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Ravencroft never responded. He refused to mention Noel and give his mother an advantage over him. He folded his arms behind his back so she wouldn’t see him clenching his hands into fists.
“I now see where you acquired the awful habit of not answering my questions,” he muttered at Dracott. Dracott shrugged in response. “What do you want?” Ravencroft bit out.
Lady Ravencroft’s chuckle bristled across her son’s nerves. “Why, I miss my children.”
Dracott scoffed, never offering his mother a word. He had learned early that his best defense was to stay silent around his mother. She could take the tiniest bit of knowledge and exploit it to her benefit. Her appearance back in their lives only proved her involvement with Lady Langdale. Now they must learn what part she played to stop her destruction. It would be no easy feat, but one he would enjoy while he sought his revenge.
He held no qualms about handing his own mother over to the proper authorities. She deserved worse, but he wouldn’t waste his energy on the likes of her anymore. His only priority was Maggie.
“The truth, Mother,” Ravencroft gritted out.
Both men gave her an unrelenting stare. Neither would accept her return with open arms. On that, they agreed. She had burned them more times than they could count, and neither of them trusted a single lie uttered from her lips.
Lady Ravencroft threw the drink back and rose to pour herself another. The dainty sip she’d taken before fooled no one. Their mother could drink a boat of sailors under the table. After she drank her second glass, she turned toward them with a calculating stare. When his mother held that look, it wouldn’t bode well for any party involved.
“Very well. I heard the news that my eldest son is set to wed Lord Worthington’s sister, and I wanted to offer my best wishes. ‘Tis a shame he never told me of his wonderful engagement and I had to hear about it from the backhand gossip of a lady with a lower station than I.”
“You hold no station,” Ravencroft snarled.
“Oh, but I do. Your father never had our marriage dissolved. Therefore, I am still Lady Ravencroft,” she gloated.
“A technicality. Your claim holds no standing in society. No one will accept your presence,” Ravencroft declared.
Lady Ravencroft sashayed over to him and pretended to brush lint off Ravencroft’s suit coat. “Oh, but they will when you present how much you accept my return. Also, I expect an invitation to the wedding. I am dying to meet my new daughter-in-law.”
Ravencroft swatted her hand away before moving across the room. He needed space from his mother before she sank her claws in any deeper. “In which I have no plans to. Nor will I ever.”
Lady Ravencroft made an irritating tsking noise. “You really have no choice but to.”
Dracott watched his brother struggle to keep his temper in check and realized he must handle his mother. Ravencroft couldn’t afford to have a scandal attached to his name or else Worthington would withdraw his support for the marriage. Dracott had witnessed their volatile relationship since he first met his brother. His mother always baited Ravencroft to lose his temper. To this day, he never understood why Ravencroft had searched for the mother who had abandoned him.
Not that Dracott wasn’t grateful that he had. It was only with his brother’s support that he had escaped his mother’s hold. Ravencroft showed him how another world existed outside the hellish existence he lived in. He must set aside his own trepidations and deal with their mother. The sooner they dealt with her, the sooner she would disappear from their life again.
Dracott sighed. “Say what you have to say, Mother.”
Lady Ravencroft twirled around to face Dracott. “Ahh, he speaks.” She walked toward him and patted his cheek. “I have missed you so.”
Her need to constantly touch him whenever she was near annoyed him. He gritted his teeth. “Answer Ravencroft,” Dracott demanded.
Lady Ravencroft tugged on her gloves. “You two are such spoilsports. How is a mother to enjoy herself when her sons will not play along?”
He drew in a breath to help calm his impatience. “You know very well polite society will not accept you into their fold. It does not matter if Ravencroft escorts you himself to his wedding. Everyone in attendance will give you the cut direct.”
A cunning smile lit Lady Ravencroft’s face. “Then you both must convince Lord Worthington about how I wish to make amends.”
“Never!” Ravencroft growled.
“Never is such a harsh declaration, my dear,” Lady Ravencroft drawled. “It is in your best interest to at least attempt a reconciliation. If not, how will your behavior appear to Lady Noel? You do not want her to believe you are a heartless scoundrel who turns his back on his less fortunate mother. Do you?”
“Leave Lady Noel out of this,” Ravencroft ordered.
“Ahh. Do you care for the lady? I never imagined it to be so. Well, this changes everything.”
Dracott shot Ravencroft a warning to keep his mouth closed before Ravencroft walked right into their mother’s trap. “Mother, shall we get to the reason for your visit?”
“I already told you how I wish to be a part of my son’s life. I have seen the error of my ways and wish to repent.” Lady Ravencroft’s voice softened as she told her lie.
“Pure shite,” Ravencroft snarled.
