Hello my darlings. I would like to thank acelticdream for the lovely review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Gabriel returned to his home only to find his brother in his study drinking his good French brandy. Though the only response he gave to this was a roll of his eyes as he poured himself a measure of the same drink and sank into his favourite chair, closing his eyes for a moment so he could cherish the peace and quiet and comfortable surrounding he was finally in.
"Are Lady Penelope's sisters really that bad?" Castiel asked after a minute of observing his brother letting go of the tension he had in his body.
"No. But our mother is." Gabriel replied not opening his eyes, though a smile did appear on his lips showing Castiel that he didn't really mean them.
"Ah. What did she do, try to set a date for you?" Castiel asked with a humorous smile on his face. He could see it now, in fact he would not be surprised if Gabriel turned round and told him that she had already sent out the invites. Anything to make sure her eldest son really did get married.
"She is just so very happy to see I have finally decided to settle down. She has taken Pen and her sisters under wing without thought. I never realised… never thought, how happy it would make her." Gabriel answered with a slightly self-deprecating tone at the honesty he was giving his brother. He must be tired from the journey to be talking like this, even if he was talking to Castiel.
Castiel on the other hand heard the words and felt for his brother and his mother. They were both so close, they always had been. He didn't know what to say that would help his older brother, he doubted there was anything and he knew Gabriel would not appreciate him trying to find them. So instead he concentrated on the most interesting thing his brother had just said.
"Pen?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow at the name. It seemed his brother and the lady had become closer than he had assumed they would on the journey back to London.
"Umm. Lady Penelope doesn't like it. I think it suits her." Gabriel replied with a small smile as if he was remembering some sort of inside joke. His expression made Castiel smile too. It made him wonder if there was a chance that this fake engagement might not just become a real one in the end. That would solve all of Gabriel's moral issues in his mind.
"Mama will get over it Gabriel. And by the end of the season she will have a wedding to arrange. She will be fine." Castiel said in the hopes that that at least would ease some of the guilt he knew he brother was feeling. Gabriel really did have a well-defined sense of honour, and Castiel knew it was as sharp as a sword.
"I hope so. Though I should warn you that now I am out of her sights, she is setting them firmly on you." Gabriel replied sitting up straight and taking a sip of his drink as he pulled himself away from the worries eating at his mind and back to the person he was. The older brother who would take great pleasure in watching Castiel trying to avoid their mother's machinations.
"I suddenly have a great desire to go and check on my property in the country." Castiel responded dryly raising his eyebrow and quirking his lips at the words as he looked at Gabriel, daring him to stop him from disappearing. He still was not used to having his family trying to involve themselves in his life. He was used to making the decisions for not just him, but others as well. It was hard to once more fall back into the role of second son.
"Oh no you don't Castiel. You are staying right where you are. Pen will need the help of the whole family, and you are the one she knows best." Gabriel stated in a tone that brooked no arguments as soon as he heard the words. He did not really think his brother meant them, but he never could tell with Cas. And he wanted to make sure he stayed right where he was. Pen wasn't the only one who was going to need his suppose throughout this fake engagement, Gabriel had a feeling he was going to need the support of one who knew the truth and that he trusted with his life. Namely his brother.
"And yet, you're the one calling her Pen." Castiel smirked innocently. He wouldn't leave Gabriel or Lady Penelope alone in this. Just as he knew the others he had served with would be there for her too. Dean had already asked him about getting rooms in a decent part of London for him and Sam. As well as asking if he knew of a way he could get invited to the events to which Lady Penelope, as a future duchess, would be attending. Hmm, that reminded him, he should probably inform his brother just where those rooms he had offered Dean were. What with them being upstairs in Gabriel's home and all that. After all the best way to get an untitled gentleman invited to the all the high in the instep balls, was to have him staying in the home of a future duke. No one would even consider not inviting the Winchesters if they were staying in this home as guests of Gabriel. None of the ton were stupid enough to snub friends of the next Duke of Ravenscliff.
"Semantics" Gabriel replied with a wave of his hand, unaware of what his brother had done now. His mind still on how he could help Pen be relaxed and herself in the world he knew she was going to be thrown into. The world where everyone would be watching and waiting for her to fail.
"Do not worry Gabriel, I will be there for her." Castiel responded with complete sincerity. He meant every word, he would be there for her. Of course that didn't stop part of his mind realising that by making it seem like he was doing his brother a favour, he was more than likely to get one in return.
"Good because we have a ducal summons for dinner this evening." Gabriel replied with a smug smile as he saw Castiel roll his eyes at him. He knew how his brother felt about attending family dinners and such like, but he was going to have to sit through a lot more of them this season whether he liked it or not. So he might as well get used to it.
"You got my agreement to help Penelope before mentioning that on purpose, didn't you?" Castiel asked narrowing his eyes at Gabriel. He knew how his mind worked, after all, it was very like his own.
"Of course. You're not the only one who can be sneaky in our family." Gabriel replied unrepentant. What did Castiel expect?
"Of that I am well aware. I am sure mama is the sneakiest of us all." Castiel responded with a sigh, though of course this worked in his favour for getting Gabriel to agree to allow Dean and Sam to stay for the season.
"Undoubtedly, we had to get it from somewhere after all." Gabriel answered before they both lapsed into a comfortable silence. One that was just theirs. They had no need to put on airs or masks with each other. There, in that study they were just two brothers enjoying each other's company. But Castiel knew he would have to break it soon.
Taking a deep breath he spoke pulling Gabriel's eyes from the fire and back to him. "Dean wishes to be there for Lady Penelope as well."
"His support would be welcomed, I am sure." Gabriel replied not truing away from his brother. He knew there was a lot more to that sentence that Castiel had said, and he was waiting to hear what it was.
"He does not move in the circle to which you and I are accustomed." Castiel stated hoping his brother would respond with the words he was pretty sure he would.
"You wish me to see if I can get him invites? I could try…" Gabriel replied frowning as he tried to work out how to obtain that which Major Dean Winchester would need to move freely in the higher echelons of the ton.
"I have a solution." Castiel said pulling Gabriel out of his thoughts causing him to shake his head at why he thought for a second it would be any other way.
"Of course you do."
"If he were to stay in the home of a Marquess…" Castiel suggested not looking at his brother, instead studying how the light from the fire reflected off his glass and the small amount of brandy it held.
At that Gabriel couldn't help but bark with laughter. It was just the sort of high handed manoeuvre he would expect from any member of his family if he was truthful. And while Castiel may only be a second son, he was still the son of a duke and had the arrogance that was innate in their position in society. "Let me guess, he is already upstairs unpacking?"
"No he and Sam will arrive in two weeks at the start of the season proper." Castiel replied with a bright smile for his brother, as if the idea that Gabriel would turn his friends away had never crossed his mind. And in truth it hadn't. He knew his brother, and he knew Gabriel would never turn away his best friend and his family.
"Fine. Though you know, mama will want to meet them both and no doubt meddle in their lives too." Gabriel responded a gleeful smile as a twinkle appearing in his eyes at the idea of the duchess getting her hands on the Winchesters. Oh yes, that will definitely be entertaining to watch.
"I am aware." Castiel smirked as the very same image appeared in his own mind. Dean will not know what has hit him when he meets their mama. There really was no one else like her.
"But you didn't tell Dean that, did you?" Gabriel asked seeing the smirk. Oh how typical of Castiel.
At that Castiel shrugged as he responded "he will find out when he arrives." He knew if he had told Dean about their mother he would never have got his friend to come to London and stay with them. And he missed him and Sam. Missed the constant companionship of people who had been through hell with him and come out the other side.
"Glad to know it's not just me you enjoy manipulating." Gabriel replied finishing off his brandy and wondering if he had time for another before dressing for dinner.
"I learnt all I know from you." Castiel answered finishing off his own glass and following Gabriel's eyes to the clock on the mantel.
"Flattery will get you everywhere. But for now we need to go and dress for dinner. We do not want to be late." Gabriel responded standing. Shame. He could have done with another glass of brandy to get through the evening of their mother. But then his mind turned to Pen, and strangely enough he found that he was actually looking forward to spending the evening in her company. He knew his mama would seat them together, and that thought alone made him smile.
"Heaven forbid." Castiel muttered as he too stood preparing to go and get ready to spend an evening with his parents. The things he did for family.
With that they both moved out of the study and made their way to their respective rooms. Time to dress for dinner.
