Fredrick bowed. “You must join us, Lady William.”
“Thank you. I would greatly appreciate that.” Ruth placed a hand to her stomach. “I haven’t been eating much lately due to nerves and whatnot.”
“Then you must eat,” Octavia asserted.
Fredrick held the vase up and addressed the butler. “Will you see that these flowers are placed in my mother’s room at once?”
Carson tipped his head. “Yes, my lord.”
Octavia looped arms with Ruth. “Come, I shall escort you to our dining room. It isn’t far but one could get lost very easily in this townhouse.”
Ruth’s eyes roamed over the entry hall. “Your townhouse is exquisite.”
“It is,” Octavia agreed. “My grandmother designed most of it herself, but my mother has made a few changes here and there.”
As they walked towards the dining room, Ruth said, “It must be wonderful to decorate your own home.”
“You will have the chance one day,” Octavia encouraged.
Ruth made a face. “I think it would be best if I hired someone to design my home. I do not have an eye for such a thing.” She lowered her voice. “You should see how well I paint. It is awful.”
Octavia turned towards Ruth. “I do believe we have something in common.”
“Truly?” Ruth asked.
Fredrick’s voice came from behind them. “Octavia may excel at many things, well, maybe notmanythings. Perhaps I overexaggerate—”
Octavia spoke over him. “Your point being, Brother?” she asked in the same teasing voice her brother used.
“My point is that Octavia is not going to win any awards for her paintings,” Fredrick said. “Unless the judges are blind.”
“Thank you for that,” Octavia stated. “You are no longer my favorite brother. It goes Roswell, Freddy, then you.”
“Freddy is a peacock,” Fredrick pointed out.
“Yes, but I like him more than you right now,” Octavia said.
Fredrick grinned. “That will change after I take you on a ride through Hyde Park.”
Octavia led Ruth into the dining hall and dropped her arm. “Take a seat and a footman will serve you.”
Fredrick stepped forward and pulled out a chair for Ruth. “My lady, allow me to help you,” he said.
Ruth offered him a tentative smile. “Thank you, my lord,” she responded as she sat down.
Octavia claimed the seat next to Ruth and placed the basket down on the table. Then she leaned to the side as a footman placed a cup of chocolate in front of her.
“This is why I wake up every morning,” Octavia joked as she reached for the cup.
“Not because of my pleasant conversation?” Fredrick asked.
Octavia took a sip before saying, “Pleasant? Hardly.”
Fredrick picked up the napkin off the plate and placed it over his lap. “You used to be much nicer to me,” he quipped.
Ruth let out a soft laugh but quickly brought her hand up to cover her mouth. “My apologies. I shouldn’t find your conversation so humorous, but I do.”
“It is all right,” Octavia said. “We are quite hilarious, are we not, Brother?”
