Cathy almost choked trying to stifle her laughter. So, they were ushered into the drawing room. Tristan had to adjust to the stark contrast between the polished grandeur of Baxter Hall and the lived-in atmosphere of Cathy’s humble home.
The room was elegant, a testament to Lady Marlow’s dominant personality. However, it also smelled of lavender blending with old books. There was also the faint scent of burnt cinnamon, giving it a homier feeling.
It took Portia a while to notice them. When she did, she stood up and gave a little curtsy.
“Good day. Watch out for the strip of rug closest to the hearth. It is a tripping hazard. My sisters can tell you based on experience. Napoleon is also somewhere nearby, possibly hiding in a cupboard, ready to pounce.”
“Napoleon?” asked Tristan with a grin.
He received a perfunctory nod as a response.
“What are you reading, Miss Portia?” he asked.
“Oh.” Portia looked pleased that the Duke noticed her book. “It is a book on the merits of stoicism.”
“She would talk all day long if you let her,” Cathy warned.
“Well, I am saving you from that,” Portia retorted, burying her nose in the page she was reading once more.
To complete the group of Quinten girls, Selina stepped forward. She smiled brightly, a smile so genuine that one would expect from the young, especially the baby sister of the family. She immediately approached Tristan and took his hand.
“Welcome to our home, Your Grace. Forgive the noise and conversation. We are happy that you have finally joined us for dinner,” she said softly. “Did you know that you have won the heart of someone who is always trying to run away from romance?”
Cathy’s face turned vividly red. “Selina, he did not win anything. Have you not been listening to the conversations among family?”
“Of course, I have,” Selina replied, tilting her chin up. “But I saw the two of you arrive, and how you look like next to each other.”
Tristan watched Cathy and saw the clear discomfort there. He felt protective toward her, but he also felt a twinge in his chest when she said that he had not won anything. It reminded him of what they were, as if he needed any more reminders.
“I am honored to be here, Miss Selina,” Tristan reassured his sister-in-law.
Cathy turned to him with wide eyes. Her lips were slightly parted.
“Let us head for the dining hall,” she managed to choke out.
The Duke and the Quinten girls walked together, chattering nonstop, but he was more focused on his wife. Her shoulders were stiff, indicating she had not yet relaxed.
“His Grace, the Duke of Baxter, and Her Grace, the Duchess,” the butler announced.
The baron and baroness quickly stood from their places at the table and gave polite bows. Tristan could not help but glance at his wife as if to say, “What was it that you were worried about?”
Everything seemed to be perfect until Selina shrieked, “Where is my ribbon? Did you take it again, Maddy?”
“I have told you time and time again that purple is not my color!”
“Girls! Do stop your squabbling at once, and sit down for dinner. We have a guest, so I need you to behave,” Lady Marlow said through a forced smile.
If the drawing room was chaotic, the dining hall was a battlefield where etiquette went to die. Tristan sat impeccably straight and still, as he was used to. Meanwhile, the rest of the family sat and ate in chaos. Portia had brought her book to the table, while Selina was sneakily feeding Napoleon under the table. Tristan’s eyes darted around the table in surprise, but he did not want to show it. He would be proving Cathy right.
“Portia, would you please pass me the salt?” Selina ordered impatiently, gripping her utensils.“I have been asking for some time now.”
“I am trying to read here, Selina! Use your own hands!”
Selina then stood from her chair and reached out as far as she could to get the salt. Cathy shook her head in disbelief and squeezed her eyes shut in dismay.
“Did you hear the latest gossip about the Stockton girl?” Madeline asked. “She was found near the brook with a mysterious gentleman, quite a distance from their house, and she was not with her maid.”
“Are you trying to find families with scandals that are worse than ours, Maddy?” Portia asked, her eyes not leaving her book even as she fed herself with one hand.