A few emptyseats from them sat Lord Maxim Farlisle, his large frame tense anduneasy. Alexandra Torrence sat beside him conversing with heryounger brother, but her hand was tightly clutched in LordMaxim’s.
Sera exhaled inannoyance. AlexandraFarlislenow. It should be easy toremember the Torrence sisters’ new names. They would soon againshare the same one.
To the right ofLydia and with her arms crossed, Lady Violet Crafers scowled ather.
Sera lifted herchin. She didn’t care what Violet Crafers thought ofher.
The Duke ofMeacham appeared at Violet’s side, holding a steaming teacup as hesat beside her. Her scowl shifted from Sera to him as he spoke witha ridiculous level of cheeriness, her scowl deepening with everyword.
The Marquis ofDemartine conversed with the Earl of Ashburton, the younger lordgesticulating wildly with the piece of toast in his grasp. TheMarchioness sat with her eldest son, Viscount Raison, and hisfiancée—his sisters had seen fit to marry before him, though of thethree he was the one who had been affianced the longest.
The Marchionessspied her loitering awkwardly in the entrance and, smiling warmly,rose to greet her. “Ah, Lady Seraphina. We are delighted you arecome. It seems we are thin on the ground today, so it is well LordDemartine and I chose to break our fast here at Waithe Hall. Many,I believe, have chosen to take a tray in their rooms after theirlong journey.”
“I—”She couldn’t think of an adequate response. Her gaze whipped againaround the table. This was it? This was the sum total of theguests? This was supposed to be a crush. A true house party, withdozens upon dozens of guests. It was not to be family andfriends...and Sera, who was neither.
Panic suffusedher. She wanted to turn on her heel, to run, to call for hercarriage and leave. She couldn’t— This wasn’t—
Lady Demartine,it seemed, saw her panic. “Sit beside me, dear, and break yourfast,” she said gently.
Jerkily, she didso. A plate appeared before her and she stared at it. She had notlooked at him yet. But now, taking a breath and stealing herself,she did.
Stephen satfurther down the table, an empty seat on both sides. He looked thesame: tousled blond hair, clothes slightly out of fashion, aloof.He focussed on the plate before him, conversing with no one. And itseemed to her he was still so alone. Even here, in the midst of hisfamily.
A pain began inher chest, a dull throb.
Her gazedevoured him greedily. It wasn’t until now, until she saw himagain, that she realised how much she’d noticed the lack of him.The way she could sometimes get the corner of his mouth to kick up.The way that sardonic dark gaze would focus on her and her only,until she was aware of no other person around them. The way that,with him, she didn’t feel alone.
Next to her,Lady Demartine said, “Shall we skate today? It seemed the icethickened overnight.”
“Didyou check, then, Mama?” Viscount Raison teased.
“Hush, child.” The countess’s blue eyes turned to her. “LadySeraphina? Would you enjoy skating?”
“I—”Horribly, terribly, her mind went blank. “Yes?”
“Excellent. Well then, you and I shall skate. And if otherssee fit to join us, they are most welcome.”
“Mama, you fool no one,” Lady Alexandra said.
“Iam not attempting to fool anyone, Alexandra. I am merely stating myintention.”
“Andwe are all to attend skating or—”
“Youhush, too. You will give Lady Seraphina a terrible impression ofme.”
Alexandragrinned. “Why are you and Papa here, Mama? You have a perfectlygood estate not half an hour’s walk from here.”
“Weare here to support our daughters and their husbands, and topartake of the truly excellent food. Don’t tell Mrs Murdoch, but Ido so prefer the breakfasts at Waithe Hall.”
“Nottell your cook you dislike her food? What will you giveme?”
“Iwill not bat you upside the head, you ungrateful child,” LadyDemartine said cheerfully.
Alexandra merelygrinned.
Sera switchedher gaze between them. Was this what family breakfasts were like?This banter?
Turning her gazefrom Lady Demartine and her grinning daughter, Sera looked acrossthe table.
