The impassive face before him, absorbed in whatever was written on the page, made him feel almost insignificant, as if he were just one more detail in the Duke's vast, carefully controlled world.
It irritated him, more than he cared to admit.
When the Duke finally finished reading, he folded the letter with deliberate care and looked up, his expression softening instantly as he spotted Lord Thane standing across from him.
A wide, warm smile spread across the Duke's face, transforming his usually stoic demeanor into something more approachable, even affectionate.
"Oh, it was you!" the Duke exclaimed, rising from his chair with surprising enthusiasm. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"
The Duke, oblivious to Thane's discomfort, gave him a hearty clap on the back, the sound echoing through the room.
