Every very well that left her mouth caused Valerian's heart to skip a beat, and each time it recovered with a vengeance. At first it was admitting that Macmillan was not the ideal. Then it was admitting that her judgment had been off.
He became aware that his lips had parted in anticipation, so he shut them, swallowing the thickness that had formed in the back of his throat. The pause that came next was far, far too long, and in that moment Valerian might have convinced himself that he did truly want Tatiana for her sake—not for his mother's sake, not because he wanted to slight Macmillan, not because it was what was easy.
But then she accepted his proposal, and suddenly he felt... calm. Not elated, not shocked, not confused. It was a simple serenity, knowing that whatever Macmillan had pulled would go unrewarded, and that Tatiana had made a decision that would not cause him pain at dinner for the years to come.
"You will not regret your decision," he promised, reaching out to take her hand again, although this time he did not pull away. Was it possible, he wondered, that he might one day come to view her the way he ought to? He doubted it, truly, but of all women he could potentially marry Tatiana was the one he would least likely regret.
He became aware that his lips had parted in anticipation, so he shut them, swallowing the thickness that had formed in the back of his throat. The pause that came next was far, far too long, and in that moment Valerian might have convinced himself that he did truly want Tatiana for her sake—not for his mother's sake, not because he wanted to slight Macmillan, not because it was what was easy.
But then she accepted his proposal, and suddenly he felt... calm. Not elated, not shocked, not confused. It was a simple serenity, knowing that whatever Macmillan had pulled would go unrewarded, and that Tatiana had made a decision that would not cause him pain at dinner for the years to come.
"You will not regret your decision," he promised, reaching out to take her hand again, although this time he did not pull away. Was it possible, he wondered, that he might one day come to view her the way he ought to? He doubted it, truly, but of all women he could potentially marry Tatiana was the one he would least likely regret.
