Édouard returned home in the evening. He freshened up and removed the tunic. Charles knocked on the door and informed Édouard that the Duchess was waiting for him for the evening tea in the drawing room.
Édouard was surprised to hear that Charlotte was waiting for him. He has put on a white silk shirt, frilled and embroidered at the neck and wrists. He had earlier unbuttoned the few top buttons of his shirt and forgotten to button them up.
As he reached the drawing room, he saw that Charlotte was indeed present. A smile crept on his lips, and she tilted her head to look at him. She stood up, and he walked over to her.
"Good evening," Charlotte said, dropping the honorifics. Her eyes fell on the part of the naked chest that was peeking out of the shirt.
