The butler did not even have time to announce Lady Sylvia Schofield before she burst past him, into the drawing room, and exasperatedly proclaimed, "Sons!"
Elizabeth Lady Wendall calmly replaced her teacup on its saucer. "I quite agree, my dear. Do sit down and tell me what yours has done, then I shall complain about mine and we shall have quite a comfortable coze."
"Oh?" Lady Sylvia arched a silver eyebrow, abandoned theatrics in favor of curiosity, and seated herself elegantly beside her bosom bow. "Has Richard done something too?"
"I believe a more correct question would be what hasn't Richard done. Tea?"
Lady Sylvia nodded. "Three sugars and no milk, if you would be so kind. Shall I go first, or you?"
"You, please." Lady Wendall poured, and replenished her own cup while she was at it. "I am certain from the fuss at the Royal College that Thomas must have been getting into something on a far larger scale than Richard. My dear son was only saving himself, after all. Some friends of his as well, but if he hadn't been pig-headed as always there would have been no need of it." She paused for a genteel sip, then added, "And he seems to have gotten engaged to his ward, but that's rather more in the pedestrian way of gossip and wholly expected besides."
"Thomas has been saving the entire realm, I believe," Lady Sylvia said, "and getting not unexpectedly engaged himself, to a lovely young woman named Katherine Talgarth. I have always found the pedestrian gossip to be more interesting once one has gotten the wizardly things out of the way. After all, one saves the realm every month, more or less, but it is hardly every day that one's son marries."
Lady Wendall lifted her teacup in an ironic salute. "Do you know, Sylvia, I believe you're correct? On to the pedestrian gossip, then, as I'm afraid I have yet to get a straight answer out of Richard regarding his recent antics. Despite being peripherally involved myself."
Lady Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Sons," she repeated.
"Indeed."