We were interrupted by the arrival of the rest of our party. Davina cradled her new nephew to her chest, bickering with Rosehill as they walked. “It was a little game of hazard. It wasn’t my fault they were cheating.”
“You didn’t need to involve yourself,” he protested.
Tom trailed behind them, wearing a bemused expression.
Davina, at last, turned her attention to the table. “Oh!” Her mouth formed a perfect O shape at the sight of the woman who was technically her niece. “Oh,” she repeated, more sedately, her voice thick.
“Oh,” Sorcha mocked.
Far from offended, Davina handed the babe off to her brother before making her way to the woman’s side. “Sorry, that was rude. It’s just— Well, I— Thank you. Just, thank you.” She caught the woman’s hand and squeezed enthusiastically.
Miss McAllen looked at the offending touch with a hint of disdain. “For what? Launching a bairn? Or being yer brother’s by-blow?”
Davina laughed, taking no offense to the tone or content of the words. “Both? Is both all right?”
“Neither is all right. I dinnae have a say in the second and I can assure ye, ye were not top of mind with the first.”
“Oh, you must vex Xander beyond belief. Well done! It is my favorite pastime.”
Rosehill sighed and settled in at the table with Tom at his side. The babe was still cradled in his arms. I took the third seat on their side, leaving Davina and Miss McAllen for the opposite. The same Miss McAllen who was staring at Davina as if she were a novelty. It likely wasn’t the reaction she was used to with such a speech.
“Davina, do not encourage her,” Xander said.
“I suppose no introductions are needed then?” Tom added.
“I think we’re all clear,” Sorcha muttered as a plump housekeeper arrived with soup. A white soup, it was creamy with the right bite of onion to balance the sweetness of the wine.
I was relieved to be seated diagonally from Davina. I doubted I could have hidden my feelings if I had nowhere else to cast my gaze. As it was, I struggled to keep my gaze on my food.
Rosehill managed to sip the soup with the babe seated comfortably on his lap beside me. The boy gnawed on his own hand, happily drooling on it.
“Mr. Summers, it seems I owe you an apology.”
“Unnecessary, Your Grace.”
“Xander, please. I’m just Xander here. And I do need to apologize. I knew, of course, that Davina was behind this fiasco as usual. But my worry for her clouded my judgment. I know better than most how impossible it is to get her to see reason when she’s made a decision.”
“I’m right here,” Davina grumbled into her soup.
“Yes, and you know as well as everyone else how foolish your choices were.”
“I was trying to help.”
“It was no trouble,” I interjected lest this supper turn into a bickering match.
“That might be the least believable lie ever told,” Tom added over Miss McAllen’s derisive snort.
“I’m happy to help in any way I can.”
“Did you happen to have any suggestions about how to manage the legality of the situation?” Rosehill asked.
“Well, Your Grace, I had one notion, but it’s not precisely— Well, it’s quite a blatant fraud.”
“Xander,” he insisted again. “And go on.”
I wanted the distance of his title, but I couldn’t press on. Not without being considered rude. “How many people are aware of the situation?”
“The staff, the father. It’s been kept relatively quiet.”
