"To avoid what happened before, I have arranged more staff here until the wedding," the elder minister said, just as the sound of carriage wheels came to a halt outside the mansion.
Ruelle's attention briefly flickered towards the window.
The minister continued, "I hope you will accept it, Lord Azriel. After all, this is an important step."
"That is understandable," Lord Azriel replied, rising from the couch with the fluid grace of nobility. The minister followed, before they headed to the door—
"Make it two weeks. The wedding."
The elder minister paused and looked back at Lucian. His expression did not change and he replied,
"I only offered more time, as arrangements must be made and the matter announced."
"It is too long," Lucian returned.
"A short wait rarely harms a union," the minister replied with his eyebrows slightly raised.
"Restriction tends to make temptation far more… appealing," Dane chipped in with a sly smile, his eyes flicking to Ruelle's neck briefly.
