The tea service was laid out with precision—china cups, silver spoons, and the faint aroma of Earl Grey drifting through the garden. Reginald Whitmore sat upright now, cane resting against his chair, his expression sharper than before.
He stirred his tea slowly, then looked at Julian and Kya with a measured gaze. “Tell me,” he began, his voice deliberate, “has the announcement been made in the papers? The engagement of Julian Gray and Kya Byrd?”
Julian hesitated, his eyes flicking to Kya. She met his gaze, the silence stretching between them. Then Kya cleared her throat, her voice calm but firm.
“I prefer not to announce it,” she said.
Reginald’s brows lifted, his expression shifting into something more formal, more scrutinizing. “Not announce it? Why?”
Kya sat straighter, her hands f
