The Duke sat at the intricately carved walnut desk in his study, meticulously scanning over the records that had been brought to him from the fortress' steward for review and approval.
Sterling was surprised because they showed only a minor amount of funds used from the coffers. He had expected much more spending since the Yule celebration was just days away.
Sterling felt a painful throb in his chest at the thought of the upcoming celebration. Since he and his fortress were the host, he would have to attend the Yule festivities, which would mean he would have to face Faye and sit beside her during the dinner.
Sterling buried his head in his hands. His frustration built as he realized keeping away from Faye would not be as simple as he first thought.
"RAP, TAP, TAP!" a knock followed by a man's voice called through the door. "It's Paladin Proud reporting, your Grace."
