“Don’t worry,” he said perceptively. “They’ll love you.”
“You don’t know sisters,” she said darkly. “The lovely Lawrence sisters still haven’t forgiven the young lady who treated the second oldest brother badly.”
He patted her hand where it curled tightly around his arm. “Commendable loyalty, but the Raines family has a different dynamic since we didn’t grow up together in the same way the Lawrences did. We have fewer expectations of how people should behave.”
She prayed he was right.
Anthony wielded the heavy door knocker with vigor, and they were admitted almost immediately into a front hall decorated with greens and scarlet ribbons and rife with the tantalizing scents of roast meats and spice and holiday baking.
Diana inhaled with deep pleasure. The British in Bombay had Christmas feasts, but greens and the scents just didn’t have the same effect in blazing tropical heat.
The butler who opened the door smiled broadly. “Your Grace! The family had given up hope that you would arrive in time for Christmas.”
The door to a reception room on the right opened and a woman’s voice called, “Is Anthony here?”
Two couples emerged from the reception room, where Diana guessed they’d been sharing a pre-dinner drink. In the lead were two women, their husbands following. The tall lady was the one who had shared those intimate moments with Anthony as he was leaving the supper room at the ball. Ah, one of his sisters! No wonder they had seemed close.
At her elbow was a petite dark-haired woman. Both shared family coloring and a similar cast of features with Anthony. They paused, eyes widening at the sight of Diana.
Anthony set the cat carrier down and placed a warm, reassuring hand on the small of Diana’s back. “Julia, Athena, remember I told you I once offered for a young lady who turned me down? To my great delight, she has finally agreed to become my wife.”
After a stunned moment, the broader of the two military gentlemen said warmly, “Lady Diana Lawrence! Welcome to Hayden Hall.” So he would be Lord Masterson, her host. The blond man would be Major Randall, husband to Lady Julia.
Diana said shyly, “Lady Julia, Lady Masterson, I’m so pleased to meet you. Anthony has told me much about his wonderful sisters.”
The taller woman laughed and offered Diana her hand. “He exaggerates, which I’m grateful for. Please, call me Athena, and this is Julia. The pleasure is ours.”
Diana took the other woman’s hand with relief, giving thanks that Anthony’s sisters were willing to forgive her breaking their brother’s heart seven years earlier. They were as warm and accepting as he’d said they would be.
Lady Julia also offered her hand. “Any woman who can make my brother look so happy makes me happy as well!”
Anthony accepted congratulatory handshakes from his beaming brothers-in-law, and it was clear that the three men were great friends. She was so glad that Anthony had the family he deserved.
Then the air was shattered by a piercing feline cry of annoyance. “MROOOOOOOOOOWP!”
Diana jumped, guilty for having forgotten to release the Panda. “Sorry!”
Anthony bent hastily and unlatched the door of the carrier. The Panda stomped out, looking ill-used, though he began to preen when he realized that all eyes were on him. “My cat,” Diana said rather unnecessarily.
“There is a potential for trouble here,” Athena said, her brow furrowing.
As if by magic, a massive striped cat with tufted ears appeared, stalking toward the intruder. Diana bit her lip, knowing that the new cat must be Khan, and he didn’t appear to be as timid as the Spook. She prepared to move quickly in case she had to break up a cat fight.
The Panda straightened, his fur rising a little. Khan stopped a yard away and sized up the new arrival. Then he inclined his massive head politely, a gesture echoed by the Panda. Diana was reminded of Eastern fighters offering formal recognition of each other.
Luckily the salute wasn’t the prelude to a battle for dominance. Khan turned and sauntered off, his plumy tail waving elegantly behind him. Diana guessed that he was heading into the reception room, where there might be food. “What a splendid fellow, Athena! Anthony told me that you have one of the Famous Fabulous Fishing Cats of Sumatra, but I’ve never seen one before.”
Athena shot an incredulous glance at her brother before saying with a straight face, “Yes, they’re very rare. Khan is a particularly fine example of the breed. But come, join us for some mulled wine while your rooms are prepared. Then you can freshen up before we dine.”
Rooms, plural, Diana noticed with regret. It was only to be expected. There were months of cold weather ahead, so she and Anthony needed to marry as soon as possible!
Before her cup of hot spiced wine was finished, any unease she’d felt had dissipated. Everyone was making an effort to make her feel welcome, and she was finding connections between her family and Anthony’s.
Will admired Lord Lawrence’s leadership in the House of Lords, and he and Alex Randall both knew her military brother Arthur from serving together on the Peninsula. Lady Julia had worked with Lady Lawrence on a charity to benefit military widows and orphans. And both her new sisters wanted a private showing of her Indian imports when they returned to London.
Bemused, Diana realized that although she’d feared she wouldn’t belong when she returned to London, she’d been wrong. She was fitting seamlessly back into the life she’d been born to, and she liked the feeling.
Athena personally escorted her up to her room. “Since you’re traveling without a maid, I sent one up here earlier to start a fire and unpack your belongings. We dine in about an hour. A bell will ring five minutes before.”
