A ripple of laughter passed down the table. Lucas, of course, only brightened.
“Still sounds like a good time to me,” he said.
I tilted my head at him. “Only if you’re in charge of clean-up duty.”
That got a bigger round of laughter, a few guests even wiping their eyes. Lucas put a hand to his chest as if I’d gravely wounded him, but the grin never left his face. Even Noah, two seats down, hid a small smirk behind his glass.
Lucas leaned back, eyes glinting with mischief. “You hurt me, Sinclair. I was up at sunrise, working on my fitness and thinking of ways to make your job easier.”
The wordsunrisesnagged in my mind like a loose thread. Sunrise, the same time Cleo said he’d been wandering around charming half the staff… and the same time someone had been skulking near the guest wing.
“Oh?” I kept my tone easy, casual. “Are you always up so early?”
He took a slow sip of his coffee, his expression impossible to read under all that lazy confidence. “Only when I’ve got things on my mind.”
His tone carried that familiar hint, half flirtation, half performance, the signature Lucas blend designed to make people lean in.
I didn’t.
Instead, I studied him for a heartbeat longer. Sunrise. Things on his mind. A man who never did anything before ten unless it benefitted him directly.
“Must’ve been something important,” I said lightly.
He flashed a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “You have no idea.”
I smiled tightly and moved on, mentally bookmarkingLucas up early, possible suspect.
Noah caught my eye across the table, one corner of his mouth lifting slightly, a questioning look.
It wasn’t a smirk exactly, but something that said he found the whole exchange with Lucas quite informative.
I gave him the smallest nod in return, the kind you’d miss if you weren’t looking for it.
I turned to check on Caroline and James. They sat together, sharing a private conversation that looked easy.
“Everything running smoothly?” I asked gently, stepping close to them. “Lunch okay?”
Caroline glanced up, smiling. “Gorgeous,” she said, her voice distracted. “I think the rosé was the official hit of the wine tasting this morning.”
James chuckled, reaching for her hand. “Or maybe Holly’s planning was.”
I smiled back, all calm efficiency. “I’ll take credit for the timing, but not the wine, that’s all Noah.”
Caroline’s eyes flicked towards him briefly, the faintest hint of gratitude there before she turned back to me. “We are very happy with the day so far,” she said cheerfully. “And tonight, the welcome party, it’s still the same plan?”
“Yes,” I said, checking my tablet out of habit. “Cocktails on the terrace at six. Lighting, drones, candles are all here, and after dinner the private concert. The band has everything it needs and is already setting up. Exactly what we discussed.”
“Great,” she said again, almost to herself. But there was a gleam behind her eyes, a thought she didn’t voice.
“I should let you know,” I said, checking my tablet, “the swan handler will arrive around five. He wants the birds to ‘emotionally settle in’ before guests arrive.”
Caroline nodded, unbothered. “Good. Last time they were a touch feisty.”
Of course they were.
“Everything else is all on track,” I said, tapping something into my tablet. “And just a heads up, a few of the VIP guests have started messaging ahead of their arrivals.”
Caroline didn’t look alarmed. She never did. She had the serene expression of someone raised around private jets and people who travelled with staff dedicated to curating their wardrobe on arrival.