All of a sudden, she felt frozen. More chilled than before, as though she had been thrust into an ice house and left on her own. She concentrated on taking a deep breath, but it felt as though she could only draw quick, hurried breaths. "Isabella, today I will take my tea differently than usual," Nicholas spoke in an entirely casual tone, but she knew he had somehow realized what was going through her mind and was taking pity on her. "Yes?" she asked, poised to pour out the tea. His mouth quirked up in a smile, so quick she would have missed it if she hadn't been staring at his mouth. A habit she did not wish to break. "Yes, I would like milk and just one teaspoon of sugar." He leaned toward her and kissed her, gently, on the cheek. "You are sweet enough for me," he said, in a tone that was audible to everyone, yet still managed to sound intimate.