Too much coddling as a boy, perhaps.
Leslie sputtered a moment, while Tsukiko smirked at Alex, clearly amused by the gambit.
"Camellia is hardly my type," said Winston-Smythe after a moment. "You ended up with young Julian, he's much more to my tastes."
"I'm not sure you could handle him as he is now," said Alex, smile showing teeth now. "He's grown into his magic and his confidence both."
"I'd heard you dragged him into your magic thing," said Winston-Smythe condescendingly.
"He has an incredible natural talent," said Alex. "I simply gave him room to grow into who he wants to be."
"Well, that's hardly a consort's place," said Winston-Smythe, "so I suppose it's well for you that he canceled the whole Courtship in the end."
"Yes," said Alex, "it is." Then he took a deliberate bite of his food, chewed and swallowed, and said, "This venison is tender and delicious, don't you think?"
"All the food's been good tonight," said Gallowglass. "None of those tiny portions, either, especially for you."
"I haven't been able to finish all my courses," said Winterson, "but everything's been so good I wish I could."
"I asked the servant to bring bigger portions for myself and my husband," admitted Alex. "We're both using sensing magic constantly, so we're hungry all the time."
"I never judge a man for his hearty appetite!" said Quentin, "Nor a woman, either. A stout woman is a joy!"
Alex smiled at that, thinking that Quentin probably made a lot of women happy by staying available for a pick-me-up when they needed one. Winterson giggled and gave him sweet eyes, which he didn't seem to notice, as was probably for the best.
Gallowglass was also eyeing him up like rare meat, and Alex wouldn't like to see what happened if Winterson got in her way.
"All women are a joy to the right person," drawled Gallowglass, "and all men, in their own way."
Winterson sighed a little sadly at that. "I'm not a joy to anyone much," she said softly.
"You'll find your person," said Alex. "You've been a delightful dinner companion, anyway."
That started everyone talking about other dinners they'd been to, for some reason, and Alex took it as an excuse to stuff his face with tender venison, fluffy potatoes, and delicious rich gravy. He even ate his vegetables, which he'd grown to appreciate now that he had Alys in his life.
He had just cleared his plate when a servant came to take it away, another replacing it immediately with a small glass of digestif, bitter and bracing. Alex downed it, feeling like he'd need a little fortifying for whatever entertainment was to come.Especially if it was dancing, though none of the ladies were really dressed in what he thought of as the swirly dresses, the ones they liked best for dancing, so maybe that was tomorrow.
An actual dessert followed a few minutes later, steamed puddings with caramel sauce and custards, loaded with alcohol-soaked fruits and calories alike. Just what Alex and Julian needed, if not the rest of the party, and he dug in despite the aroma of rum that had not entirely cooked off.
"Looks like you got your wish," said Alex, turning to smile at Lady Winterson once his first bite was swallowed. "They're quite good, lighter than they look."
"Oh, well, maybe just a few bites," said Winterson, who'd been looking like she might not even try the sweet.
Alex rather wanted to bite whoever made her so self-conscious about enjoying the simpler things in life like pudding.
"Go on, you'll have plenty of time to work it off when there's dancing," said Tsukiko, having a dainty bite of her own sweet. "I suspect tomorrow, as none of us were warned by the maids to wear gowns."
"Is that how you'd find out?" asked Alex. "I'm just kind of wandering through blind, myself."
"Servants are an invaluable resource at a party like this," said Winston-Smythe, unlikeable as ever in his superior tone. "I suppose you wouldn't have brought a valet, but one can always ask the house staff."
"I'll keep that in mind for tomorrow," said Alex. "We don't have a valet, it's unnecessary for our lifestyle."
"Do you do your cravats with magic?" asked McGuinness, perking up.
Alex chuckled. "Afraid not. Julian does ours both, as I never got the hang of it. They weren't in fashion for boys when I was last anywhere near society."
"I suppose you were too young to be much of a force before you left us," said Winston-Smythe with a bitten-lemon look on his face.
