Back in the courtroom:
Adele smiled the moment her father walked away for the second time.
"Lord Varent." she repeated the name slowly, the syllables rolling off her tongue like tiny stones she tossed into a quiet pond. "Forgive me, but… it sounds like a sneeze."
The man blinked at her, confusion flickering in his brown eyes. "Pardon?"
She held both hands gracefully before her, and lifted her chin. Her shoulders squared, and every line of her posture radiated elegance and confidence. "I said your name sounds like a sneeze," she repeated, letting her words hang between them like a challenge.
To her astonishment, Lord Varent smiled. A slow, amused curve spread around his lips. "Are you trying to argue me into staying away from you tonight?" he asked, smoothly.
His voice was the kind that could draw out confessions without a single question. He reached for her hand and pressed it to his lips, lingering. The warmth of him made her knees betray her just a fraction.
