bring more glassesâ" But Shadrach had already anticipated the need and returned with three more on his tray.
"Champagne?" Temple arched a startled look at Eliza.
"Yes, champagne in this house." Eliza shook open her fan and waved it at her face, her expression drawn in disapproving lines. "An exception for this one special occasion, he says. The man is absolutely impossible today. Anyone would think he was turning sixteen instead of sixty-six."
The Blade sent Will a knowing look. "I think Eliza worries that this rush of youthfulness might not last until you retire this evening."
Eliza heard Will's chuckle and saw the smiles the others tried to hide. Heat flooded her face. "Such things should not be said in mixed company." She waved her fan with renewed vigor, trying to cool her cheeks even as the suggestion curled deliriously through her. Will saw it and laughed outright, earning him a sharp, "Behave yourself, Will Gordon."
"If I must," he murmured with a nod of mock acceptance and poured champagne into the glasses. Shadrach passed them around.
"A toast to you, Will." The Blade lifted his glass. "Where is mine?" Sorrel demanded. "I want some ch-cham-pagne, too."
"Absolutely not," Eliza declared quite emphatically.
"But I have never had it before." Sorrel saw at once that her grandmother was not about to relent and appealed instead to her grandfather.
"May I have some, please, Grandpa? You said it was a special occasion."
He glanced at Eliza and smiled at Sorrel with genuine regret. "I think not."
With a determined set to her chin, she turned away and fixed her attention on Lije, giving him her sweetest, most confident smile. "You will share yours with me, won't you, Lije?"
He smiled faintly and shook his head. "Your grandmother is right, Sorrel. You are too young for champagne. You will have to wait until you are older."
"That isn't fair." She folded her arms, pushing her lips in a mutinous line. "I only wanted to taste it."
"Sorry. Another time."
Before Sorrel could renew her protest, The Blade raised his glass and proposed a toast to Will. Lije echoed the sentiment and took a sip of his champagne. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a slight movement and glanced sideways in time to see Alex motion for Sorrel to come stand by him. When she did, he bent down and whispered something to her. Her expression turned triumphant, then just as quickly changed to something prim and decidedly secretive.
"How is that new riverboat of yours doing?" Will asked The Blade as Alex and Sorrel strolled over to the parlor window.
"She ran full her last trip," The Blade replied. When the pair paused in front of the window, Alex stood slightly behind Sorrel, partially shielding her from the view of the others. "I only rode her as far as Little Rock, but we bested the Nancy May's time by three hours."
Alex passed Sorrel something. Lije couldn't be certain, but he suspected it was his glass of champagne. An instant later, he had a glimpse of it as Sorrel tipped her head back to take a sip. Immediately, she drew back and pushed something at Alex, who laughed softly.
"A time like that will gain you more customers," Will remarked.
"While you were in Little Rock, did you meet with the governor and Boudinot's son?" Kipp challenged. The thinly disguised venom in his voice pulled Lije's attention back to the adults. "Everyone knows they are trying to force our Nation into making an alliance with the new Confederacy."
"I spoke with the governor... briefly," The Blade admitted coolly.
Eliza closed her fan with a snap. "Must we discuss such matters today?"
"What matters are you talking about?" Alex came wandering back to the group.
"The ones we are not going to discuss," she said crisply.
Lije obliged her by changing the subject. "I expect you will be leaving for college soon, won't you, Alex?"
"That will be decided this afternoon after dinner," Alex replied, sliding a quick smile at his grandfather.
"Will you sit beside me
"Champagne?" Temple arched a startled look at Eliza.
"Yes, champagne in this house." Eliza shook open her fan and waved it at her face, her expression drawn in disapproving lines. "An exception for this one special occasion, he says. The man is absolutely impossible today. Anyone would think he was turning sixteen instead of sixty-six."
The Blade sent Will a knowing look. "I think Eliza worries that this rush of youthfulness might not last until you retire this evening."
Eliza heard Will's chuckle and saw the smiles the others tried to hide. Heat flooded her face. "Such things should not be said in mixed company." She waved her fan with renewed vigor, trying to cool her cheeks even as the suggestion curled deliriously through her. Will saw it and laughed outright, earning him a sharp, "Behave yourself, Will Gordon."
"If I must," he murmured with a nod of mock acceptance and poured champagne into the glasses. Shadrach passed them around.
"A toast to you, Will." The Blade lifted his glass. "Where is mine?" Sorrel demanded. "I want some ch-cham-pagne, too."
"Absolutely not," Eliza declared quite emphatically.
"But I have never had it before." Sorrel saw at once that her grandmother was not about to relent and appealed instead to her grandfather.
"May I have some, please, Grandpa? You said it was a special occasion."
He glanced at Eliza and smiled at Sorrel with genuine regret. "I think not."
With a determined set to her chin, she turned away and fixed her attention on Lije, giving him her sweetest, most confident smile. "You will share yours with me, won't you, Lije?"
He smiled faintly and shook his head. "Your grandmother is right, Sorrel. You are too young for champagne. You will have to wait until you are older."
"That isn't fair." She folded her arms, pushing her lips in a mutinous line. "I only wanted to taste it."
"Sorry. Another time."
Before Sorrel could renew her protest, The Blade raised his glass and proposed a toast to Will. Lije echoed the sentiment and took a sip of his champagne. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a slight movement and glanced sideways in time to see Alex motion for Sorrel to come stand by him. When she did, he bent down and whispered something to her. Her expression turned triumphant, then just as quickly changed to something prim and decidedly secretive.
"How is that new riverboat of yours doing?" Will asked The Blade as Alex and Sorrel strolled over to the parlor window.
"She ran full her last trip," The Blade replied. When the pair paused in front of the window, Alex stood slightly behind Sorrel, partially shielding her from the view of the others. "I only rode her as far as Little Rock, but we bested the Nancy May's time by three hours."
Alex passed Sorrel something. Lije couldn't be certain, but he suspected it was his glass of champagne. An instant later, he had a glimpse of it as Sorrel tipped her head back to take a sip. Immediately, she drew back and pushed something at Alex, who laughed softly.
"A time like that will gain you more customers," Will remarked.
"While you were in Little Rock, did you meet with the governor and Boudinot's son?" Kipp challenged. The thinly disguised venom in his voice pulled Lije's attention back to the adults. "Everyone knows they are trying to force our Nation into making an alliance with the new Confederacy."
"I spoke with the governor... briefly," The Blade admitted coolly.
Eliza closed her fan with a snap. "Must we discuss such matters today?"
"What matters are you talking about?" Alex came wandering back to the group.
"The ones we are not going to discuss," she said crisply.
Lije obliged her by changing the subject. "I expect you will be leaving for college soon, won't you, Alex?"
"That will be decided this afternoon after dinner," Alex replied, sliding a quick smile at his grandfather.
"Will you sit beside me
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