smiled at the company. “Hello. I suppose since Oliver won’t remember his manners, I’ll do the necessary. I’m Miss Eloisa Hawthorne, and I’m—”
“Here as my guest,” Oliver rushed in. Gah, this habit of interrupting dinner conversation was poor form. Surely his mother would admonish him soon. He wasn’t quite ready to reveal his startling news. “Why don’t you sit, my dear?” Not wishing her to settle near the marquess, even though he wouldn’t be a threat if that frown on Charlotte’s face was any indication, Oliver urged Eloisa into the chair he’d previously been led to, which was on his mother’s left. “I’m anxious to get acquainted with everyone again.”
His brother, Felix, who’d been standing at the edges of the reunion, came forward with a hand extended. He’d styled his dark hair much like their father once wore, and the chain of his pocket watch caught the light in a glimmer of silver. It had once belonged to their father, and Oliver well recalled watching him spin it at his desk when Parliament particularly troubled him. He’d always coveted that piece of jewelry, yet there it was in his brother’s pocket. “Welcome home, brother. I’ve missed having you about.” After shaking hands, he gestured to the only empty chair. “We’re just about to sit down to Cook’s wonderful roast beef, but perhaps you should greet Mother first. Wouldn’t want her to have a fit before the soup course. That look alone could freeze our food.” He resumed his seat by a pretty, dark-haired woman seated on their mother’s right.
She must be Felix’s wife, Clarice. He couldn’t wait to engage her in conversation. Yes, I must go and appease Mother before she gobbles us all up. He tucked his errant feelings of sibling rivalry away. They didn’t have any bearing, really. He didn’t need jewelry or things to be content in life.
He traversed the length of the dining room just as Graves instructed one of the footmen to bring out the soup. When Oliver reached his mother’s chair, he snatched her hand and bowed low over it in an old-fashioned gesture. Her skin seemed more fragile than the last time he’d held it. “Forgive me for being away so long, Mother. At least I’m here now for the time being. Surely that should earn me favor.”
“You could have at least shaved. Such a wild look isn’t proper,” was her only greeting.
He clenched his jaw. After a few silent seconds, he forced himself to relax. “You, of all of us, should know I’m not exactly the most proper of the Darrington siblings. I rather prefer the roguish appearance.”
“So I can see.” She unbent enough to incline her head and smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m glad you’ve finally come to your senses and returned to London. Now, if you’ll only stay long enough for me to—”
“Manipulate me into going to routs and balls? No thank you.” He planted a kiss on his mother’s knuckles that smelled of rosewater then came back down the table, where he finally took the only empty seat at the table, which was opposite his mother at the far side. He remembered the parties thrown here when his father had been alive. The servants would oftentimes add three or four inserts to the table and it would grow in length. Such a long, highly polished piece of furniture he and Felix used to play under unless they got caught by Graves. “And thank you, by the way, for the plethora of letters I found waiting for me the second I set foot in the Brighton house. I could almost say that I’d been sorely missed until I read the contents.”
Roberta waved away his comment. “I’m a mother who only wants what’s best for her children.”
Oliver didn’t reply. Was now the time to reveal his engagement? He waited until everyone had been served the creamy asparagus soup. Just as he opened his mouth to make the announcement, Felix cleared his throat.
“Now that everyone is back in the fold—”
“Except your sister,
“Here as my guest,” Oliver rushed in. Gah, this habit of interrupting dinner conversation was poor form. Surely his mother would admonish him soon. He wasn’t quite ready to reveal his startling news. “Why don’t you sit, my dear?” Not wishing her to settle near the marquess, even though he wouldn’t be a threat if that frown on Charlotte’s face was any indication, Oliver urged Eloisa into the chair he’d previously been led to, which was on his mother’s left. “I’m anxious to get acquainted with everyone again.”
His brother, Felix, who’d been standing at the edges of the reunion, came forward with a hand extended. He’d styled his dark hair much like their father once wore, and the chain of his pocket watch caught the light in a glimmer of silver. It had once belonged to their father, and Oliver well recalled watching him spin it at his desk when Parliament particularly troubled him. He’d always coveted that piece of jewelry, yet there it was in his brother’s pocket. “Welcome home, brother. I’ve missed having you about.” After shaking hands, he gestured to the only empty chair. “We’re just about to sit down to Cook’s wonderful roast beef, but perhaps you should greet Mother first. Wouldn’t want her to have a fit before the soup course. That look alone could freeze our food.” He resumed his seat by a pretty, dark-haired woman seated on their mother’s right.
She must be Felix’s wife, Clarice. He couldn’t wait to engage her in conversation. Yes, I must go and appease Mother before she gobbles us all up. He tucked his errant feelings of sibling rivalry away. They didn’t have any bearing, really. He didn’t need jewelry or things to be content in life.
He traversed the length of the dining room just as Graves instructed one of the footmen to bring out the soup. When Oliver reached his mother’s chair, he snatched her hand and bowed low over it in an old-fashioned gesture. Her skin seemed more fragile than the last time he’d held it. “Forgive me for being away so long, Mother. At least I’m here now for the time being. Surely that should earn me favor.”
“You could have at least shaved. Such a wild look isn’t proper,” was her only greeting.
He clenched his jaw. After a few silent seconds, he forced himself to relax. “You, of all of us, should know I’m not exactly the most proper of the Darrington siblings. I rather prefer the roguish appearance.”
“So I can see.” She unbent enough to incline her head and smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m glad you’ve finally come to your senses and returned to London. Now, if you’ll only stay long enough for me to—”
“Manipulate me into going to routs and balls? No thank you.” He planted a kiss on his mother’s knuckles that smelled of rosewater then came back down the table, where he finally took the only empty seat at the table, which was opposite his mother at the far side. He remembered the parties thrown here when his father had been alive. The servants would oftentimes add three or four inserts to the table and it would grow in length. Such a long, highly polished piece of furniture he and Felix used to play under unless they got caught by Graves. “And thank you, by the way, for the plethora of letters I found waiting for me the second I set foot in the Brighton house. I could almost say that I’d been sorely missed until I read the contents.”
Roberta waved away his comment. “I’m a mother who only wants what’s best for her children.”
Oliver didn’t reply. Was now the time to reveal his engagement? He waited until everyone had been served the creamy asparagus soup. Just as he opened his mouth to make the announcement, Felix cleared his throat.
“Now that everyone is back in the fold—”
“Except your sister,
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