Chapter 17
Velario knew heowed Reyn an apology. He didn’t need to spend an entire day thinking it through; he already knew he would mean every word. But after Selona’s scolding, he found he couldn’t help but reflect on how he had treated Reyn.
She had rubbed him the wrong way at first. She was too friendly. Too flippant.
He didn’t like knowing that he had missed something. The characteristics he had identified initially only went skin deep. Her flirting and giggling, her shopping and socializing were all masks she used to earn a welcome. No, Selona was right. They were Reyn’s armor. And the true Reyn?
She drew him in, no matter how hard he tried to resist. She was too witty. Too feisty. Too beautiful.
And she let him see her. Not her masks, her.
Of course, he went and ruined it by accusing her of being shallow when he was one of the few people who had seen her depths. He owed her a major apology. And probably another night at the opera, so she could actually enjoy more than the first act. Maybe he should throw in some groveling for good measure.
Not because he needed her help to locate counterfeit money. He owed her the apology, full stop. It was time he admitted his prejudices and abandon them.
Having her—hopefully—forgive him and continue helping the bank was only a fringe benefit. He hoped she’d truly forgive him, though, because he wanted to return to the comfortable interactions they had settled into. A long day of working didn’t feel as draining when he spent all afternoon teasing Reyn and hearing her silver-bell laughter.
He arrived at his aunt and uncle’s house at precisely the time Selona had told him to come. The butler informed him Lady Reyn was in the music room. Alone.
Velario made his way to the smallish room near the back of the first floor. Aunt Biatra played occasionally, but Selona did not, and he had rarely spent any time there. As he approached, he heard the strains of a beautiful aria. He winced when he realized he recognized it from the second act of the opera the other night.
Then the singing started.
Reyn’s voice was compelling when she spoke. Her laughter was enchanting. But this? This was mesmerizing. Velario crossed to the music room door and eased it open without even thinking about what he was doing. He couldn’t think, only listen. Of course, the opening of the door startled Reyn, and the song cut off abruptly.
She pushed away from the pianoforte and Velario had to fight the urge to beg her to keep singing.
“Lord Velario,” she said with a slight nod.
“Please tell me we aren’t reverting to being formal.”
“It depends.”
“On?”
“On what you say in the next few seconds.”
“Can I at least have a minute?”
Reyn tapped her foot.
He was pretty sure she was deadly serious. Right. So he had to get the most important part out first. What was that again? Of course! “I’m sorry.”
She crossed her arms.
“Reyn, I am sorry for everything I said the other night. It wasn’t true, and I didn’t mean it. I was mad at myself, and I took it out on you. That’s not an excuse, just an explanation.” Her arms were still crossed, but her foot was no longer tapping. “Please, if you can find it within yourself to forgive me, I swear I will never say such lies about you again.”
Her arms slowly relaxed to hang at her sides. “I think it is evident that you do not like me. And I do not like you. But we can both agree that we don’t have to like each other to accomplish our goals.”
She was wrong. Velario liked her. He liked her enough that he turned into an ass who pushed her away. At this point, it seemed his safest option was agreeing with her, though. “Right. We can continue working together like adults.”
“Adults.” Reyn swallowed. “Exactly.”
Velario tried to figure out what had Reyn suddenly nervous. Not wanting to dig himself deeper when she wasn’t truly letting him out of the last hole, though, meant he said nothing. He waited and watched.
Reyn stepped around him and closed the music room door. Then she walked back, sat on the bench in front of the pianoforte and smoothed out her skirts. Her eyes darted to him, then away.
Velario pulled out a chair and sat across from her, still silent.
