"They never really understand, do they?" Freddie murmured. It didn't matter whether he was talking about Florence, Svetlana, anyone. Chess was the only thing either of them had. It was the only thing they'd managed to hold on to through the years, even if he had given up the professional circuit. He would never have given up playing. He just never would have likely found someone who could challenge him.

His back hit the couch when Anatoly made that final move. "Shit." He was slowly starting to grin, though. He'd done it. For once, the pair of them had put Florence behind them and they'd come together for one thing: chess. It was like some huge weight was off his shoulders.