His eyes went right to Chassie.
Chassie emitted a panicked peep.
Prue spoke.
“I asked Christian to join us for our Sunday roast!” she announced superfluously. She looked to me. “I hope there’ll be enough, Vivi.”
“Oh, there’ll be plenty,” I replied.
She clapped. “Brilliant!”
Battle stopped scowling at her, put on his host’s face and said to Christian, “Good to have you, mate. Would you like something to drink?”
Before Christian could answer, Prue took his hand, dragged him to Chassie’s sofa, and all but shoved him in it.
Chassie’s face flamed.
I nearly snorted.
Tempie whispered something in Hamish’s ear.
Battle looked to the ceiling.
“Cider would be good, if you’ve got it,” Christian ordered, his voice deep and pleasant.
When it filled the room, Chassie’s face flamed harder.
“They have everything!” I peeped.
Battle gave me my Cosmo and a cool it! look then headed back to the cabinet.
“Hey, I’m Vivi,” I introduced myself.
He got out of the sofa just enough to offer his hand, I took it and found he had a nice, firm grip. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Hamish,” Hamish said after Christian and I broke.
They did the shake thing and then both sat back down.
After that, no one said anything.
Fortunately, by the time Battle handed Prue her old fashioned and Christian a pint glass of cold cider, Tempie came up with a conversational gambit.
“How are your studies going?” she asked Christian.
“The Downs have one of the most flourishing organic gardens I’ve ever seen,” Christian stated after taking a sip.
At his remark, I worried Chassie’s flesh would melt right off her skull Raiders of the Lost Ark style.
“I’m comparing your results to six other gardens in the area. They all use chemical compounds,” Christian went on. “You use nothing but organic compost. And the results are startling.”
“All our Chastity’s idea, you know,” Tempie drawled, gesturing to Chastity with her martini glass.
Christian turned his head to look directly at Chassie.
Chastity popped to her feet and asked me, “Is it time to mash potatoes, Vivi?”
“I—”
