The butler comes into the room, saving me further.“Dinner is ready.”
“At least we don’t have to worry about the social hierarchy of who goes in first.With just the two of us,” I say as I take Leo’s extended arm.
Leo snorts.“You are clearly the better of us.You should go in first with me trailing sadly behind.Far behind.You will be on the dessert course before I even arrive.”
“That seems excessive.Let’s call it a draw and walk in together.”
“How egalitarian of us.”
“Must be the first time you’ve tried equality on.”
“I shall choose discretion at this juncture.”
Phew.No more talking about what happens to his family home, even though I think he has deduced why I want to avoid the subject.He’s too sharp.Must be all those expensive schools he went to.If only they taught him how to make money.
We walk through the ceremonial procession-way connecting the two rooms, and into the dining room, with wood paneling making the room darker than the light, airy pastels of the drawing room.And more intimate.An ironic word since the table in the middle of the room is giant.Like it could hold thirty people, easily.And it’s got silver centerpieces and flowers decorating it like all those people are coming tonight.
In reality, it’ll hold only two.The head of the table is set for dinner, as well as the place to its right.At least we aren’t going to sit across from each other, a mile apart, yelling about how good the food is for the rest of the night.
Leo approaches the head setting.I think he’s going to sit down, since he is the Lord of this Manor and all.But he doesn’t.
Instead, he pulls the giant wooden chair away from the table and looks at me expectantly.
I raise an eyebrow.“I get to be at the head?”I sit down before he can change his mind and banish me to wherever the commoners eat.
“I told you; you are better than me.”His smile is more genuine than his charming one.Wider.More teeth and more crinkling around his eyes.A little less performance and a lot more real.
“I’ll take your word on that.”I sit down and Leo takes the seat next to me while the footman comes in and serves the first course, a soup.
“I am looking forward to taking you around London tomorrow.All the sites you spoke about wanting to see, plus a little surprise in the evening I think you will enjoy.”
I sigh, putting my spoon back down.“But I have to face reality sometime.And figure out what I’m going to do when…if…” I stumble over the words, then clear my throat and try again.“IfI can’t get back.”
“Yes.You are very responsible.But you’ve had a shock, and I think you should not think about it, at least for the day.With me.In London.The problems will still be there the day after.”
“All right.It will get us seen, at least.Which you still need.”I level a look at him.“And it’ll only be fair since I dragged you away from London in the height of the season for this.”For nothing, it turns out.
“If that is what it takes, I heartily agree that I am owed a day with you.”
“Good.”I cheers him and take a sip to seal the deal.
“Is there anything inyour home”—he looks around furtively, clearly not used to the cloak and dagger bit—“that you will not miss?”
“Something I won’t miss?”
“I do not wish to make you sad remembering all the things you are potentially giving up, but maybe you will be happy to leave something behind.”He takes a deep breath and the smile falters.“For example, if I was in in your position, I would be happy to leave my debt and start anew.I would probably still end up in the same mess, but I want to know who I would be without all of this.The expectation, the title, the inherited debt.Just me.”
Oh, Leo.The man I’ve gotten to know would figure it out.The way he’s been rescuing me, taking care of me, and making me happy.He would be fine.“I think you’d be able to make it.”
He inclines his head in thanks.“But that is a dream.Here, I am responsible for all of this.For everyone.”He encompasses the room and the footman bringing the fish course.“And I will not disappoint them.”
“Responsible, yes.And you had great opportunities.But you also inherited a mess.I appreciate a good education, especially in classics, but maybe they should have given you some business courses.And everyone in your class thinks that working is evil.Something to look down on and it would make you less of an aristocrat.That’s a lot to go against, especially when you’re young.”I can’t believe I’m trying to make an aristocrat feel better about his life.This time travel must have scrambled my brain.Or Leo—I thinkhehas scrambled my brain.“What could you have done with all that?”
“I should have watched the ones everyone was making light of.The people who were investing, the barons in trade.Anyone in trade.”I wince and he backpedals.“Never the East India Company, though.”
“Yeah.But you’ll get through this.”Maybe.I don’t know, and that lack of knowledge is killing me, even though initially I thought it was refreshing.
Leo shakes off his melancholy, smile back on his face.I wish it were that easy for me.Unless he’s just shoving it all down and one day he’ll explode.Not ideal.“No more stalling.What will you miss the least?”
