This little interlude, Delphine observed from a distance, entirely uninvolved.
Soon, everyone's attention shifted to Bessie Leclair and Jocelyn Yeager.
A week ago, she had seen two old men practically at each other's throats; now they were laughing and sitting amicably by the hearth, discussing the younger generation's marriage arrangements. Meanwhile, the once brash and arrogant Bessie was perched beside Jocelyn in a demure, birdlike manner. The absurdity of it all—the unpredictability of life—left Delphine momentarily at a loss.
The boy who once epitomized grace and elegance in his flowing white robes had grown up. Not only had he mastered the art of reading people's hearts, but he was now about to marry a woman he did not love.
Lost in thought, Delphine was startled when Jocelyn suddenly raised his head and looked her way. After several days of absence, his gaze had turned sharp, devoid of the usual gentleness; even the corners of his mouth bore a hint of coldness.
