“Yes,” he said, keeping his responses short.
Elodie took a sip of her drink. “That is a shame. I was hoping you would want to go riding after breakfast.”
Winston placed his fork and knife onto his now-empty plate, indicating he was finished. “I have work that I need to see to,” he stated. He was already tired of this conversation, and he had a feeling that it had only just begun.
“Are you working on one of your cases?” Elodie asked in a hushed voice.
“Yes,” he replied curtly, his patience wearing thin.
“Can you tell me what the case is about?” she asked, her eyes wide with expectation.
Winston shook his head. “I’m afraid I cannot.”
Elodie’s face fell slightly at his response. “You are no fun,” she said lightly.
Shoving back his chair, Winston stood up. “And with that, I shall leave you to your breakfast,” he said, eager to escape.
“Will you not stay and keep me company?” Elodie asked.
Winston paused, feeling a pang of guilt. He had responsibilities, and they weighed heavily on him. However, nothing was pressing at the moment, and he could spend some time with his sister.
Coming to a decision, he returned to his seat. “I shall stay for a few more moments,” he said.
Elodie’s face lit up. “Wonderful,” she declared. “What shall we discuss? Religion? Politics? The state of our economy?”
“What do you know of those things?” he asked.
“More than I should,” Elodie replied with a smile.
Winston should have known his sister would want to discuss topics that were more serious in nature, but he had no wish to be chided by his mother for doing so. “Perhaps we should discuss something that won’t get either of us in trouble with Mother.”
“It is vexing that women aren’t allowed to speak on things of true importance,” Elodie said, her shoulders slumping slightly.
“That is not true.”
Elodie shot him a frustrated look. “Do you truly care about ribbons and whatnot?”
“I could be made to care,” he attempted.
“Very well,” Elodie said with a wave of her hand. “What are your thoughts on the latest fashions?”
Winston kept his face expressionless, knowing that Elodie was calling his bluff. “I like them,” he responded vaguely.
“Can you be more specific?”
With a defeated sigh, he replied, “No, I can’t. I must admit that I care littlefor fashion.”
Elodie’s smile grew. “I knew it,” she replied. “Yet that is what young women must discuss. That, or the weather.”
Melody entered the room and said, “Do not forget that we can speak on embroidery and all the different kinds of stitches that we use.”
“I don’t know how you can jest about this,” Elodie remarked. “I would rather speak about the weather than embroidery.”
Taking a seat next to her sister, Melody responded, “You must not be doing it right, then.”
“I am pretty sure there is only one way to talk about embroidery, and it is boring,” Elodie joked.
Turning her attention towards Winston, Melody gave him a pointed look. “We could always discuss Aunt Sarah, and when, and if, we will ever meet her.”
