[Honey]

The women all fell away from the group as they felt ready to retire, their evening of joking and gossip having tired them out to their fullest. With his lack of participation the marquess was left still willing to talk in chat, but none of the ladies remained for him to engage in conversation. Sending a glance down the hall towards the doors of his bedchambers, the idea of retiring so early did not appeal. His mind drew to the judgement of taking the peaceful hours he had remaining, and using them to finish his abruptly ended exploration of the morning. Turning back to the stairs, he quietly clicked back down the richly colored stairs to find his way back out to the garden