Isabella sighed, realizing that Duke Caius wasn't grasping her implication. "You know precisely what I mean," she replied cryptically. "It's also the reason she constantly followed me."
With a knowing gaze, Isabella offered her advice to Duke Caius, "Your penchant for secrecy isn't aiding Mabel in any way," she began, her words filled with sincerity. "In fact, it only creates a divide between you and her."
Continuing with her counsel, she emphasized, "Mabel may be young, but she deserves to be privy to all that you know."
Her words resonated with a sense of urgency as if urging Duke Caius to bridge the gap that had grown between them.
Duke Caius fell into a thoughtful silence, contemplating what Isabella had implied.
He found Mabel's attachment to Isabella peculiar, especially since their initial encounter had left his daughter frightened and hurt by Isabella's words.
