Page 27 of Avoiding the Merry Viscount
He rolled his eyes. “We just went out for a bit. And, no, I believe we shall be at your mercy for the duration of the events, sister.”
“Good,” she said. “And I expect you and the other men to each escort one of the ladies to the village today.”
“Of course,” he said, giving his sister a small nod. Realizing that the trip would create the perfect opportunity to learn more about Lydia. “Miss Cary, might I escort you today?”
She glanced at him as if she might decline his request, and his smile faded.
But then she cooly replied, “I would enjoy your company, my lord. Thank you.” Her tone was proper and gave no inclination at what she might be thinking.
Elias turned back to meet his sister’s gaze. “I will ensure the rest of the gents play the part of the dutiful escorts.”
“Thank you, brother,” Diana said. “I believe I shall ask Jude to be my escort.”
He narrowed his eyes on Diana. “You aren’t developing a tendre for him, are you, sister? He shall never marry. You’ve known him since you were a girl barely out of her leading strings.”
Diana huffed and rolled her eyes. “No, brother. I don’t harbor any feelings for Jude. He is merely entertaining company.”
“How entertaining?” Elias asked, glancing down the table as Jude grinned at something another guest had said, the dimples that earned him unrelenting attention from countless women on full display. He wouldn’t typically suspect one of his closest friends of dallying with his sister. But after Elias had pleasured an innocent in his family’s home last night, who knew what temptation might cause someone to do?
“Elias, you are being ridiculous,” Diana hissed. “Jude would never. Nor would I wish for him to.”
Elias drew a deep breath. “He can be quite scandalous, Diana. And one can’t be too cautious in matters of their sister’s honor.”
“I suppose you are the expert on scandalous behavior,” she said, her nostrils flaring.
He cast a sideways glance at Lydia, who sat with wide eyes, watching the siblings bicker with each other. Giggles from Jenny and Grace broke through the brief silence at the table.
“That’s enough. Both of you,” their father said, then turned toward Elias. “I trust Jude, Matt, and Hudson almost the same as I trust you, Elias, to keep your sisters safe.” He paused and turned his head to capture Diana’s gaze. “And Diana, don’t be unkind to your brother for caring about your well-being. I depend on him to do so.” His father glanced at Lydia for a moment—which Elias found curious—and then back to Diana. “Give your brother room to learn and find his way.”
Elias was irritated that Lydia witnessed their scolding, or perhaps it was embarrassment. His father announced to the lot of them that Elias needed to grow up, even if he hadn’t said those exact words.
He’d take the high road to salvage the situation. “You are right, Father,” Elias said. “My apologies, sister.” It was still hard for him to accept that the annoying little sister who used to beg to follow him around was old enough to take a husband and start a family of her own.
She nodded at him. “I also apologize, brother.”
The rest of breakfast passed by with more pleasant conversation.Jenny and Grace asked Diana to bring back a bit of red ribbon to wear in their hair on Christmas Eve, and they spoke of some treats they hoped Cook would prepare. Elias had no doubt that Diana would already have things well in hand and everyone’s favorites would be prepared for them. Just as his mother would have done.
He glanced at Lydia again. She had said little during the entire breakfast, but he supposed it was hard to get a word in with his family.
Diana encouraged the guests to pair off and line up to await the carriages. Matt attempted to accompany Hannah, but Hudson quickly stepped between them and stated that he would escort his sister. Hudson really could hold a grudge. They all knew the ill will between the men had nothing to do with Hannah since their falling out occurred while they were all at university, but Hudson didn’t appear to want his sister to be friends with Matt, either.
The first carriage arrived, and Elias handed Lydia up the steps and then entered to sit beside her. Then Hudson handed Hannah up to join them and they took their seats across from Elias and Lydia.
“Matt would do nothing untoward to Hannah,” Elias said, catching Hudson’s stare, which was more of an annoyed frown.
“Who knows what the bounder is capable of,” Hudson snarled.
Elias laughed. “This is Matt we are talking about. The most upstanding of us all. Just tell me what happened so we can put it to rest. I beg you, Hudson.”
“Please,” Hannah begged from beside him, a disdainful edge to her tone.
“Drop it,” Hudson ground out. “Get it through your thick skull that I shall never speak of it. Let’s not ruin our holiday over Wilton.”
Elias rolled his eyes. He could argue that it was Hudson who would ruin the merry mood, but when Hudson dug his heels in, he couldn’t be moved. Elias decided he’d never ask him about it again.
“Miss Cary,” Elias said, shifting his focus to Lydia, “is there something you are looking for while we are in the village?”
Of the questions he might have for the lady, that one was at the bottom of the list, but one of the few he could ask in front of Hudson and Hannah.
