Page 24 of The Villainess Chose Naps Over Death Flags

"You invited her to watch you train," Sterling said carefully. "After catching her spying on you."

"I was being practical," Caspian said. "The hedge blocks the view of the eastern formations. The terrace is better positioned."

Edwin's grin was absolutely shit-eating now. "You were flirting."

"I was not—" Caspian stopped. "That's absurd."

"You made a joke," Edwin said. "You, Caspian 'I Don't Understand Humor' Vanthorn, made an actual joke to your wife. That's flirting."

"It was a tactical suggestion," Caspian insisted.

"Tactical flirting," Edwin corrected. "The best kind."

Sterling cleared his throat, though his lips were twitching with barely suppressed amusement. "Perhaps we should focus on the matter at hand. Your Grace, you said the Duchess thanked you and made conversation. What else?"

Caspian thought back to the dinner, to Caroline sitting across from him in that green dress that had made her amber eyes seem to glow in the candlelight. Not that he'd noticed. Much.

"She apologized," he said finally.

That sobered both men immediately.

"Apologized?" Sterling leaned forward. "For what, specifically?"

"Everything, essentially. The marriage, her behavior, the poison attempt—though that one was more of a... acknowledgment. She said the past is done and she wants to build a new life here. Make the best of the situation."

"That's—" Sterling paused, choosing his words carefully. "That's quite reasonable, actually."

"It's suspicious," Edwin countered. "Extremely suspicious. She's been nothing but hostile for two months, and suddenly she's apologetic and making conversation? She's planning something."

"That was my assessment as well," Caspian said.

"But?" Sterling prompted, because he knew Caspian well enough to hear the unspoken word.

Caspian frowned. "But she seemed... genuine. Or at least, not obviously deceptive."

"You can read a battlefield in seconds," Edwin said. "You can predict enemy movements three steps ahead. But Your Grace, with all due respect, you're terrible at reading people in social situations."

"I'm aware," Caspian said dryly.

"You once asked me if a woman batting her eyelashes at you had something in her eye," Edwin continued.

"She did have something in her eye."

"She was flirting with you."

"Then she should have said so directly," Caspian muttered.

Sterling coughed to hide what was definitely a laugh. "Your Grace, perhaps Edwin has a point. You're brilliant at tactics and strategy, but matters of the heart—or in this case, marital politics—are not your area of expertise."

"I don't need expertise in marital politics," Caspian said. "I need to determine if my wife is planning my assassination or something worse."

"What's worse than assassination?" Edwin asked.

"I don't know. But she's clever enough to think of something."

Sterling nodded slowly. "The Duchess does have a dual affinity. Mind and Water. Mind rare on its own, but together..." He trailed off meaningfully.

"She could be planning to manipulate me," Caspian finished. "Use her Mind affinity to influence my decisions or behavior."