The Henley house was still, the silence broken only by the steady tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the drawing room. Caroline stood before the clock's glass, tilting her head to admire the ruby necklace around her neck. She murmured, "How fortunate I am…"
Upon hearing footsteps, she turned swiftly, her face lighting up with an eagerness that bordered on desperation. "Ezekiel, you're finally home!" she exclaimed.
Ezekiel leaned forward to brush a superficial kiss against her cheek, his lips barely grazing her skin. "Caroline," he greeted smoothly, slipping off his coat and draping it neatly over a chair. "It's rather late. Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I couldn't sleep," Caroline replied, her tone wistful, a small pout forming on her lips. "You're always working… always away. I wanted to wait for you. Maybe we could have dinner together?"