Bennett's smile remained, not showing the slightest hint of discomfort at Ariana's attitude.

But those who knew him understood that the wider he grinned, the less he was enjoying himself.

Even his dogs picked up on it; they stopped panting and just sat there, not making a sound.

Ariana sensed the shift in the mood, aware that Bennett was getting angry, but she felt she had had enough.

Since she arrived here, she had never been in a good mood. She had never been treated like this before, always teased like a monkey in a circus.