CHAPTER11
SAGE
Sage madethe decision to skip breakfast.After witnessing the reaction to his answer the night before, he thought it best to give everyone time to get their gossip out of the way uninterrupted.
Wyndham would never be the one to speak about their firstgreen garmentencounter, or any of the times that came after, he was certain.But Torquil might.Stars above, Roger had even seen them once.It happened at the beginning of the previous Season, at a ball held by Lady Anthea’s family of all places.Sage could still recall the look on Roger’s face when he stumbled upon them in the garden beneath Wyndham’s fairy lights.Even more vivid was the memory of Wyndham pushing him away after.
How was it possible that not even a year had passed since then?
When Sage finally convinced himself that he could face the house, he dressed in dark blue trousers and a matching coat to accentuate the luster of his silken white waistcoat and the various shades of color swirled into the paisley pattern of his cravat.He would not allow another day of rain to prevent him from looking his best.
The sideboard was indeed empty of breakfast when he checked.Everything had been cleared away except for a single bowl mounded with oranges.Sage took one glance down at his waistcoat and left them for someone else.
He passed by the Ladies Fitzhugh taking a stroll in the main hall, their arms linked in a private promenade.Miss Thackeray’s spirited laughter spilled from the room with the piano.As such, it was his best guess that Mr.Thompson or Mx.Hillcrest—probably both—were with her as she played a melody Sage did not recognize.Upstairs, the door to the study was closed and several voices could be heard coming from within.He wanted to pause, or at least slow down to listen, but the memory of the air so soupy with magic from the day before was enough to keep him moving.More laughter coming from an open door finally made him stop walking.
It was another bedroom, furnished similarly to the one he had been using, though the colors were a few shades darker with more patterns on the walls and bed.There was a sitting area near the fireplace, only two chairs and a small table between them, but it was something Sage’s room lacked.He supposed the dressing table and ottoman had been more useful to him.
Torquil was in one of the chairs, turned sideways with one leg tucked under them and an arm draped across the back.Keelan was standing behind the other chair, bent at the waist and supporting his weight on one forearm.In his other hand was a large goose feather.As he waved it through the air rapidly from side to side, the occupant of the second chair attempted to catch it.
“I presume this is the creature Roger and Wyndham will not stop talking about,” Sage said as he took a step closer, tilting his head curiously.
“Her name is Peony,” Keelan told him without looking up.Another few flicks of the feather had the small animal rolling onto her back and swiping at the air with two paws instead of one.
“Have you ever met a cat before?”Torquil asked.
Sage’s brow furrowed.“I have seen them in the street before, yes.Chasing after rodents.Peering ominously from high places.I cannot imagine why anyone would want one in their home.”
“Look at her,” Keelan said incredulously.“She is adorable.”
Moments later, the cat claimed victory on her prey and pulled the feather from Keelan’s fingers.For some reason he could not explain, the three of them watched intently as she chewed on it a few times, holding it between her front paws and kicking at it with the rear ones.Keelan reached for the feather and yelped when Peony turned her teeth and claws on his hand instead.
“Adorable,” Sage echoed dryly.
“She’s only playing,” Keelan said, defending her even as he rubbed at the place she’d just attacked him.With a small chirping sound, Peony abandoned the feather and the chair and was trotting across the rug directly at Sage.She sniffed at his shoe and then threw herself against his shins, rubbing a streak of orange hair across both legs of his trousers.He stepped carefully out of her way before she could do it again.
Torquil chuckled.“She likes you.”
“Go on,” Keelan said cheerfully, “she wants you to pet her.”
Sage’s eyes went a little wide at both of them.“Pet her?”
“Stroke her fur with your hand,” Torquil explained, acting out the gesture in the air like he was some sort of…slowtop.
“She just bit you!”Sage complained, eyeing Keelan’s hand.
The man shrugged.“Not very hard.”
Sage let out a heavy sigh that ended in a groan.“Very well.”He leaned down and flattened his hand, reaching for the place on her back that seemed safest to touch.Before he got there, Peony bumped her head up into his palm and did all the work for him, rubbing against his hand all the way to her tail.She was surprisingly soft.Sage pet her one more time before he righted himself and brushed his hands together.
“There, now wasn’t that lovely?”Coming from anyone else, it would’ve sounded far more cutting, but he knew Keelan actually meant it.
“I suppose I’ll finally have an interesting story to tell at dinner this evening,” Sage told him.“Both of you be ready with your testimony.”
Torquil gave him a smirk.“As I said, there is nothing wrong with showing a little affection.Even if it is directed toward those you least expect.”
Peony was still busy covering him with as much of her hair as possible, from what he could tell.When she noticed him looking at her, she let out a cry.
“Perhaps not.Now she’s screaming.”
