//CLARA//
The hug lasted a heartbeat too long for a proper lady and an unmarried gentleman. I could feel the heat of Oliver's relief, his heart finally slowing down, but I could also feel the temperature in the room plummeting.
A sharp, loud throat-clearing echoed through the hallway. It wasn't a cough. It was a warning shot.
Oliver jumped. He pulled back slowly, his movements stiff, and turned to face the room. Casimir was standing three feet away, his arms folded across his chest, his posture so rigid he looked like he'd been carved out of the very stone of the courthouse.
I didn't pull away. In fact, I stayed right where I was, tucked into Oliver's side, and slowly raised mocking eyebrow at Casimir. Oliver kept glancing between the two of us.
"Don't you have anything you'd like to say to Mr. Whitfield… Uncle?"
I emphasized the title just enough to let him know I was enjoying this.
