Verona sat at her mahogany writing desk, her silhouette framed by the glow of several enchanted lamps. Boxes of rare Northern tea leaves sat open next to jars of preserved mountain berries, and several gowns were draped over the chaise lounge.
She was alone now. Isella had only just departed for the night. Isella had been helping her categorize the guest gifts for hours, but eventually, even her boundless energy had waned.
Before leaving, Isella had stood by the door, looking at the mountain of gift boxes with a look of genuine concern. "Verona," she had said. "You really must consider scaling back on the gift. It's too generous. They won't see it as kindness, they'll see it as a Northern Duke's attempt to buy their loyalty."
