“I don’t mind,” Emrys said with a grin.“I’m quite proud of how satisfied I’ve been able to keep Torquil.Do you know that?—”
“Enough!”Wyndham said.“Yes, Cyril, we will supply blankets for the party tomorrow.I have no desire to see my clothes ruined either.”He glared at his brother and reached for his wine, taking a long pull.
“I’m sure you all must be exhausted from your walk,” Roger said.“Perhaps we ought to skip the riddles for tonight.”
Harriet gave a hearty laugh.“You won’t get out of it that easily.I have my next one ready to go.And it’s even more scandalous than the last one.”
Roger moaned uneasily.“Must you?”
But when they all settled into the sitting room once again, Roger made no further arguments, although he did pull Wyndham to sit beside him.Conrad waited for Sage to take a seat in his usual spot near the hearth and then promptly sat down on the floor in front of him.Sage tsked and passed him a pillow.Conrad grinned and moved to sit on top of it, which allowed him enough height to lean his arm across Sage’s thighs.He took a sip of the wine he had brought in from dinner as everyone waited with anticipation for Harriet to find her next riddle.
“This is still under the bit about delicate sensibilities,” she warned them— with a particular look at Roger—and then she cleared her throat.
“All matters continental and Gallic I respect,
Be they culinary, sartorial, or aesthetic.
But epistoles and missives I appreciate the most,
Although of pressing news this type is unlikely to boast.”
Keelan made an annoyed sound.“They really must work on their rhyming.‘Respect’ and ‘aesthetic’ is a bit of a stretch.”
Harriet lifted her chin.“I defy you to think of a better rhyme.”
“Especially with aesthetic,” Fern muttered.
Conrad took a sip of his wine and looked up at Sage.“Any ideas?”
Sage leaned forward, plucked the wine glass out of Conrad’s hand, and took a sip.“Gallic…” he murmured.“That’s to do with France, isn’t it?”
“You would know better than I would, with your fancy education,” Conrad replied with a smirk.
The rest of the group was shouting out answers while Harriet shook her head, getting more and more pleased by the moment.
Conrad took the glass back to sip some more wine.“So let’s assume it’s France, or French,” he said quietly.“I find these things often have a little more information than necessary, just to confuse people.The next bit has to do with epistles and missives.”He handed the glass back to Sage.“Notes?Post?Letters?”He broke off and met Sage’s gaze.Without another word, they both burst into laughter.
The rest of the room quieted and everyone turned to look at them expectantly.
“I take it you two have a guess?”Harriet said, looking giddy.
Conrad glanced at Sage.Sage gave a small smile as he looked down at the glass and swirled the remaining wine idly.“You say it this time.”
Conrad turned back to the group.“French letters.”
Emrys choked out a laugh.
“Really, Harriet,” Roger said, his face red.“You are incorrigible.”
“You’re lucky your mother doesn’t know about this book,” Lady Anthea said.
“I think those two have an advantage in answers such as that,” Lady Imogen added, waggling a finger in Conrad and Sage’s direction.
Fern chuckled.“Oh, I don’t know.You both knew what they were referring to.”
Cyril laughed.“Mm.What wouldyourmother think about that, Anthea?”
“Let’s do another!”Harriet said, hopping in her seat.
“Let’s do another on a different night,” Wyndham said firmly.“I’m sure you’re all quite tired from your walk.I knowweare all quite tired from our work.And we shall all be in the sun tomorrow.Better to get our rest.”
Conrad didn’t move from his seat on the cushion.He grinned up at Sage, who was still looking at the wine as he swirled it, as if mesmerized.“I knew we’d make a good pair.”
Sage hummed.“Yes, geniuses at salacious riddles.”He tipped the glass towards Conrad.“Do you want the last of it?”
Conrad smiled, not bothering to point out that it had been his wine.“You can have it.”He watched as Sage drained the glass and then stood and held out his hand.“Come on.Let’s go upstairs.”
