Elise gestured toward the table. "Go ahead."

Her eyes sparkled with hopeful anticipation.

William picked up his knife with practiced grace.

He sliced neatly through the grilled mackerel.

Bringing the piece to his mouth, he chewed thoughtfully.

His expression remained unreadable, giving nothing away.

Elise watched him intently, searching for any reaction.

After swallowing the fish, he sampled the vinegar ribs.

Then he methodically tasted each remaining dish.

Finally, he lifted his wine glass, taking a delicate sip.

"Well?" Elise finally broke the silence. "How is it?"

William dabbed the corner of his mouth with his napkin. "Acceptable. Not terrible."

"Really?" Elise reached for her own cutlery eagerly.

William's hand closed around her wrist, stopping her movement.

She looked at him in surprise.

"One of us suffering food poisoning is sufficient," he stated calmly.

He took another sip of wine, his gaze steady.

Elise understood his meaning but pulled her hand free.

She was determined to taste her first cooking attempt herself.

The moment the vinegar ribs touched her tongue, her face contorted.

She spat the morsel out immediately.

Vinegar ribs shouldn't taste bitter!

William chuckled softly at her reaction.

He handed her wine glass to her.

She accepted it gratefully, washing the taste away.

"How did you eat that?" she demanded, turning to him.

"Your earnest effort deserved appreciation," he replied with an amused smile.

Elise fell silent, slightly embarrassed.

"Your omelets were actually quite good, Ms. Scott," he offered gently.

She bit her lower lip in frustration.

She'd hoped to replicate Elizabeth's cooking skills.

Clearly, she still had much to learn.

Gathering all the dishes from the table, she returned to the kitchen.

She prepared two plates of pasta instead.

She watched William eat, noting how elegant he looked.

Even simple actions seemed refined when he performed them.

His occasional sips of wine complemented the meal perfectly.

"I overestimated my abilities," she admitted awkwardly, staring at her plate.

"Having one competent cook in the household is adequate," he responded bluntly.

Elise had no retort, merely pressing her lips together.

After a moment, she gathered her courage and looked up.

"Do you truly... have feelings for me?" she asked hesitantly.

"I believed I'd made that quite evident," William answered.

"But I don't feel the same way about you," she stated frankly.

"That much is also apparent," he acknowledged calmly, as if expecting her response.

"I've shared my past with you..." she continued uncertainly. "If you can accept limited intimacy for the foreseeable future, and that my schedule will keep us from meeting frequently, and that I require considerable time to develop trust and deeper feelings without making our relationship public..."

William listened intently, his grip tightening on his fork.

"If those conditions are acceptable, we could attempt dating," she finished quickly, lowering her gaze.

She pretended to eat her pasta without actually taking a bite.

Her cheeks flushed despite her attempt at composure.

As a twenty-five-year-old woman, this wasn't her first relationship.

Yet she felt unexpectedly vulnerable.

She wasn't the only one affected.

William swallowed hard, his Adam's apple moving visibly.

Finally, he spoke. "Agreed."

His voice carried a slight tremor!

For him, time wasn't a pressing concern.

Elise glanced up cautiously, finding his gaze resting gently on her face.