Lavinia sat back against the armchair, beaming with happiness. Apparently, all it took to shift the dynamic between her and Andrew was this one conversation. She hadn't expected to feel so lighthearted, so alive, after such an exchange, but here she was, feeling something stir in her chest. It was as though a barrier hadbeen lifted, just slightly, revealing a glimpse of something more between them.
She wasn't sure what it was, but there was a shift between them now. Something had changed. His usual coldness was still there, but it seemed less like a wall and more like a shield, one he was letting slip, just a little, around her. Deep down, she wanted to know what it was—the reason he had his guard up all the time—but she figured it was too soon to ask him about that.
"I am here to claim my hour, Your Grace," Lavinia said with a playful smile as she stepped into Andrew's study, closing the door behind her.
Andrew looked up from the ledger he had been scribbling in, his eyes meeting hers with a faint hint of amusement. He closed the book with a soft snap, setting it aside. "I suppose I'm obligated to fulfill my end of the bargain, aren't I?"
"Yes, you are," she answered and sat on the other side of the table.
"I'm beginning to think I've made a deal with a very persistent woman. Very well then, Lavinia, I'm at your service."
She smiled, her hands folded on the table as she leaned forward slightly. "I trust you're not too busy with...whatever it is you do in that ledger of yours."
Andrew's gaze flickered briefly to the book before he met her eyes again. "No," he answered. "It can wait. I see you brought cards."
Lavinia flashed him a playful smile as she shuffled the deck. "I did. I thought it would be a nice way to pass the time. Do you play?"
Andrew leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a faint smirk. He took the cards from her hands, his fingers slightly brushing hers. "Do I play? Lavinia, I'm a man of many talents. Cards happen to be one of them."
Lavinia raised an eyebrow, her smile growing. "Well, I hope you're ready to prove it. I wouldn't want to embarrass you in your own study."
Lavinia's fingers absently traced the edge of the table, her gaze lingering on Andrew as he shuffled the deck. A sense of relief washed over her. It was warm and unexpected. It seemed as though the tide between them had shifted, and for the first time in weeks, she didn't feel as though she was standing on uneven ground.
This—the talking, laughing, sharing space without the usual tension that had defined their marriage—felt like a glimpse of what they had before everything changed. Back then, there had been an unspoken understanding between them, a mutual ease that made their interactions surprisingly enjoyable even though they bickered a lot. Lavinia hadn't realized how much she missed that simplicity until now. It felt as though they were reclaiminga piece of something lost, and for the first time in weeks, she allowed herself to relax in his presence.
She liked this version of Andrew, the one who didn't shy away from her, who spoke to her like a friend. It was more than she'd dared to hope for, and it left her heart feeling strangely light.
Andrew leaned forward as Lavinia dealt the cards. "Just so you know, I won't go easy on you."
"Neither will I," she answered.
He chuckled, picking up his cards and fanning them out in his hand. "Confident, aren't you? But confidence can be a dangerous thing."
"Only for those who can't back it up," she quipped. "And I assure you, I can."
Andrew slowly placed a card on the table. "Oh, I don't doubt your capabilities, Lavinia. It's just...sometimes overconfidence has a way of getting people into trouble." His gaze lingered on her a beat longer than necessary, and there was no mistaking the subtle flirtation in his voice.
Lavinia playfully rolled her eyes. "Is that so? And what kind of trouble are you referring to, Andrew?" she asked, her voice carrying the same playful tone.
He leaned back, tapping the edge of the table with his fingers. "The kind that makes one question whether they were wise to provoke their opponent." His smirk deepened. "But I'll leave that for you to decide."
"Provoke you?" she asked with mock offense, laying down her own card. "You overestimate yourself, Your Grace. This game was over the moment I picked up the deck."
Andrew threw his head back laughing, the rich sound filling the room. "Such arrogance," he murmured, shaking his head. "Where do you get it from?"
Lavinia tilted her head, a sly smile forming as she responded. "Arrogance? Hardly. This confidence has been earned through years of practice."
Andrew briefly met her eyes. "What do you mean?"
“My father and David were my most frequent opponents growing up. They weren't the most gracious losers, mind you."
Andrew raised a brow, intrigued. "Oh? Were they sore enough to flip the table when you won?"
"Not quite that dramatic," Lavinia replied with a soft laugh. "But when I won—which happened often—their moods soured for the rest of the evening. My father would grumble about how I'd been overly ambitious with my plays, and David would sulk, claiming I had an unfair advantage. Winning against them wasn't justabout the game, it was like challenging their authority. It unsettled the whole household. So, sometimes I let them win, just to keep things...calm."
Andrew's gaze lingered on her, his expression softening. "You shouldn't have had to do that."
She glanced up at him, startled by the depth in his voice. "It wasn't so bad," she said lightly, though her fingers fidgeted with the corner of her card. "It made things easier for everyone. Plus, it was only once in a while."
