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“And you, Lady Ann,” he turned to the sister, “Do you also spend a lot of time in gardens?” He looked very interested in her answer. Alexander knew that although his brother was a jester, he treated people with respect and was always interested in learning about them. Especially when he found them interesting. He supposed the sister of his sister-in-law would indeed seem very interesting to him.
“Unfortunately, I do not. I do love flowers, but I would rather marvel at their beauty and then move on to other matters,” Ann said.
“Fascinating, how do you spend your time then?” he asked her curiously.
“I enjoy needlework. I enjoy it because I can create any image I want on a piece of cloth,” she eyed her sister from the corner of her eyes. “Also, Caroline is terrible at it, and I find it hilarious when she gets frustrated trying to sew a straight line,” she grinned.
Caroline laughed as she elbowed her sister lightly, “You just like to see me suffer, don’t you?” she asked, still laughing.
“Oh yes, I do, and you know it,” Ann said, a devilish grin gracing her face.
“Oh, a healthy sibling rivalry! I like that! I used to do things like that to Alexander when we were younger. He spent our childhood rolling his eyes at me; I feared his eyes would be lodged in an odd position.” He turned to grin at Alexander who rolled his eyes at him. “See, he just did it again, some people never learn, I fear.” Colin shook his head like a disappointed father, making the ladies laugh even more.
Alexander watched as Colin quickly charmed the sisters and got them to lighten up, ridding the room of the gloominess that had set in the moment the men walked into the room, and wished he too could so easily speak to them.
"Well, I guess I should be on my way then," Ann said, "it was a pleasure to meet you." Colin interjected as she turned to hug her sister.
"Whydon't you stay for supper?I must admit, Lady Ann, I enjoy your company, and I am certainmy brother does as well," Colin suggested, turning to wink at him.
“Yes, please do stay. The more the merrier,” Alexander jumped at the opportunity. He doubted there would be any quiet or coldness at the table with other family members present to lighten things up, and maybe it would prove to be the turning point for him and Caroline. He could try to be nice like his brother suggested.
“Yes, please, Ann. You should stay,” Caroline added. Alexander wondered if the reason she wanted her sister with her was the same reason he wanted their siblings present also. To put a stop to the awkwardness that was always hovering over them whenever they found themselves alone with each other.
“Okay, I suppose I shall stay then,” Ann said, smiling at everyone.
The four moved to the tearoom, where they chose to have lunch, and Alexander was glad to have brought his brother along. He told the women stories of his time spent in school and how he had tortured his schoolmasters, reducing them to laughter.
“So, Lady Caroline, how have you been enjoying your new home so far? Is everything to your liking?” Colin asked while they ate.
“Oh, uh, the house is wonderful, and the servants have been very welcoming so far,” she said. “It was something I was worried about when I came here, you know. That they would not like me. It probably sounds silly, but I did not want to be an inconvenience or have to let go of anyone who did not seem happy to have me here, it is not the kind of household I want to run, I don’t know if I am even allowed to dismiss anyone, anyway.”
“You are the lady of the house,” Alexander said, shocking himself and everyone else present. “You can let go of anyone that makes it seem like working for you is an inconvenience. They should be worried about pleasing you and not the other way around.” The two stared at each other for a short while until Caroline turned away blinking rapidly as she gave her attention to the plate in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said, still not looking up. “There are some paintings and sculptures that I think are out of place in their location, can I change those?”
“Certainly, you can change whatever you wish.” Alexander felt a twinge of happiness when she smiled at him in gratitude and allowed a little smile to tilt his lips when his brother nodded at him, silently telling him he was doing a great job. Maybe talking to her wouldn’t be so bad after all. He hadn’t talked much but doing so had been quite easy.
“How are you coping with the changes at home now that your sister is married?” Colin asked Ann, breaking Alexander from his thoughts.
“It is a big change to have her away from the house. Almost strange, actually,” Ann said. “But I have been well; especially since she lives nearby, and we can see each other often. I also have my younger sisters to keep me on my toes. That was something Caroline used to handle so well, but now I have to fill those shoes, and it is quite time-consuming.”
Colin was staring at Ann with a dopey smile, and Alexander had never seen his brother look so taken with anyone. It made him smile for a moment.Who knew the almighty Colin could be trapped?His thoughts had been playful at first, but his smile fell from his face the next second.Trapped!Why didn’t he think of it before? He had been trapped by the Campbells, who was to say they would not try to do the same to his brother?
Now that he thought about it, Caroline’s sister was too comfortable with Colin for a young lady who had just met him that day. He was foolish to have been thinking that she was outspoken like his brother. What if she were simply acting so they could escalate her relationship with Colin and tie him down with rumors as well? Caroline, too, who had been so curt for so long, was suddenly laughing. He couldn’t curb his suspicions.
Try as he might, Alexander could not get himself to continue with the charade that his brother started. He sat in silence, brooding over the fact that the Campbells had extended their reach to his brother as well.
He was filled with disbelief and wished the lunch would be over. He worried that he had made it easy for his brother to be a pawn in their plans. He would not let them trap him in their web just as they had trapped him.
“How about you, Alexander? Do you miss me now that you have moved away from home and no longer get to spend as much time with me as I know you are dying to?” Colin joked. Alexander remained silent, the only thought on his mind was keeping his brother safe from the manipulative ways of the Campbells.
“Well, are you not going to respond to me, brother? Or are you too afraid to admit that you miss me so much?” Colin asked again. The chatter among them had died down at Alexander’s refusal to answer, and awkwardness slowly seeped in again.
“Do not bother. Your brother prefers his own company to that of others during mealtimes,” Caroline said and Alexander was left to wonder whether she meant that as a joke or had said it to spite him, from the hint of bitterness he heard in her voice.
Lunch continued in silence, the others occasionally dropping a few comments, but they were unable to recover the flow from their previous conversation. Alexander could feel his brother’s glare directed his way, but he never raised his head to acknowledge him. He understood that Colin felt like he had wasted his efforts, but he would understand the steps he was taking soon enough, and he would thank him for it.
A little while after lunch ended, Ann announced that she had to return home.
