After the study door was closed, leaving Eric and Aiden alone, Duke Nelson's voice could be heard from the hallway, his tone full of fatherly pride. "Eudora, my dear, your hospitality is always a blessing." They could hear Eudora response. " Thank you, father."
Eric's polite, professional smile dropped the instant he was no longer being watched. He looked at the glass of water and the plate of delicate pastries that Eudora had so thoughtfully placed in front of him. They were a clear, unmistakable gesture of her favor.
"Dispose of it," he said to Aiden, his voice low and flat.
Aiden looked at the untouched refreshments. "It is not good to waste food, Your Grace," he replied, always the idealist. "If you do not want them, I will eat them myself." Without waiting for a reply, Aiden took the glass of water and the plate of pastries, quickly finishing them off as if they were his own.
