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Chapter Twenty
Lowell
It had been a mind-blowing few weeks. He had gone from very much a bachelor to devoted to someone outside his blood relatives, and that was new. Much remained the same, but so much was different. Like the way he couldn’t stop thinking about Tamsyn even though he should have been absorbed by talking to Holland about her budding campaign.
They were at the traditional fortnightly Foster-Webb cocktail hour followed by dinner, always held at their mother’s house. While Gerald Foster-Webb had been every inch the patriarch in the public eye, anyone who was actually familiar with the family knew Victoria was the one who ran the household and everyone in it. Yes, she was every ounce the matriarch and despite marrying into the name, ran the Foster-Webb clan with an iron fist.
Holland was nattering on about voter statistics he was already familiar with, and he couldn’t help but look over to where Hux was speaking with Nuala, their sister in law. He’d always thought her a bit of a wet blanket to be honest, but perhaps that’s because he mostly talked to her when they were with his brother and her husband, Cabot. She looked more animated speaking with Hux. Everyone liked Hux. Including Tamsyn.
Sure, she seemed to like him too but he did wonder sometimes if Hux didn’t exist, would Tamsyn choose to be with just him? Did it matter, though? She had the two of them and would continue to.
“—so I thought we’d recruit volunteers to do voter registration drives. Garner some good will, but also you know when more people vote, we always win. Lo, are you even listening to me?”
“Hmm? Yes, of course. Voter registration drives. Great idea. Hopefully serve us in the long run as well.”
He took another sip of his whisky hibiscus, this evening’s cocktail his mother insisted everyone at least try. It was a bit sweet for him, but not so grating to his palette that he’d risk Victoria’s ire by refusing.
Luckily he was saved from Holland’s glower by the dinner bell as everyone adjourned to the table.
His mother was always at the head of the table, but everyone else’s seat changed. You could tell how in or out of favor someone was by how close to Mother they sat. Hux was of course at her right hand, and tonight Holland was at her left. No surprise there. He was occasionally favored but only when they’d won an election or had a significant boost in the polls. Yes, he had to have earned the spot whereas Hux mostly had to…exist.
Once his mother had said grace and everyone was digging into the first course of samphire and crab salad, she took a sip of the riesling she was serving and turned to Hux.
“Huxley, darling, why don’t you tell us about this woman you’re seeing?”
Lowell nearly choked on his own forkful of the perfectly seasoned sea asparagus and shredded crab meat, but managed to cover it up. Then shot a look at Hux.Yes, dear brother, do tell us.
How did the old woman even—
Victoria arched a brow. “I heard you talking about her with Nuala and Keaton. You’ve really got to learn to whisper like your brothers.”
She meant of course him and Cabot, the ones who lived in the shadows. More shadowy than even Victoria knew, given that she hadn’t excommunicated him from the family for…whatever it was they were doing with Tamsyn. The golden boy would be forgiven, and Lowell… Perhaps he’d be allowed back in the fold after winning another election or orchestrating an opponent’s downfall.
Hux gave one of his charming smiles. “I’m not entirely sure if things will last between us, that’s the only reason I hadn’t mentioned her, Mother.”
“If she has any sense in her head she’ll marry you if you’re willing. But don’t forget to talk to Salinger first, will you?”
Ah yes, the family attorney who’d orchestrated the pre-nups for Holland and Cabot. Because the primary concern was money and the secondary—
“She doesn’t have any skeletons in her closet, does she? Can’t have you marrying someone who will ruin your chances of reclaiming your seat.”
Lowell saw the momentary clench of his twin’s jaw. Hux had no intention of going back to politics but his mother was convinced it was only a matter of time before he changed his mind and acted accordingly. Back to congress, onto the senate, and he’d be fooling himself if he thought she didn’t have designs on the Oval Office.
“Have Salinger sic that PI of his on her. Even the most wholesome people can have some awfully unsavory things in their backgrounds.”
Oh, Lowell was well aware and he used it to his advantage. Scandals could be downright ruinous if one spun them correctly, and he was the spin master. Try as he might, though, he couldn’t imagine a way to frame he and Hux sharing a woman as anything but salacious even if it felt downright tender and earnest. When it didn’t feel like hedonism and depravity at any rate.
“Her name is Tamsyn Yates—”
“Of the Scarsdale Yateses?”
Lowell hid a snort behind his hand. Penshaw, Ohio was the antithesis of the tony Westchester suburb.
“Ah, no. She’s from Ohio.”
Victoria’s head tipped in that canny way she had. “No money, but the heartland plays well with presidential voters.”
Hux flinched and Lowell watched his brother gather his patience. It was nice to be the favorite son in some ways, and all of the Foster-Webb siblings experienced the crushing weight of Victoria’s expectations to some extent, but he didn’t envy Hux. Maybe just a little for being able to claim Tamsyn publicly. They’d discussed it and agreed of course but he hadn’t realized there’d be a twist of his stomach when it happened.
