Teddy musters her swagger as she approaches Eliot. Eliot cannot mask his smile as Teddy approaches him. The late day sun only enhances her ginger hair as the curls gently waft in the breeze. Her skin already has the glow from a few days in the island sun complete with a flush on her cheeks. Eliot loves the fact that Anna Sun's style has not changed since their youth. Her body is a bit curvier, her face bears lines of where smiles had been. Eliot recognizes the changes in all of them from the onward march of time. In many ways, he thinks that it may have made Teddy more alluring.
She circles closer to him with the breeze wafting her perfume in his direction. At this moment, he is a bit lost for what to say to Teddy. With natural grace, Teddy nods her head to the side for Eliot to follow her lead. Teddy decides to pull a play from their past. Teddy leads Eliot down the path toward the quaint little shops that line the streets below. Teddy wanders to her favorite little cafe for a pick-me-up. If you are going to start again. It might as well be at the beginning. Teddy seeks out a small table drenched in sunshine. The waiter knows Teddy's order without the need to ask and simply doubles it for her guest.
Eliot lets the stress of the last few days melt away from his mind as he sips the coffee. They chat about Vienna and Paris, for Eliot, it feels like not a moment has passed with Teddy. Teddy is surprised how comfortable she feels in Eliot's company. She should hate him for what he did, yet, she is over it, long over it. She is enjoying his company. What she has experienced since Paris was the best of Eliot. She is well aware that Eliot is on his best behavior and of the dark side that lurks just below the surface. Teddy is aware that Eliot never realized that she had always known who he was. There was never an illusion. Their meeting was by intention and by design. She just never expected to fall for him. Eliot is aware of his mistakes and seemingly remorseful for them. Teddy is experienced enough to allow for the good but to be cognizant enough to keep her guard up as Eliot lifts her hand planting a gentle kiss on the back of her hand has he continues to hold it within his own. Teddy's instincts tell her to pull back and protect herself but she finds this moment to be the elixir for her soul.
Sophie leans back in the seat of David's convertible, the sun is simply delightful as they race along the coast byways. David has the music up as he enjoys Sophie's company. Sophie feels like she is 25 again. The only thought in her head is how much she missed this feeling. She quite literally feels herself coming back to life unable to contain the smile that is lighting up her face. David drives them toward a the marina where he moors his boat. David's offer is one that Sophie lacks the ability to refuse. A sunset boat ride around the islands is simply something that Sophie cannot find the will power to resist.
With the house gone quiet, River, Raffy and Connie decide to head out for a bit of late afternoon adventure as they head for their favored haunts in the old town. The trio head to hang with some mutual friends. A number of Connie's mates have hit the island on a last minute call to adventure when it is discovered that Connie's older sister is in town. Nothing buys street cred and clout for a long weekend of decadence like name dropping the originals.
The Duke gets the call that he had been dreading, Stella had passed the previous evening. The services will be private as he expected them to be. He needs a a moment to himself, deciding to head to the garage and pull out an old friend. He pulls the canvas from his 1965 Aston Martin. He runs his hand down the side with a loving touch. "Hello old girl. Shall we get some air my love." He opens the door, sliding into the seat. Within a moment and with little coaxing, she roars to life. The Duke pulls out of garage to take a spin with his memories of the deal old friend who once was the ride or die in the passenger's seat. The Duke drives toward London, with Stella's death, there are people that he needs to see.
On the drive he finds himself assessing his own life and legacy. A legacy that will now have a drastic change in it's pattern. His oldest will inherit, and that may be ideal since his dearest son has other ambitions. The rest of his legacy was inherited long ago by his unwilling spare. The role his Alexandra was destined for ended up thrusted upon Teddy whether she wanted it or not. The family has an obligation to the crown. When Alexandra disappeared after William's death, it became Teddy's cross to bear since Connie was too young and he could no longer serve. A smirk passes over his face as the thought of how his rebel child managed to keep her dreams along with the the family's honor intact. Teddy was masterful in her pitch to the society and she kept her word in very intriguing ways.
His father and his father's father must be rolling around in their graves with the thought of a female, let alone the spare carrying forth the family tradition. Oh what the world has become. This used to be a gentleman's game.