Hello my darlings. I would like to thank rainystv 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 and Castiel arrived at their familial home right on time, but making their way to the drawing room they found only their father there waiting.
"Gabriel, Castiel. Good to see you both." Chuck Haynes, Duke of Ravenscliff said giving his sons an indulgent smile. He was an unassuming man, one you wouldn't look at twice in a crowd. He did not give himself airs, nor seem as if he was one of the most powerful men in the country. But both his sons knew that looks could be deceiving, and they both knew that their father was a lot more than he seemed. And he saw a lot more than most. Their parents were perfectly matched on that front. Yet where the duchess was loud, Chuck was quiet, he more resembled Castiel in the fact he preferred to watch from the side-lines.
"Papa. Where is mama, or do I not want to know?" Gabriel asked taking the glass of wine offered by a footman and quickly taking a sip of it. He hadn't really considered that this lie he was perpetrating on the ton, he would also have to perpetrate on his father. You think he would have, but it never really crossed his mind, until now that he was confronted with the man for the first time since he had gotten himself 'engaged'. He respected his father more than anyone else alive, and he knew he was the one man he had never been able to lie to. Oh this was not going to go well. He really should have considered this, thought about how he was going to deal with this situation. What was he going to do now?
"She will be down in a moment, with your fiancée. I have yet to meet the girl, Anne had her and her sisters closeted away from me. So tell me about her." Chuck replied with in an amiable tone, yet both his sons could see the shrewd look in his eyes which accompanied the request, that while being directed at Gabriel, included Castiel as well. He knew that his younger son knew the Lady Penelope and he wanted his opinion on her, not just from the one who was apparently in love with the lady.
He was still unsure about how that had happened. How had Gabriel gone from running away from the conversation of marriage to falling in love and asking a lady to marry him? A lady no one had ever met, though he knew of her family. Had even met her father many years ago. No, there was something going on here, underneath the surface. For one why were her sisters coming with her? And what of her brother? He knew he had died in the war, and he knew he had been in the same detachment as Castiel. He had made sure he knew exactly what his younger son was doing during the war.
So how was that connected to Gabriel suddenly asking Lady Penelope for her hand in marriage after a bare week of acquaintance? Oh yes, there was definitely something not right about this. But he was not going to say anything. His wife was so overjoyed to finally have Gabriel planning to marry, and the idea of the younger girls had filled her such happiness he could not bring himself to ask her the questions he had. But his sons on the other hand, them he would question, and he would get answers. He was the Duke, he needed to know who it was that would be joining his family, and why. He wanted to make sure that Gabriel really did love this lady.
"What can I say? She is perfect." Gabriel responded with a smirk trying to hide his defensiveness behind his usual jolly mask.
It seemed it had worked considering all his father did in response was roll his eyes before turning to the younger member of the family. Though he did smile inwardly at how his son never could answer a question properly. A trait which would not doubt help when he took over the mantle of Duke.
"Castiel, anything to add?" Chuck asked his younger son with a small smile at the knowledge that he if he did, it would no doubt be cryptic. But he was the master at translating Castiel, at reading between the lines of everything he said. Though he knew he was being surpassed by Gabriel. But that was as it should be. Brothers should be close in his mind. Be there for one another, always.
"I believe Lady Penelope will be everything that Gabriel needs her to be." Castiel replied with a glint in his eyes at how true his words actually were. Penelope would be the perfect fake fiancée for his brother. Of that he had no doubt.
"Good." Chuck responded with a nod, noticing the glint but deciding to let it go for now. He would wait until he met the woman to truly try and understand his younger son's meaning.
It was at that point there was the sound of approaching people and as such all three men turned towards the door to be greeted by first the Duchess, followed by the four Coburn ladies.
Gabriel smiled warmly at his mother, but when his eyes moved on to Penelope he found it falter on his face. This was the first time he had seen her dressed for dinner. And while her gown was simple and rather outdated, it gave him the ability to imagine what she would look like in the modern fashions. There was no chance anyone in the ton would wonder why he fell in love with her when they saw her as he did now. Not even his father could question her beauty surely.
Her dress, while being a simple pale green, managed to bring that particular colour out in her eyes, making them dance as if she had a secret that if you were very lucky she would share with you. But it would not be easy to get it. It was the fire he loved to see in them that reflected who she truly was inside.
Then there was the way the candlelight in the room glittered off her hair, bringing the red highlights into prominence every time she moved her head. The only word he could think to describe what he was seeing was captivating. Oh yes, the ton would have no questions about why he had chosen her. Hmm, he would have to make sure that his mama brought her many gowns in that colour, as well as ones that would show of her other assets.
"Darling, may I introduce our new house guests, Penny, Bea, Lottie and Lizzy. Girls my husband Chuck." Anne said moving to stand next to her husband, but not before she saw the look in her oldest son's eyes and smiled. Oh yes, he really did love his Pen. She hadn't been sure, it was so sudden, this engagement, but she had been prepared to welcome the lady into her home. A feat made easer once she had met Penny. And now seeing how her son watched his fiancée's every move with a look of wonder, she knew he had indeed found the right woman for him.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I hope you are comfortable in our home?" Chuck asked his eyes twinkling as he watched his oldest son out of the corner of them. Gabriel really did have it bad didn't he? Good. That would make this so much easier, but he could also see what his wife could not. That not only was Gabriel caught, this was the first time he had seen his fiancée dressed as she was. That again raised questions in his mind. But for now he would turn his attention to the lady and her sisters. It was the polite thing to do after all, and who knew what he could learn from those who did not know him as his family did?
"We are more than comfortable your Grace. Thank you." Penny replied curtsying and smiling at the Duke in front of her all the while trying to ignore the feeling of eyes staring at her. She knew who they belonged to, what she didn't understand was why Gabriel was staring at her in such a way in front of his family, or at all really. After all this was a fake engagement. He had no need to follow her every move, it was making her decidedly uncomfortable. She needed to concentrate on talking to his parents.
"Call me Chuck. Now I believe my son would like your attention, I'll let you go to him." Chuck responded with a warm smile before he turned to her sisters dismissing Penny to make her way to Gabriel's side. It would give him the perfect opportunity to watch the two together, to see if they acted as he would expect two in love to. Time to see the truth of this relationship, and make sure it was what Gabriel was claiming it to be.
"Gabriel." Penny said as she moved to stand in front of the man. Though she was not sure what else to say, he had a strange look in his eyes that she couldn't understand. So instead she found herself fidgeting with her skirts, running the material through her fingers as she was likely to do when she was nervous. It was something she had not done for a very long time, not since she was 18 and had been planning her coming out with her mother by going to local assemblies.
"Penny." Gabriel replied softly with a natural smile as he reached out and took her hands in his before bringing them to his lips to kiss. He could not let her show any sign of nerves. Not while in the same room as his father, and not when she went into the ton proper. But hopefully by then they would have had more of a chance to get to know each other better. For now he would use his charm to settle her. And if that didn't work, he could always get her to spar with him. Make those eyes of hers spark and shoot fire in his direction. Oh yes, that really would make for a very enjoyable dinner.
At Gabriel's actions Penny felt her spine straighten as her nerves fell away to be replaced by announce at his behaviour. Though she knew that was exactly why he had done it, so she could not be too annoyed at him. Of course, she wasn't about to let him know that now was she? So instead of saying anything to the man she was engaged to she turned to his brother with a warm smile, dismissing Gabriel without care. He loved that she did that. That she did not care for his rank nor prospects. In fact he was fast coming to the belief that it was a necessary requirement in any wife he chose. He just hoped there were many women of the ton who would take so little notice of who he was as she did, he had a horrible feeling that there would not be.
"Major Haynes." Penny said taking her hands from Gabriel's so she could present one to the other man before her. The man who seemed to find her behaviour most entertaining if the twinkle in his eyes was anything to go by.
"Lady Penelope, Call me Castiel, after all we are to be family." Castiel replied smiling in a conspiratorial way at the lady in front of him as he took her hand a placed a kiss on the back of it. Both of them watching Gabriel roll his eyes out of the corner of theirs eyes. Castiel doubted the lady accepted that he could see a possibility of truth in his words. But he had seen his brothers face when she had entered, and he had seen it when she had turned to him. If Lady Penelope wasn't careful she would find herself snaring the Marquess of Dare, just by trying not to do so.
"So we are. Castiel. In which case you must call me Penny." Penny responded with an incline of her head agreeing to his words even if she knew they were only for show. And it was show she would put on to the best of her ability. Because this was her only way to find a freedom for her and her sisters. She was finding it wasn't so hard so far, Anne had been so kind and friendly that she and her sisters had settled a lot quicker than she had thought they would. Everything would be fine, as long as Gabriel did not keep looking at her the way he had earlier that made her find it hard to speak, made something inside her cause her nerves to surface. Made something inside her flutter and warm as she had when he had turned his bright charming smile upon her on the steps of her previous home. No, it would be fine. After all, how much time did engaged couples spend with each other during a season anyway?
At that point Penny's sisters called to her and men with her, and the two families joined in general conversation over pre-dinner drinks. Little Lizzy charmed everyone with her forthright questions, while Lottie discussed the library with the Duke, which she had already found her way to. Bea was the consummate lady charming the Duchess even more, and making her already start to plan that young ladies coming out in a year or two's time. Oh yes, Lady Beatrice would be the toast of the town, sister to a Marquess and guided by a Duchess. Anne couldn't wait to have these girls in her family, as her surrogate daughters. It was more than she could ever have hoped for from her son's marriage, and she would make sure that nothing happened to ruin the prospect of them joining her family. She would make sure the ton knew that Lady Penelope had her full support, and when her daughter returned to town she would get her involved as well. Oh yes, no one stood a chance against them.
