"And you're Jacqueline Gallowglass," replied Julian cheerfully. "With the impeccable taste in suits." She, like him, was still wearing her suit from earlier, as tea didn't require the formality they'd need for dinners at an event like this.
"You all know me," said Dr. Geoff, to Gallowglass's right. Around the table there was also Johanna Applewhite and someone Julian hadn't yet met, one Horton Groundstone, who was on Julian's left. Geoff introduced them all with perfect manners, even mentioning that Horton was attached to a Katherine Berkelshire, though not yet affianced.
"Which brings us back around to me," said Julian cheerfully. "You should all call me Julian, it's much less of a mouthful than any of the other options."
"I prefer Gallowglass," said that worthy, bowing her head to him in acknowledgement.
"Oh, you can all call me Dr. Geoff," he said, feigning casual though Julian could tell he was going to hold onto that doctor title with tooth and nail.
Lady Johanna giggled but didn't bother to offer them any alternative, and Groundstone said sheepishly, "My school chums always called me Stony, but I wasn't a fan."
"You've less names than me, anyway," said Julian soothingly. "Lord St. Albans-Benedict is terrible, and Viscount of the Charmer's Way is worse!"
They all laughed, some more politely than others, and Geoff shot him a little encouraging wink.
That line of conversation was thankfully interrupted by the tea arriving, a nice strong brew that he was sure Alex would approve of. Once they all had cups to fidget with, everyone seemed to relax a little, and it was the Lady Johanna who opened up the next conversational gambit.
"How do we all know dear Chudleigh, anyway?" she asked, glancing from one to another.
"Julian introduced us," said Geoff, answering the question that Julian was sure everyone really was asking. "At their solstice party the year before last. We hit it off right away."
"They really are the sweetest couple," said Julian fondly. "My now-husband and I chose to host at Solstice to avoid all the traveling around, so we made the nobility mingle with our plebe friends, and everyone for the most part did well."
"For the most part," said Geoff wryly, as the Benedict side of the equation had been a bit snobbish, but only briefly.
"No one was going to date Victor, anyway, he's boring and taken," said Julian with an amused little grin.
Applewhite giggled again, looking young and flighty but at least not judgmental the way Horton's mouth had gone tight. Victor was of equal rank to Julian and also his brother-in-law, however, so Julian felt perfectly safe teasing the man in absentia.
"Chudleigh played rugby with my Glenn in school," said Applewhite, sipping her tea with perfect propriety.
"I also played pickup rugby at uni," said Gallowglass, daring any of them to object.
"How about you, Groundstone?" said Applewhite.
"University friends, also. Some of the same pickup rugby games as Gallowglass here, in fact. She's got a mean shoulder." He looked all amused and indulgent in that condescending way some men got, which prickled at Julian's mood, but Julian refused to let it sour him.
"I'm far too fragile for such things," Julian said, though his frame now was much more sturdy than it looked after all his time working in gardens and learning to fight, not to mention all the magic. "I'll stick to my gardens."
"Oh, what do you grow?" asked Gallowglass, sounding actually interested.
"Magical ingredients, mostly," said Julian. "We do have an herb garden for the house, but veg and the like we get elsewhere."
"Useful over pretty," said Gallowglass, nodding. "I've got a poison garden, myself, just as a hobby, mind."
"Oh, a lot of the things I grow are poisonous, too," said Julian. "Not venomous like our now-absent snake friend," he added, gesturing to where the tank had been removed and replaced with a painting and a couple of decorative candelabra.
"What's the difference?" asked Groundstone, as if humouring a child.
Julian did not roll his eyes, but he did imagine a cat biting the man's calf for a moment before sending a No just in case. "If you bite it and you die, it's poisonous. If it bites you and you die, it's venomous."
"Oh, how gruesome!" said Applewhite, fluttering a little.
"My apologies, I'm not used to genteel sensibilities," said Julian, bowing his head.
He was saved once again by the servers, coming this time with their food, two full three-tiered trays of sweets and savouries, enough that he hoped to fill his ever-empty belly, especially if Applewhite ate like a proper lady. Corsets might be out of fashion, but the absurdity of slimness was still required of women of standing.
"Ladies first," said Julian, gesturing, which none of the men could rightly object to, so Gallowglass and Applewhite got their pick of the treats. There was plenty for everyone, however, so no one seemed to be denied a particular favourite, and silence descended awkwardly once everyone had full plates and, after another round of service, refilled cups.
