Page 30 of An Honorable Arrangement
"Monty, you are looking well," Mother said and smiled.
He kissed his mother's cheek. "You are as beautiful as always, Mother. Father." He shook his father's hand.
"I thought you were to arrive here before Michaelmas, Monty." Father's shoulders pulled back, and he inspected Sarah.
"We were delayed," Monty continued. "Miss Sarah Sommers and Mrs. Pratt, Lord and Lady Thornbury, my esteemed parents."
Sarah and Mary curtsied.
"Another errand for your uncle," Father said without acknowledging the introduction.
Mother examined Sarah. "Miss Sommers, you are to be my brother's ward, are you not?"
"Yes, my lady. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Looking from Sarah to Monty, his mother raised her eyebrows.
Monty tried not to react, but his cheeks heated under his mother's scrutiny. "Shall we go inside together?"
His mother gave him another look and shook her head. "I might freeze to death before someone decided to carry on."
Father looked at Mother but clearly didn't know why she studied them so closely. On the other hand, Mother had a way of reading Monty's mind that was very inconvenient. They preceded Monty and the ladies up the rest of the steps, and the doors opened before they arrived.
Lord and Lady Stapleton stood sedately in the foyer. His lordship stepped forward and kissed Mother's cheek. "Melinda, it is wonderful to see you. It was too cold for standing on the steps. Forgive me for the delayed welcome."
Standing back from the siblings’ greeting, Monty hated it when Sarah pulled her arm away from his and took a step to the side.
His aunt and uncle finished their greetings to his parents and turned to them.
Aunt Constance came forward, her serene smile in place and her expression kind. "You must be Miss Sommers." She took Sarah's hands. "We have been looking forward to your arrival and were disappointed when we received Monty's note about your delay. Are you well?"
"Thank you, my lady. I am quite well." Sarah hesitated. "I'm sorry for the delay. It was entirely my fault, and Mr. Witman was very kind to indulge me."
Uncle John shook Monty's hand. "Thank you for delivering her safely, my boy. How is the new carriage?"
"Very good, Uncle. We had a smooth ride. May I present Mrs. Mary Pratt? She is Miss Sommer's companion and chaperon."
Once the formalities were complete and his parents retired to their rooms, Uncle John said, "Miss Sommers, we've had one of the family rooms made up for you. I'm sure you'll wish to settle in, but when you're rested, her ladyship and I would be pleased to have a chat."
Sarah curtsied. "Of course, my lord." She followed a maid up the steps and never looked back.
Mrs. Pratt was close on her heels.
His parents’ early arrival made things more complicated but changed nothing. "Uncle John, Aunt Constance, may I have a few moments of your time?"
John Barrow was a head shorter than Monty, but even with his slim, aging physique and shorter stature, those steely eyes never wavered when he thought something was amiss. "Is there a problem, Monty?"
"No. At least, I hope not." Monty held his breath.
"We had better go to the office." Aunt Constance used her full voice, which broached no arguments.
He followed them inside the large masculine office, which was filled with books, and struck Monty as a library rather than an office.
They sat on the two red velvet overstuffed chairs like king and queen and studied him.
"You may sit, Monty." Aunt Constance held out a hand to indicate the blue chair to their left.
He went to it but couldn't sit.
