The kitchen was quieter than the rest of the mansion, though not entirely silent. Somewhere beyond the swinging doors, dishes clinked softly, and the low hum of an appliance filled the spaces between the distant voices drifting through the corridors.
Oliver paused at the entrance, one hand resting against the doorframe, taking in the long marble counters, polished cupboards, and the enormous windows overlooking the gardens.
A woman stood near the island, arranging a collection of clean