia?
"Michael my dear, this is good news." Mary said, flashing him a brilliant smile that threatened to take his breath away. "Melody has already told us in detail how close you are—I trust you will look after her even without the contract in place."
