As the carriage rolled to a stop, Elias was quick to reach for the door handle, eager to escape the suffocating embarrassment that had plagued him for the entire ride back. He stepped out first, inhaling the crisp evening air as he straightened his posture.
Cassius followed at a leisurely pace, his gloved hands adjusting the cuffs of his coat. The moment his feet touched the ground, he exhaled, rolling his shoulders as if shedding the last remnants of the meeting.
Reginald stood at the entrance, his usual composed expression in place. "Master, I trust everything went as expected?"
Cassius hummed in response, his gaze drifting past Reginald to the grand doors of the estate.
Reginald then turned his sharp eyes on Elias, scrutinizing him for a brief moment. Whatever thoughts passed through the old butler's mind, he kept to himself, simply inclining his head slightly before addressing Cassius again. "Dinner is being prepared. Shall I inform the staff of any preferences?"
