No sooner than when he got to the house, Col. Tavington made his way straight up the stairs with Jae in his arms, all the way to her room without even so much as pausing to acknowledge his wife, whom he passed reaching the top of the stairs.
Lying Jae on her bed, the colonel immediately began to strip her of her long-sleeved shirt but left the teal tank top that she wore underneath, hoping that she wouldn't come to before he got it off but it wasn't to be the case. Jae came to in frantic flurry, struggling within the gray sweatshirt that was only halfway over her head, and managed to reach out and grab Col. Tavington's arms in a vice grip, giving him a surprisingly forceful shove that sent him reeling back a couple of feet.
"No! Get off me! Let me go!" Her voice came in a muffled yelp from inside the shirt.
"Jae..." The colonel spoke calmly yet his voice still carried an undertone of surprise as she pulled the rest of the shirt off of her, her eyes wide with fear and her breathing shallow before her frightened gaze settled on him.
"You're not... You're not the general..." She looked away in shame; it had happened again and she was more than embarrassed for reacting against the one person who really cared about her, mistaking him once more for her ruthless torturer. "I'm sorry..." Jae's gray eyes began to glisten with tears.
Col. Tavington cast a pitying gaze upon her and cautiously wrapped an arm around her, allowing her to lean into his shoulder and chest to cry a few minutes.
"Jae, you've nothing to be sorry for. The memories won't rid themselves overnight."
"How can I make it?" Jae asked softly. "How can I get through each night when I know that behind everything, the memories are lying in wait for the opportune moment?"
The colonel gave a grim smile and tilted her head upward; he knew all too well what she was going through. Perhaps their situations had been different, but just like her, even now, he was still plagued by nightmarish memories of his own past.
"You'll make it because you're you. And you've got people who are going to help and support you through all of this. You're not alone, Jae."
"I know," Jae replied quietly, "I know... Thank you... All of you."
"You're welcome. Though I don't think any of us would have thought about letting you deal with this on your own."
Jae's lips turned the tiniest bit upward as she conceded to his words. She knew that the others would help her, but at times, she still felt very alone; a string of silence passed between the two while Col. Tavington allowed her to rest against him for about ten minutes before he finally said, "Well, now that you're conscious, I'm going to have Mary come and take a look at you."
Jae tried to refuse, saying, "You don't need to do that. I feel fine."
But Col. Tavington shook his head.
"You may feel fine, but I want to be sure."
Leaving Jae in her room, the colonel went to his own to get Mary. She had just put Brielle back down to sleep after feeding her and was getting ready to sleep some more herself when he opened the door.
"Is Jae all right?" She asked as she pulled back the burgundy coverlets to reveal creamy white sheets on their four-poster bed.
"I need you to take a look at her. She doesn't think anything really happened but-"
"You want to make sure." Mary finished his sentence with a smirk. "Yes, I'll take a look. It shouldn't be very long at all. Stay here with Brielle."
Col. Tavington nodded and his wife left the room. Sitting down on the bed near his daughter's cradle, the colonel gently rocked it back and forth in mild distraction before he saw Braden and Brant tear by in the hallway through the open door, Braden screeching gleefully on top of Brant's shoulders; Brielle, startled by the noise, began to cry.
"Fasto, Bwant! FASTO!!!!" Braden yelled in delight until a disgruntled colonel stopped them in their tracks with a screaming Brielle in his arms.
Brant immediately brought Braden off his shoulders, clamping a hand over his mouth.
"Braden, I believe we woke your sister up..." He said, feeling his ears grow hot.
"Indeed, you did, along with the rest of the house, I'm sure." Col. Tavington replied with an air of annoyance. "Do you have the frankest idea of how early it is?"
"My apologies, sir. I got a bit carried away... We'll go outside."
"Thank you, Brant."
Slinging Braden playfully over his shoulder, Brant started down the stairs, placing him back on his shoulders once they were outside while the colonel stood in the hallway, attempting to calm Brielle and succeeding in doing so within a couple of minutes as Mary stepped out of Jae's room.
"What's all ruckus about?" she looked over at her husband with a raised eyebrow.
"Brant and Braden were running up and down the hall but they're outside now. How is Jae?"
"She's fine, William. Naught but a few scratches and bruises. It's nothing seriously damaging. And before you ask, yes, I'm sure." Mary replied with a grin.
"I wasn't going to ask that." Col. Tavington shrugged.
Mary shook her head, taking her daughter from her husband and replied, "You're a horrible liar; do you know that?"
"No, I just wasn't trying this time." The left corner of the colonel's mouth turned up in a hint of a smirk and his wife rolled her eyes.
"You and your insurmountable ego..." She spoke with a tone of mock exasperation before she left Col. Tavington in the hall and went back to the master bedchamber with Brielle.
Glancing back at Jae's door, the colonel had half a mind to go and check on her again when Mary stuck her head out of their room and called softly to him, "William, she's fine. Please, come here."
Col. Tavington let out a sigh and reluctantly retreated to his room where Mary shut the door behind him and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, running a finger along his jaw.
"Darling, you're a bit late on shaving..."
"Am I?" He asked.
"Yes. Take care of it before company comes later today. Right now, I want you over here." Mary took his hand, led him over to their bed and sat down, waiting for him to alight beside her.
Once he sat down, she asked, "William, what is wrong with Jae? She seemed more jumpy than normal. Just really nervous about something... I mean, she complied with everything and knew that I wasn't harming her in any way, but she looked as if she wanted to run out of the room."
Col. Tavington sat silently for a couple of minutes before responding, "Apparently, Jae inherited a few things from the general after his death; he must have thought it best to have them sent to me in the event that she was to return. But no, I don't believe he really knew she would. At any rate, his gifts seem to have triggered an amount of uneasiness in the girl." He finished before sighing and shaking his head in self-irritation. "I shouldn't have even given her the letter, or the parcel..."
"Perhaps not... What did he give her?" Mary pressed lightly as she placed a hand on her husband's arm.
"He bequeathed to her one of his estates, along with a large sum of money and a choker, the latter I'm guessing for taste." Col. Tavington replied flatly.
Mary raised an eyebrow and bit the corner of her lip.
"Well no wonder she's behaving so strangely. Though it might come in handy, financially speaking, that she has these things. For now though, I really don't know what to say on the issue. I just hope that she doesn't continue to dwell on it so heavily."
"I didn't really expect you to have anything to say. The whole situation is a complete mess and it's not getting any better..."
"Never mind that." Mary stood up and put her hands on the colonel's shoulders. "For now, stay with me and get some rest. It was a long day yesterday and you've still got almost an hour before you really need to get up and do anything. Brielle has calmed down and is in her cradle, and I'm sure I can ask Brant to handle Braden for a while. He won't mind."
"I guess..." Col. Tavington let out a soft sigh. "But first, make sure."
"Very well..." Mary gave her husband a quick kiss and quickly headed out of the room to find Brant who was outside running around in front of the house with Braden on his shoulders.
"Are you quite tired yet?" She asked with an air of amusement. "It's still very dark; the fog hasn't even begun to lift and there's a chill in the air."
Brant chuckled.
"Indeed, my lady. I'll be sure to make sure he doesn't catch cold. He's got boundless amounts of energy though. Especially for such an early hour."
"Yes, he does. Braden will usually get up when his father does, if not a bit later and be wide awake. Yet at times, especially with visitors, his sleeping schedule can get thrown off."
Brant nodded understandingly; he himself was a natural early riser. Aidan on the other hand, would sleep in as long as he could get away with it or if his mind wasn't tantalizing him with eccentric ideas of how to advance himself in his work and other areas.
"At any rate, I was hoping you would watch my son; it will only be an hour at most. The master needs his rest and I was looking to get some as well."
"Of course I can, my lady. Consider it done." Brant smiled warmly.
Mary nodded and returned his smile with one of her own as she placed a hand on his forearm, saying a quick word of thanks before returning upstairs to the master bedchamber where she found her husband already in a light sleep on the bed. Climbing in next to him Mary felt a strong arm wrap firmly yet gently around her.
"You're supposed to be asleep." She laughed softly, turning to plant a tired yet playful kiss on Col. Tavington's lips.
"I was waiting for you." He whispered in her ear, trailing a tender line of kisses from her jaw and down her neck before placing a kiss upon her lips.
"How thoughtful of you..." Mary shifted slightly in his embrace, snuggling into his chest to breathe in his scent.
A slight smile graced his features as the colonel pulled her closer to him, feeling her relax against him until her breathing slowed and she was asleep. Only then did he allow himself to drift off as well.
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The day passed quickly into early evening and a tense air hung about Col. Tavington, for all that occupied his mind was supper and the fact that Leal would be joining them. And though he tried to keep himself in check, everyone could see that he was on edge about the whole situation. Mary, who normally wouldn't have objected to him helping out in the kitchen, all but ordered him outside for a ride, anything to cool off, as he kept cutting the vegetables with a particular aggression until they were past minced. Meanwhile, Aidan and Brant were bickering back and forth about who was to tidy the front room and who was to prepare the dining area.
"You only want to prepare the dining area because it isn't as much work, Aidan." Brant remarked pointedly. "That and you don't want to risk hurting your oh-so-tender feet on one of Braden's toy soldiers that he left lying all over the front room. You know, that's why you wear boots like you're supposed to anyway."
Aidan's eyes narrowed slightly before he retorted, "Oh, and I suppose your reasoning for preparing the dining area is different?"
Brant's face reddened slightly as he caustically remarked, "I tidy the front room every time we clean this place. You take everything that is always virtually untouched by guests simply because you're a lazy ass, while I'm constantly having to make sure everything else is spotless and then some. Even the grounds are mostly kept by Father and me, while you and Mother sit and whine at the nearly nonexistent amount of work that you have next to us. And it's no different with T-Style Props."
"Oh shut up!" Aidan snapped. "Just because you have to do a bit of work-"
"Hey guys, why don't you both shut up before Col. or Lady Tavington find you out here arguing and cursing..."
Both twins whirled around to face Jula who wore a bemused expression on her face.
"And I thought my sister and I were pathetic... How embarrassing."
Then, before either twin could say anything, Jula took out a coin and held it out to them.
"Heads, Brant prepares the dining area; tails, Aidan, you do."
Flipping the coin in the air, Jula caught it deftly and looked over at Aidan.
"Best start tidying that front room..." She said with a smirk.
Aidan's ears went bright red as he balled his hands into fists but said nothing. Instead, he gave a thoroughly amused Brant a murderous glare before stalking off to do his bit of work while his brother rolled his eyes at his retreating back.
"Sorry about that..." Brant muttered to Jula; then he wandered into the kitchen area to grab plates, silverware and glasses.
Fifteen minutes later, the guests arrived with Cristabel stepping in the door first, greeting her brother-in-law with a quick peck on the cheek before turning to Mary with a warm smile and careful embrace as she was holding Brielle.
"It's been a while." She said with a laugh. "I've barely gotten to see the newest edition..." Cristabel chuckled, her laughing gray eyes shimmering when she looked down at her newborn niece. "She's beautiful, just like you."
Mary smiled, laughing gently. "Thank you for the compliment, Cristabel."
All of a sudden, the tension caused by Col. Tavington's displeasure seemed to increase twofold when Leal stepped into the entryway. Even he didn't look at ease; still, he maintained a respectable air about him, greeting Mary with a bow as he took her hand in his and placed a soft but formal kiss upon her knuckles.
"Good evening, my lady..." His voice was quiet but not unsure before he turned to the colonel and gave a slight but acknowledging bow. "Sir... Good evening."
"Indeed..." Col. Tavington sniffed, looking at Leal through narrowed eyes, only returning his gesture with a near imperceptible nod.
Mary looked over at her husband from the corner of her eye; it was definitely going to be a stiff supper with the way he was acting and she would have liked to at least convey her irritation with his bristled manner in some vague way but chose not to just yet. Though from the look that Edward was giving the colonel as he walked in behind Cristabel and Leal, she might not have had to.
"Good evening, Mary." Edward's expression warmed as he greeted her with a quick kiss on the cheek before looking down at Brielle with a soft smile. "Such a little angel, she is." He remarked with a smile, gently stroking the top of Brielle's head. "Well, she looks it anyway. Though I'll wage she'll be a fiery one when she gets older." He finished with a mischievous grin. "Anyway, it's good to see you're looking better..."
Mary laughed and shook her head at her brother-in-law.
"Delivery is nowhere near flattering, Edward. Of course, I assume you would already know that, seeing as you delivered a number of babies before your niece."
"Indeed, I concur." Edward said with a smirk before he turned to his brother, inclining his head though the greeting wasn't as warm as that of the one he had just given his sister-in-law.
"Can you, for one evening, set aside the tight, asinine side of you and instead opt for a more tolerable end of your oh-so-charming personality?" He whispered so only his brother could hear. "It's not as if Leal is here to put the knife in any deeper than it already has been."
Col. Tavington rolled his eyes, scoffing in response before he turned to quickly introduce Jae, Jula, Aidan and Brant, who had just come out into the entryway after going through a final rundown to make sure everything was in its place while simultaneously watching Braden in case he decided to get into any trouble while his parents were occupied with their own share of work. Then they all stepped into the dining area to sit down at a table heavily laden with steaming food.
"It looks wonderful, Mary." Cristabel stated as she took her spot on the right side of the table next to her husband.
"Excellent work, my dear." Col. Tavington agreed as he took his seat at the head of the table after pulling out a chair for his wife to sit down on his right while Leal sat down on the opposite end of the table from him. However, before he could even begin to get food, there was a sound at the door and a moment later, Peter, the youngest of the four Tavington brothers, strode in with an impish grin on his face.
"Peto!" Braden shouted gleefully, dropping any polite mannerisms as he jumped down from his chair and ran to his uncle.
Peter laughed, giving his nephew a playful smile before scooping him up and spinning him around in the air.
"How is my little sprite of a nephew?" He asked, poking Braden in the stomach. "Been getting into trouble and keeping your father busy, have you?"
Braden giggled and poked his uncle back on the cheek.
"Silly boy..." Peter shook his head, still smiling before he put his nephew down and turned to his elder brother and addressed him.
"I was over at Thomas'. Apparently he and Charlotte are leaving for a couple of weeks; they were busy packing, but mentioned that you were entertaining a guest." He finished with a smirk.
Col. Tavington didn't bother restraining himself from rolling his eyes as he put his fork down with more force than necessary.
"Here to get a free meal, again, Peter?" His voice carried a slight drawl while Mary glared at him in ire even though she inwardly agreed with his annoyance. "What is it that you cannot cook for yourself?"
"Well I would, but you see Will, your beautiful wife does such a fine job at it that I can hardly pass up a meal."
"Very well, sit down." Col. Tavington said wearily; luckily, there was a spot at the table, right next to Aidan on the end of the left side, that hadn't been filled.
"Why, thank you, Will." Peter grinned mischievously. "You're so very kind."
The colonel only shrugged in response before gesturing for Jae to get up and get a plate, glass and silverware for his brother.
"Well, well, you must be Jae." Peter grinned as she set his place. "Yes, my brother has spoken much of you." He took her hand, placing a light kiss on it. "Charming…"
Jae returned his gesture with an awkward smile, inclining her head and then returned to her seat while Col. Tavington stifled another scoff before turning back to his previously interrupted task of getting something to eat. Still, the mood had lightened, at least temporarily with Peter's arrival and for that, nearly everyone was grateful, especially Leal, who would have declined the invitation to come in the first place if not for the fact that Edward had insisted, saying that his brother was simply in a huff and that it was his own issue. Yet, a cloud still continued to hang over the environment as the colonel ate his food with careful deliberation, chewing neither slowly nor quickly, but keeping a precise eating pace, his eyes nearly trained on Leal until Mary all but forced him to avert his gaze with an irritated glance and a tight squeeze on his thigh, digging her nails into him enough so that he flinched and glared back at her. Peter, spotting his brother's reaction, seized the moment to at attempt once more at lightening the mood, even if it wasn't in the most appropriate manner and would in fact earn him sarcastic remarks in return. To him, anything would do for all of the icy silence.
"Something going on under the table?" He asked with an impish grin.
Leal and Cristabel both went bright red while Edward nearly choked on a piece of meat before collecting himself in time to give the youngest of his brothers a nasty look while Col. Tavington turned dagger-like eyes on Peter as well, but before anything vulgar could come out of his own mouth, Mary cut in and said, "Nothing that wasn't inappropriate, and honestly Peter, we've a guest here!"
Peter averted his gaze, seemingly ashamed, but there was still a hint of a mischievous spark in his eyes. The corners of his mouth curled upward in what was meant to be an apologetic smile yet for all of his mirth, looked far from it.
"My apologies, Mary. It won't happen again."
"You'd best make sure it doesn't." Col. Tavington's voice was stiff while his ears had taken on a pink hue.
Peter snorted in response. "I gave my apologies, did I not?"
"Yes, well we all know how reliable you are when it comes to keeping them." The colonel replied, his voice still tight while his eyes narrowed at his younger brother.
Peter made to retort but then wisely chose to take a bite of food instead, murmuring to himself, "Stroppy git… making supper insufferable for all of us."
Luckily, Col. Tavington was too 'interested' in cutting his meat to hear his brother murmur anything, but Edward, who was sitting closer to Peter, heard. Still, even he had to agree, and couldn't help but hide a smirk behind his glass of wine.
"The meal is wonderful, my lady." Leal addressed Mary for the first time during supper, for he had quietly been having a conversation with Cristabel in an effort to avoid her brother-in-law's stifling gaze.
"Why, thank you, Leal." Mary smiled warmly while her husband only looked up with a somewhat blank stare. "I'm glad to see you're enjoying it."
"Indeed….. Well, perhaps we can move towards finishing things here and move on to other activities…" Col. Tavington spoke, making an effort not to sound quite as hostile as he had before.
Leal almost made to respond, the words "Thank god" hanging from the very tip of his tongue but quickly stopped himself and responded only with a look of relief that was directed at Peter, who smirked and said, "Yes, I believe that sounds like an ideal plan…"
Edward and Cristabel nodded their consent while Jae mouthed "Finally…" to her sister who was sitting across from her, between Peter and Brant.
"Papa, I want to go wide hoses!" Braden spoke suddenly, impatient with having to sit in the awkward supper setting.
"Braden!" The colonel whispered harshly to his son who in response, crossed his arms and made a face, mimicking the way his father looked at him when he was displeased with something he did.
Scowling at Braden's imitation, Col. Tavington shook his head and said, "Not with that type of behavior."
Braden began to wail in disappointment and the colonel moved to take him out of his seat and out of the room when Mary wrapped a hand firmly around his wrist, turned to Edward and said, "I'm sorry, but could you please calm him down and watch him for a short while? I need to speak with my husband."
"Certainly." Edward replied while Peter, noticing the firm look in her eyes, winced and then smiled impishly behind his brother's back as Mary gestured for Col. Tavington to follow her.
"A bottle of whiskey says she's going have at him… Did you even see the look on her face? Of course, he's been a nasty piece of work all evening." He whispered to Edward.
"Oh do be quiet, Peter!" The latter responded tightly.
Meanwhile, Mary had led a now irate colonel away from the dining area and into the back part of the kitchen.
"Mary, this is out of line!" Col. Tavington hissed at his wife, pulling sharply out of her grasp while his eyes glittered in anger. "What are you trying to get at, pulling me out here after simply telling Braden that he can't go for a ride after supper, and in front of guests, no less?!"
"And I suppose your behavior is any better?" She challenged, her emerald eyes narrowed and bright. "Braden was behaved nearly all through the meal. I cannot say the same about you. For you've managed to turn what could have been an otherwise relaxing meal into something as relaxed as a meeting with your men."
"Because certainly, I would be completely content with having a man who robbed the last sliver of wealth in the Tavington name. Yes, my dear that seems logical indeed!" Col. Tavington's voice began to rise with his temper.
"Did you not say yourself that he voted in favor of his parents' wishes? It wasn't Leal's decision, and you of all people would know the influences of the aristocracy."
The colonel snorted derisively, clenching his jaw and flaring his nostrils like an aggravated bull. Mary, on the other hand, restrained herself from rolling her eyes.
"William, he's simply eating a meal. It isn't as if he doesn't have respect for you or the family. That should be more than evident to you. After all, he's staying with your brother."
Col. Tavington didn't respond but continued to stare at Mary with a searing gaze and was met with her impatient glare.
"Oh stop it! You're being irrational!" She snapped before sighing in exasperation. "Perhaps you ought to take Braden on a ride as he asked. Yes, take him and the rest of the men in the house. At least your ability to turn a peaceful environment into one of discomfort won't be contained to a single area and the others can have room to breathe."
"Really, is that so?" The colonel growled, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.
Mary raised a brow, still looking at her husband with surly eyes.
"You're insufferable."
With that, she swept out of the kitchen, leaving Col. Tavington to brood and collect himself where he stood while she returned to the dining area.
Cristabel, who was just finishing the last of her meal, looked up from her food at Mary's bristled expression but said nothing.
"Something the matter?" Peter asked, trying nearly in vain to cover a smirk.
"No." Mary replied. "Not any more. Still, I believe the master will need a few moments to… collect himself."
"Certainly." Edward replied while Peter's smirk grew even larger.
"In the meantime, Jae and Jula, if you could assist me in cleaning things up as soon as Cristabel is finished, it would be much appreciated.
"Of course we will." Jula nodded in response but Jae stood suddenly, looking pallid and without asking permission to leave, swept out of the room to the nearest washroom and closed the door, grabbing a pail and vomited into it.
"Is she ill?" Edward asked Mary as he watched the path of Jae's immediate exit.
Mary bit her lip and replied, "She's probably just having digestion issues. She has a sensitive stomach."
Edward nodded sympathetically and Mary turned her back as a relieved expression crossed her features.
Well at least he took the excuse for now…
Nearly an hour later, Col. Tavington, Brant, Aidan, Leal, Edward and Peter were far along one of the horse trails on the property while Mary, Jae, Jula, and Cristabel sat in the front room and took some time to relax while Brielle lay in her mother's arms, cooing in contentment.
"She seems like a good baby." Jae said softly, allowing Brielle to wrap a tiny hand around her right index finger.
"Indeed she seems that way. At least for now. She's only a few days old, so we've yet to see." Mary replied, smiling down at her daughter.
"She looks like you." Cristabel commented
"She looks like me, but will she have my temperament, or her father's?" Mary replied with a wry smile.
Cristabel laughed softly, her grey eyes reflecting the candlelight that danced across them.
"Either way, she's sure to have a spark in her personality."
"I'm sure she'll be lovely, my lady."
Everyone turned to see Leal standing at the entrance to the front room with a tiny yet warm grin on his face.
"Thank you, Leal." Mary returned his gesture. "Though I thought you men would still be out on the trails."
"Well yes, the others are. But I decided to return early." Leal replied with a sheepish air.
Mary made to comment, thinking that the colonel had set out to make things difficult once more, but Leal cut in before anything could be said.
"Everyone was cordial. Even the colonel was reasonable." He replied with a smile. "I just felt a bit… odd. Out of place, so to speak. Though I would very much appreciate it if I could join the rest of you here for a while."
"Of course you may. Come and sit." Mary gestured to an empty spot on the settee next to Jae.
"Thank you, my lady."
Sitting down next to Jae, Leal was silent for a moment before he turned to her and spoke softly, "Are you fairing any better? At least you don't look quite as pale."
"I am better, actually, thank you."
"You're welcome. And I will say that you look far better than you did this morning."
Jae's expression became one of slight confusion before Leal elaborated, "You fell off of your horse and I brought you back here."
"That was you?" She asked, flushing in embarrassment.
"Yes; I was out for a morning ride and simply wandering on some of the trails when I saw you further ahead and decided to ride up to see who you might be. I guess I wasn't too clever in my method as I apparently gave you quite a scare. My apologies."
Jae made to respond but before anything could be said, the front door burst open and in walked a jacketless and cursing Peter, quickly followed by the colonel who wore a very smug expression and Edward, who was holding Braden and looking as if he was trying to separate himself from the situation at hand while the twins came in with hands over their mouths, sides heaving in silent laughter.
"Goddammit Will!" Peter cried. "That was my new jacket!"
"Peter!" Edward turned to his brother with a stern gaze. "There are children present."
"What happened?" Mary questioned, eager to get to the heart of what was going on rather than listen to the brothers cover every known insult to mankind before actually saying what had caused such a stir.
"Your dear husband knocked me off my horse and into a fresh pile of manure." Peter's voice was flat; his eyes narrowed while Aidan and Brant slunk off down the hall, still heaving in laughter while the colonel looked completely unfazed by his brother's ire.
"William…." Mary was still irritated from their earlier argument and even though it was probably in the usual dirty, underhanded sport of what the Tavington brothers called 'fun', it did nothing to improve Col. Tavington's standings with her.
Glancing at his wife's annoyed expression, the colonel turned his gaze back to his brother and commented, "You're spectacular, Peter. Truly spectacular. However, I believe you missed the part where you nearly ran me into a tree….twice."
At this, even Mary couldn't stifle a laugh. Still, she wasn't about to give her husband an edge. Not yet.
"I'm sure you deserved it, my dear." Her expression was smug and her emerald eyes glittered with mirth while any amount of superiority in Col. Tavington's expression had deflated to pricks of indignation.
Meanwhile, Braden has begun to wiggle around in his uncle's arms, so Edward put him down and he made his way over to his mother, climbing into the chair she was in and settled himself in the small space available before turning to watch his sister.
"At least one of the brothers here appears to be sane." Mary glanced over at Edward and then at Cristabel, who looked to be very much in agreement with her statement. "And they are most certainly not the third or fourth."
Both Peter and the colonel glared at Mary but her expression was cool as she rose from her chair and walked over to Edward with Cristabel. It was time for their guests to leave, yet with the situation at hand, they'd never get around to any form of good-bye unless something was initiated.
"Thank you for coming this evening." She spoke warmly. "My apologies for the awkward circumstances."
Edward smiled and shook his head.
"You're welcome, and it's quite all right. It wasn't your fault."
"Indeed, and supper was excellent." Cristabel added, taking her husband's offered arm.
"Thank you." Mary replied, inclining her head while Leal, who was still sitting next to Jae, turned to her and said, "Well, I should probably leave with them."
"Probably." Jae responded with an impish grin. "They are your hosts, after all."
Leal nodded and stood up.
"Well, I'm glad to see you're doing all right. Good night."
With that, he walked out of the room to thank Col. Tavington and his wife before he made his exit into the growing night with Cristabel, Edward and a very ruffled Peter.