“You have every right to be here. We’ll enjoy breakfast and have a good morning, and I’ll introduce you to my brother the way I should have been able to anyway.”
His lip curled into a smile, and I could see that he was on edge, but also, it seemed that he liked the idea. And really, I did want to introduce him.
Of anything I ever had to be ashamed of in my life, Keegan was most certainly not one of those things.
I sighed before taking the seat on the opposite side of the table from Mère.
“Good,” Mère said. “Then let’s eat and have a lovely morning. It’s a beautiful day. We should all enjoy it.”
The servants arrived with covered trays and unveiled our selections.
“Keegan, would you care for some pancakes?” Mère asked.
Keeg’s eyes widened with his smile. “Would I ever!”
I couldn’t help but ease up. As long as Lucas didn’t say anything to annoy or offend Keegan, everything would be just fine.
We all filled our plates. Mère asked Keegan questions about his life and family back in Fever Falls, and Keegan lit up as he told her all about them.
That was how family was supposed to feel about one another.
Proud.
Excited.
Not the way the eldest son of the Hawthornes was acting at all.
A booming voice echoed through the library, and I turned to see Lucas and Cassie escorted by the royal guard, who opened the French doors out onto the courtyard for them.
“Keegan!” Cassie called out, hurrying to us.
Keegan and I stood, and Cassie attacked him with a hug. “I’m so sorry for having you arrested!”
“It’s all good,” he said with a smile before she turned and hugged me. I spun her around until she squealed, which made Mère laugh.
“And now I have to be last,” Mère complained.
“You sat the farthest away!” Cassie said.
“Oh, don’t mind me for being greedy.”
As Cassie went to grant Mère the much-needed affection, Lucas marched toward us, his brow furrowed. When he reached me, he halted.
“Do we need to salute?” I asked.
“What?” He sounded surprised by my words.
“You just look like you’re in a very militant state today.”
“I’m in a serious state. I’m here to see my brother.”
“Yes. I would think that you could be a little relaxed, considering it’s a family get-together. Do you want to sit? Tea? Biscuits, maybe? Eggs? Pancakes?”
He relaxed. “Sorry, I’m a little stressed this morning.”
“Anything I need to be concerned about?”
“Politics as usual. I have a meeting with the prime minister later, and it’s keeping me on edge.”
