Sophia turned to give her another one of those pointed looks that suggested she was barely containing an eye roll. It shouldn’t bother her that someone she didn’t know thought her a little silly, but for some reason she heard herself adding, “I suppose as long as it’s done carefully, candlelight would be nice.”

The corners of Sophia’s lips twitched again, as if she understood the effect she’d had on her.

“And we can have this room any time after 4:30 p.m. so long as we clear out by ten the next morning?” Talia asked.

She nodded.

“Perfect,” Talia said, then added to Emma, “I told you, she’s been a lifesaver.”

“And I told you, I wouldn’t expect anything less from her.” Emma piled on, but this time their praise didn’t cause even the slightest hint of blush to heat her cheeks as she waited for the final opinion to fall.

Sophia stood by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, a slight crease between her high, elegantly curved eyebrows. What did she see that the others didn’t?

Vic couldn’t stand the silence. “And what’s your verdict, Madam LeBlanc? Does this space meet your elevated standards?”

“It certainly fits the scenes, and there’s ample room for multiple camera angles.”

She didn’t seem nearly as happy about those things as Vic would have liked. “And yet?”

Sophia sighed. “I’m not sure if the filming schedule will cause conflicts, as the natural lighting here seems like it will be best in the late afternoon, and there’s little room to anchor artificial lighting, assuming you don’t want us to hang them from your very Victorian ceiling.”

Vic must have blanched at the suggestion because Sophia continued. “So, with dark windows and stand lighting forcing the cameras closer to the actors, I worry the space will seem considerably less grand, which defeats the purpose of the scene they’re crafting.”

“I don’t know,” Talia started, but Sophia didn’t even glance at her. Those dark eyes stayed firmly pinned to Vic, driving home the point that even the most cavernous rooms could be made to feel claustrophobic under the right conditions.

Not that Vic was complaining. On the contrary, she felt anything other than constrained. A sense of something she hadn’t experienced in ages rose in her chest, something she wasn’t even sure she could feel anymore. She stood a little straighter to meet the challenge in Sophia’s stare. “How shall we test your fears?”

Sophia arched an eyebrow as if she hadn’t expected the response.

Bolstered by the realisation that she’d been the one to surprise for once, Vic fought the urge to plant her tongue in her cheek as she said, “I know. You’ll dine with me tonight to see for yourself.”

“Excuse me?” Sophia asked, finally glancing at the others.