The study was quiet now, the grandfather clock’s steady tick the only sound punctuating the stillness. The sandalwood candle had burned low, its flame a faint flicker casting soft shadows across the leather-bound books and scattered props on the shelves. James and Laura nestled together on the hardwood floor, leaning against the mahogany desk, wrapped in a soft blanket from the nearby armchair. Laura’s head rested on his chest, her chestnut hair loose and tangled, her breathing slow and ...