Suzy pushed open the heavy oak doors of the library, the scent of aged paper and leather immediately filling her senses. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, casting long shadows across the rows upon rows of books that lined the walls.
"Elias?" she called out tentatively, her voice echoing in the vast silence.
A figure emerged from behind a towering bookshelf, a surprised smile breaking out on his face. It was Elias, the library's keeper, a young man with kind eyes and a perpetual air of quiet scholarly enthusiasm.
"My Lady Duchess!" he exclaimed, bowing slightly. "What a pleasant surprise! How are you doing ?"
Suzy offered a smile in return, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Elias, it's good to see you again," she said. "I'm doing well, thank you for asking."
"Excellent news, Your Grace," Elias replied, his voice warm and genuine. "These past few weeks have been… trying, haven't they?"
