Worthington shook Giff’s hand. “Welcome. I’m glad you’ve joined us.”
The two youngest members of the family, Gideon and Elizabeth, looked at him almost suspiciously if he was not mistaken. Ladies Mary and Theo smiled encouragingly.
Giff felt both welcomed and inspected. Just like when he first went to Scotland. No one knew what he was about. He’d love to put everyone at ease, but he had no intention of misleading any of them regarding his desire to marry Alice. And she was not ready to hear a proposal. “I am very glad to join you.”
Alice led him to a sofa. He took a seat after she did. Posy sat next to him on the other side. “I must say, I have never seen a dog sit on a sofa like a human.”
“They are people too,” Elizabeth said protectively.
Interesting. “They are.” There was no point in arguing with a member of the infantry. “I have always wanted to have a dog in the house, but not one of the small ones.”
Mary nodded approvingly.
“Are you a member of the Lords?” Gideon asked.
“No. And thankfully so. That would mean my Papa had died.”
The boy looked at his father. “I would not like that at all.”
“You see what I mean.”
Gideon nodded. “But what do you do? My uncle Phinn is not a peer, but he and my Aunt Augusta study languages and foreign architecture.”
That was a very good question. What was Giff’s role in life? “You make a good point. Other than preparing to be a duke, I must find another occupation. It has been suggested that I can be politically active before I am a peer. I will look into it.”
“Very good,” Gideon said approvingly.
“You could become involved in charities,” Theo suggested. “Our family has some that help a great many people.”
She sparked his curiosity. “Such as?”
“Taking in and training children who have no one to care for them. We hold classes here to teach them to read, write, and do sums. When they are old enough, they can select jobs for which they wish to train.”
Was that who had delivered the messages to his house, and taught Lady Mary to slip them into pockets? Lady Theo could no doubt pick them as well. “What else?”
“We hire former military men and train them as footmen or in other professions,” Worthington said.
“As you know, we also take care of widows and their children,” Alice added.
She had mentioned that. Giff hadn’t known anyone who did more than give money to charities. He wished he had been pushed into a direction before now. Because Alice had such a large family, he’d gone to Debrett’s to find out more about them. Title and bloodline wise, they had married well. But there was something more. A bond that knitted them all together. When he married her, he would have to fit in.
He stroked the dog. “I have heard you have family meetings. My mother’s family in Scotland do the same thing.”
“We do.” Edward’s face lit up. “Every summer and every other Christmas we are together at Worthington Place. Do you meet at the same place?”
“We do, or rather I do. My mother comes in summer for a few weeks. I am there for New Year’s. In Scotland, Christmas is not much of a celebration. That takes place on New Year’s Eve. It’s called Hogmanay. One of the important parts of the night is welcoming a dark-haired man. He’s called the first foot.” Giff pulled a face. “Unfortunately, anyone with red hair is considered bad luck. We have to stay well away from a front door until a dark-haired fellow shows up.”
Gideon’s grin split his face. “I would be welcomed.”
“You would indeed. Perhaps sometime in the future you can come to Scotland and be a first foot.”
“May I, Papa?”
“When you are older,” Worthington said. “Alice told us you have inherited a property in Scotland.”
“I have. Just recently.” Giff told them about the estate and whisky production.
Alice seemed to listen intently. He wished he knew more about it. “I understand you have visited the farm in Norfolk.”
