Chapter 12

Weekdays went by in a comfortable routine. Roberta's cast came off the weekend before Christmas, just in time for a visit from Lacinda, or Lacy, as the family called her. Lacy saw Roberta first, sitting alone in the parlor. After joyous greetings and some quick catching up, Loren joined wondered in. He gave his sister an equally enthusiastic greeting along with her escort, Benjamin Egerton. "Who are your guests? Roberta tells me we have visitors from France."

Thankfully, Lacy was turned away from Roberta when Phileas and Jules came in behind him. "Ah, Phileas," she said after a moment's pause. "It's been years. Phileas greeted the young woman formally. Loren gave her a smile for her quick recovery, but further explanations were needed. "Could you come with me to the study please? I need to show you something."

In the study, Loren gave her the full news. "He's a distant cousin while here. Roberta is already suspicious, so be careful. I've told her we met him once in London, three years ago. Beyond that, we don't know his background or movements."

They returned to the parlor for conversation and catching up. Phileas considered Lacy as lovely as he remembered. Tall for a woman at five foot seven, but under a head shorter than her brother. In all aspects, she was a feminine counter to her brother. Lacy and her suitor, Benjamin Egerton, made the formal announcement of their engagement that evening after dinner. Champagne was ordered and the couple toasted. It wasn't unexpected news, but it caught Loren off guard anyway. Benjamin Egerton was Loren's best friend, also in government service.

Loren and Phileas lounged in the study, sharing brandy after everyone else retired. "He has been out to marry Lacy since they first met," Loren said.

"You have some objection to him?" Phileas said.

Loren gave Phileas a shake of his head, trying to shake his odd mood. "No, to the contrary, I am very happy for them. Benj' will make her a good husband. He is crazy about her, always has been. Don't mind me. I have been in a sour mood since Roberta's casting off."

Phileas took another sip, declining to comment. He could not sympathize. Fogg had no real opinion on the way Roberta had left the service. He did however have very firm opinions about marriage and whether a man as young as Benjamin was established enough to make a proper husband. Victorian attitudes would not keep silent. With practical skepticism and paternal concern, Fogg returned to the subject. "Are you sure this is a good match?" Has this young man any prospects or means to support a wife?"

Loren laughed. "The Marquisate of Stafford, Earldom of Gower and the Viscountcy of Trentham carry plenty of means to keep Lacy in style." He slipped lower into his chair. "Benjamin doesn't choose to go by his titles with close friends, but he is the Marques of Stafford. His father is the Duke of Sutherland and they both adore Lacy. Lord Sutherland is a widower and has been quite anxious to make Lacy his new hostess. And I promise," Loren said, "her dowry will be fit for a future duchess. By the way, you would know more about dowries than I. How many cows and chickens would a duchess be worth?"

The glow of pride Phileas was experiencing, having the family elevated by such a connection, cooled as he reacted to the question. He saw the devilish gleam in the brother's eyes. "Do it and I'll take Roberta's crutch to you myself."

Lacy and Roberta were nearly inseparable the next day. They chattered away alone together most of the morning, discussing Lacy's work in encryption research and what Roberta's duties would be. In the process, Roberta pumped Lacy about her first meeting with Phileas Fogg. Phileas had yet to tell Roberta anything about himself, deflecting her prying questions. As Lacy didn't know what details her brother might have already mentioned, she hedged, pretending not to have paid attention. Roberta frowned, not believing a word.

Coming down the hall, Loren heard the conversation and came to his sister's aid. "Back to that again, are you cousin?" He leaned into the room at the doorframe. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you had some other reason to be so curious about Phileas." The cock-eyed grin on his face plainly showed what he was implying. Roberta gave him a drop-dead glare and backed down, changing the subject to Lacy's wedding plans.

Before they knew it, Phileas and Jules found themselves in the midst of a Fogg family Christmas. They had been vaguely aware of the plans but didn't take full notice until the quiet old manor was invaded by a troop of young people and children, directed by mothers and Lacy. Before breakfast was over, greens were being brought in for decorations. By tea, every room in the house smelled of holly, mistletoe, or fine scented candles. Even Roberta's kittens were decked out for the holiday in gold bows.

As more family arrived, Phileas met the one grandson presently in England. Travis Fogg, the youngest of the four brothers, was a man of forty who worked with the Foreign Office. He had a fine wife and six pretty daughters. His other living brother was George, an Army Colonel, was serving abroad. His wife and four children had come in from Portsmouth.

Travis Fogg, as the eldest family member in attendance, or so everyone thought, was given the place of head of the family festivities. Loren suggested this, temporarily abdicating his place as head of the family for the night. The gesture gained him the next best position, Lord of Misrule. Even that, he turned over to his younger cousin Phillip, the only other grown male of their generation.

Benjamin Egerton was also in attendance beside Lacy, along with four friends from Oxford and several other relations, connections, and neighbors. The manor house was overflowing by supper. The night went off with all the gaiety that a large family gathering could create. It wasn't until late in the night when the families were getting ready for bed that a servant came to Loren, whispering something in his ear. He very quietly asked the men into the study for a last toast.

Once the doors were closed, Loren said, "Gentlemen, the Germans bombed London again. There is a firestorm over the center of the city. "I called you here to keep from upsetting the children. Uncle Travis, if you like, I will go with you tomorrow to check on your house. I suspect you have lost it this time."

"There is no need, I will go myself," Travis said. "Rachel and the girls will stay a few days longer to visit, if it's all right."

Loren said, "As far as I'm concerned, you can move to in for the rest of the war, which I have been pleading for all along. London hasn't been safe since August."

"I may take you up on that if the house is destroyed," Travis said. With that, the older man left the room to see to his family.

Phileas and Jules stood in silence as the news and its repercussions unfolded. Phileas had seen the banners in the newspapers that had made it into the country. He was painfully aware of what was happening, despite his refusal to read the articles.

Jules had also seen those papers and had gleaned enough information during his afternoon visits around town to know a bit more. None of the news was good. Here in the country, they were considered safe, although the nearby airfield had been attacked several times since their arrival. Sheffield, to the north, had also been badly hit since their arrival. With all this devastation and death, Jules wondered how two lives could be so important. The timekeepers had said Loren and Lacy Fogg had been in the house alone when they were killed. If so, Travis's family will go back to London with more uncertain nights. But what about Roberta? She is living here. The timekeepers never mentioned her.

Roberta had become Phileas's favorite among his descendants. She was tenacious and sharp as a tack. She again brought her curiosity directly to Phileas during one of their rides. Her interrogation methods were quite subtle, but Phileas knew when he was being pumped.

"Lacy, as I remember, was rather busy making plans for her education." Phileas told her as they rode down a tree lined country road in the horse drawn sled. "Loren had just told her of his plans for her. She had been very excited."

"I see." Roberta remembered how excited Lacy's letters had been about the chance to study languages formally. "Yes, she had been consumed with that."

"My stay in London was brief that year. I don't think I spent more than a few hours with them at best. In contrast, my visit this time has allowed me much more time to get to know Loren, his sister, and you. I am finding my stay very enjoyable. I can't remember when I last spent so much time with such an engaging, intelligent, and lovely young woman as you."

"Why, thank you." Roberta accepted the praise, surprised, and pleased, lapsing into silence as Phileas elaborated on it, sprinkling light flirtatious banter for good measure. Profuse compliments always had that effect on women. He was a master at it. Inwardly, his mood cooled. My time here is near done. Only a few days left.