A sneaky smile crept across my face as I realized that this was the first time since Lady Maria’s party that I had encountered Augustin on a Saturday, the day when he set aside work for pleasure. Now, he sat ten paces away from me, wholly engrossed in his gambling, his expression set in its usual harshness, his mouth pressed in a thin line at his companions’ raucous hoots. I stood still, waiting to see how long it would take for him to notice my presence.
Finally, he lifted his eyes from his cards and looked straight at me, his blue irises flaring with disapproval. I froze, unable to step forward to greet him, the denigration in his glare frightening me. His mouth twisted into a sneer, and he rose from his stool, waving his free hand to someone across the room. My own eyes followed his ge
