Ted froze for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. The air in the room felt suddenly heavy. He knew that although the Duke never allowed anyone to meddle in his private affairs, this time things might be different.
Because now, the one holding authority over the castle's affairs wasn't one of the concubines. It was the woman who had just spoken calm, commanding, and terrifyingly composed.
"Can you give me a reason why you decided to cut everything off?" Ted asked carefully, his tone cautious.
Liv looked up calmly. "Isn't it because they can no longer serve the Duke?" she replied coolly, reminding Ted that everyone knew she and Jay were already bound as true partners.
Ted lowered his head respectfully. "However, they are still entitled to stay there until they die, My Lady. It's part of the agreement."
Liv raised an eyebrow. "You seem to be defending them, Ted."
