While Bruno and Nicholas discussed matters of strategic importance, their children had gone off to enjoy a more casual environment. Ledgers and secrets were traded for tea and biscuits.
And for the first time, since Elsa and Alexei began to see one another, in the traditional dance of courtship, the ice, so to speak had truly been broken between them. After all, Elsa had revealed, standing in the hallway with her father, that she was more than just a porcelain doll—she was a living, breathing person.
It had taken her far longer than she'd wanted to grow comfortable enough to speak with Alexei the way she did with others close to her. And if she was being honest, it was only the circumstances—unintentional but appreciated—that forced her hand.
