Page 48 of The Earl's Secret
“Very well,” she said, her smile towards Gideon icy, and Devon was glad that her ire was not directed at him. “If that is what you would prefer.”
“Cassandra—”
“Since we are going to be out here in the country for a while, Gideon, I believe I would like to invite my friends to join us.”
Gideon’s eyes widened. “All of them?”
“Yes, all four. Just for a time. It will be a fun house party.”
“I am not sure—”
“We could make a few days of it,” Devon interjected with a smile, attempting to find a way to assist Cassandra without making it overly obvious – to her or to her brother. “Perhaps Ferrington and his brother would join. Whitehall is already nearby. He was at Embury’s house party.”
“Was he now?”
Devon nodded.
“I’m not sure that Mother would be pleased with the idea,” Gideon said, frowning. “She doesn’t feel the house is fit to host as of right now.”
Cassandra frowned crossly at him. “They have all been here before, at one time or another. Just never all at once. Besides, they all know of the treasure and can help the search. And do you not think it would be good for Mother to have people in the house again? She used to love hosting.”
“But that was before Father… and speaking of him—”
“All of our friends know of his circumstance. It might do him well to have more people around again, even if he is not entirely aware who they all are.”
Gideon sighed as he rubbed his forehead, but Devon could see that he seemed already resigned to what his sister was suggesting.
“Very well,” he said. “Invite them.”
“Truly?” Cassandra asked, her face alighting.
“Butyouare going to be the one to share the news with Mother.”
“I can handle Mother,” Cassandra said with a sly smile. “Besides, Gideon, did you not just tell me thatyouare the head of this household?”
Devon couldn’t help but grin at her cheek, and even Gideon had to laugh at her cleverness.
“Sometimes, Cassandra, I wonder what I am going to do with you.”
Fortunately, Devon had the answer for that. He just needed time to make it known.
CHAPTER19
Cassandra loved her brother. Truly she did. But sometimes, he was a bit of a pompous ass. She knew that he was just trying to do what he thought was best. It was about time, however, that he realized that she was a grown woman who could make her own choices; who, if trouble so often found her as he claimed, could find her way out of it by herself, thank you very much.
But she knew if she argued with him, it would only be proving his point, that he thought she needed the assistance. And so instead she decided she would simply do as she pleased – with or without his permission.
They sat around the breakfast table the next morning – Cassandra, Gideon, Devon, and her mother, as her father had not yet joined them.
“Mother,” Cassandra began. “I am going to invite a few friends out to visit.”
“So soon?” her mother asked with some dismay. “We only just opened up Castleton. I had been hoping to hire more servants, but Gideon wasn’t yet sure…”
“It’s fine. Hire a few more, if you’d like,” Gideon said, waving a fork in the air.
“Can we afford it?”
“A few maids, yes,” he said. “No more footmen than what we already have.”
