And then seated around all of them––well, they were slowly rising––were the three Ashbourne ladies.
“Your Grace, would you like to sit?” Verity asked with a raised eyebrow.
He blinked, realizing he still stood upon the threshold of the room. One step after another. Pausing, he offered polite bows before accepting the seat that Verity gestured to. He had a sofa to himself while the three shared another.
“Thank you for joining us for tea today,” Verity said.
“Yes, thank you,” Octavia said while nudging their other sister.
Elowen whispered, “Thank you, Your Grace.”
“You do me an honor. Thank you for hosting me today. I trust you are all well?” He asked.
“We are well,” Verity responded for them. She glanced at her siblings with an inscrutable glance before asking him, “Would you care for some tea?”
He nodded. “Yes, thank you. Only one sugar.
“Only one?” Octavia asked with fascination. Even with Octavia’s wiggling energy, Dominic found himself watching her older sister as she moved gracefully with practiced movements to prepare everyone’s tea perfectly. “I don’t think you can taste anything with just one cube of sugar. I need at least three, plus cream. Don’t you like cream?”
“His Grace may enjoy what he pleases,” Verity reminded her while rising to her feet to provide him his cup and saucer. “Here you are. It’s still hot, but should be nearly perfect now.”
“Thank you. Do you believe in perfect tea?” The question slipped out without thinking.
She is confident indeed. Graceful, too. Everything she does is very intentional. I wonder why, if it’s a desire for control or something else.
“I do.” Verity moved away to provide her sisters with their own cups, one in each hand. She moved like she did this often. Everything she did was carefully designed to be efficient,presentable, and proper. He wondered if she did this in hopes of being noticed or ignored. “Any black tea with two sugars and a spot of cream. It’s the same way our mother took it. Now, my brothers take no sugar as well while my sisters enjoy as much as they can get their hands on,” she said with a scolding smile.
“It sweetens the conversation,” Octavia said defensively before sending Dominic a look of amusement. “Especially if we are to gossip. Is the wedding planned yet?”
He had no requests. When they parted from the ball the other evening, Verity had asked and he replied he didn’t need anything. So he looked to Verity.
“The wedding is planned. I didn’t want a luncheon so there aren’t any invitations going out besides a few friends of Cassian’s to be in attendance,” Verity said. “My trousseau is nearly finished. There is no honeymoon at this time, so you’re all fortunate enough to have us remaining in London.”
“No honeymoon?” Octavia gasped.
Even Elowen was surprised. “No trip?”
“Not with the Season still in motion and you two out,” Verity said. She took a polite sip of her tea, and Dominic remembered his own. While he drank, she added, “I like London and so does the duke. We decided to stay. It’s as simple as that.”
A heavy sigh escaped Octavia. “You’re remarkably dull about this, sister. You give us nothing good to speak about.”
“Why must my life be of such interest that you amuse yourself with it?” Verity turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “Surely there are objects of better conversation. Perhaps you might share with His Grace the latest piece you’ve learned on the harp?”
“It’s Gregorian chants,” Octavia told him. “Cassian thinks I’ve hit my head to attempt something so absurd, but I find comfort in the unusual. Lucien says I’m too spirited. Fortunately, no one can really stop me from doing as I desire. Which means I’m changing the subject. If you won’t give us some sort of gossip, then I must proclaim the Baron of Farendon our next item of conversation.”
Baron of Farendon. Lord Rutgers. That was the name of the lord he had caught in the hall at his club just hours prior.
Verity set her tea to the side before pulling up a tray of sandwiches. “Your support in managing our teatime conversation isn’t necessary. Now eat up, I know you missed the last meal. Elowen, these are your favorites. Your Grace, would you like something to eat? I can prepare you a plate.”
“Anything you like I’m sure to enjoy,” he murmured.
“How do you think it happened? What did the baron spend all his money on? I cannot imagine being born into wealth and suddenly not having any.” Octavia clearly was ignoring hersister’s first comment. “Especially since he inherited so much wealth.”
Verity corrected her, “It was his wife’s wealth.”
Dominic accepted the plate. He bit into a soft torte before pausing, realizing he hadn’t known where the wealth came from.
“All the same,” Octavia went on to complain, “Whatever was he doing? As much as I attempt to bankrupt us with gowns each season, it clearly hasn’t done the trick. And the baron didn’t even have any daughters. Only sons. Your Grace, what do you think he spent on his wealth on?”
