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“I’m sure you do.”
The arrival of Lucas’s elder brothers, Thomas and Isaac; Isaac’s wife, Clara; and their sister Susan interrupted them.
“Lucas!” Isaac cried, shaking Lucas’s hand before pulling him in for a brotherly hug. “I was just telling Clara this morning that my faith was foundering on whether you’d actually arrive here before the week was up and we must return to the vicarage. No sooner spoken than proven wrong, by George!”
“Clara, you are a sight for sore eyes,” Lucas said. “I hope you’ve been able to keep my brother sufficiently on the straight and narrow,” he added jokingly.
“Considering he’s the vicar, it hasn’t been too much of a strain,” she bantered back.
“It’s about time you returned,” Susan said in a low, slightly bored voice as he leaned in to kiss her offered cheek. “As you can see, I have long needed someone with whom to have a sensible conversation. I hope you have exhilarating stories of war and intrigue to share and gossip from Town to make me laugh.”
Clara jabbed her good-naturedly with her elbow.
“I shall do my best,” Lucas said, smiling.
“That is all one can ask.”
Susan was just older than Lucas, and Isaac just older than Susan. As children, the three of them had been inseparable, and he’d missed them, he realized.
Thomas, the eldest, stood apart from the others, appearing aloof and much more serious than he’d been the last time Lucas had seen him. “Thomas,” Lucas said after greeting the others. “It’s good to see you.”
“It is time you were home, Lucas. Past time,” Thomas said.
“It appears you have brought guests with you,” Susan said after peering into the drawing room. “Ah, and tea has arrived for us all. Excellent; I’m parched. You must introduce us to your friends, Lucas. They look . . . enchanting.” She bit her lip to hide an amused smile.
He could only imagine what thoughts Susan might already entertain about Lavinia and her entourage, and under other circumstances, he might have found it amusing to hear her impressions, but not today. “I would be delighted to introduce you, Susan. Come with me, all of you, if you please.”
They joined the others in the sitting room, and Lucas watched the faces of his siblings as he made the introductions. Isaac’s eyes were as wide as saucers when Lucas introduced Lavinia as his betrothed, although he was polite enough, as was Clara. Thomas’s eyes narrowed slightly before glancing at his wife to assess her reaction.
Susan, on the other hand, grinned widely. “Miss Fernley—Lavinia—mayI call you Lavinia?—I believe we are going to become fast friends. I can feel it.”
Lavinia smiled warmly, although Lucas had gotten to know her well enough in the past few days to detect a glint in her eye. “I think you are right . . .Susan,” she replied. Lucas took a sip of his tea to hide a chuckle. His wily sister had asked to call Lavinia by her Christian name but hadn’t offered the same courtesy in return. The redheaded minx hadn’t let her get away with it.
Susan, for her part, turned back to Lucas. “Fast friends, indeed,” she murmured and sipped her tea.
“Miss Weston, would you care for another tea cake?” his mother asked. “Mr. Drake?”
“I would, by all means,” Mr. Drake said. “‘What nourishes me destroys me.’”
His mother looked alarmed as she placed the cake on his plate. “Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Drake?”
“Not at all, ma’am, I assure you. I say, ‘What nourishes me destroys me,’ for I could simply die of bliss at its deliciousness.”
“Marlowe,” Miss Weston said. “Well done, Arthur. He was quoting Christopher Marlowe, you see, to express his enjoyment of your tea cakes, Lady Thurlby. I quite agree with him.”
“What a relief.” Lucas’s mother said as she placed another cake on Miss Weston’s plate. “Miss Broome?”
“No, thank you, ma’am.” Miss Broome sat, looking like a fish out of water, her feet planted next to each other, her back straight, her hands clutching her cup and saucer.
“Such a lovely family you have, Lady Thurlby,” Miss Weston said after she dabbed at some crumbs speckling her chin. “Family is a wonderful blessing, is it not? We were brokenhearted for our dear Lavinia when she lost her mother . . .” Miss Weston trailed off sadly.
Lavinia shot Miss Weston a glance and surreptitiously shook her head at her.
“Oh, Miss Fernley, how dreadful for you. I’m so sorry,” his mother exclaimed.
Lavinia opened her mouth to speak—
“So you can imagine our distress,” Miss Weston said, “when our dear,dearcousin lost her father too, and such tragic circumstances they were. But perhaps those particular details would be better shared on another occasion. Today is a day of reunion and celebration, after all.”
