“I do.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” John responded as he patted him on the shoulder.
Colin stepped into the dining room and said, “If all of the servants are busy, I would be happy to deliver the invitation to Lady Langdon.”
His mother smiled brightly. “That is most thoughtful of you, but are you sure it won’t be too much of a bother?” she asked innocently.
“I am sure,” he said, stepping up to the buffet.
After he filled his plate with food, Colin sat at the head of the table. His mother was seated to the right of him, sipping her tea.
John sat down next to him. “Do you intend to go riding today?”
“I do.”
“Would you care for some company?”
Colin nodded. “I would,” he replied. “Shall we plan to go riding after I return from delivering the invitation to Lady Langdon?”
“I will be waiting.”
His mother reached into the pocket of her lavender gown and removed a folded piece of paper. “Fortunately, I took the liberty of already writing it out,” she said, extending it to him.
He accepted the note. “Why am I not surprised by this?”
“I correctly assumed that you would have no objections to inviting them to dinner,” his mother remarked.
Colin slipped the note into the jacket of his pocket. “I shall see to it.”
“Thank you,” his mother said. “Please inform them that we will light the Yule Log as part of our Christmas Eve celebration.”
“That is a silly tradition,” Colin muttered.
“It is not,” his mother defended.
John wiped the sides of his mouth with his napkin. “I refuse to sit upon the log before it goes into the fireplace.”
Colin interjected, “I am of the same mind as John.”
“But it is deemed good luck,” his mother attempted.
“I shall take my chances,” John responded.
Their mother gave them a disapproving look. “Regardless, we shall light the log from a lump of charcoal left over from last year’s Yule Log.”
“I take no issue with that,” Colin said, reaching for his fork, “especially since I know how much you value traditions.”
His mother gave him a sad smile. “Your father used to be the one that lit the Yule Log every year,” she shared. “It was that way since we were married.”
“Who lit the Yule Log last year?” Colin asked.
His mother grew quiet. “Paul.”
Colin set his fork down and slipped his hand over his mother’s. “Did Paul sit on the log?”
“He did,” his mother replied.
Colin exchanged a look with John before saying, “Then we shall all sit on the log.”
