Just after breakfast, Simione discreetly followed Hawk to his office. She knew that once he left the house, his attention would be consumed by company tasks, making it difficult to have a private conversation.
"Mi amore?" Hawk called on her when he noticed she had tailed him from the dining room. He was preparing to leave and was packing up some things from his desk. Knowing that she would have something to say, he paused and welcomed her in his arms. "Do you need anything?"
Simione returned the embrace, her irritation about Erithel simmering beneath the surface. While she understood that Hawk likely hadn't thought much about letting Erithel stay in the chateau, especially given Lady Beatrice's request, and recognized Erithel's efforts to manage their meals as an attempt to get closer to everyone, she couldn't shake the feeling that the woman was overstepping her boundaries. Simione hesitated, acknowledging that her concerns might sound petty, but the irritation persisted.
