Something was in the air. Something that Patrick couldn’t put his finger on. But perhaps he grasped the general idea. He glanced at his little brother and Emmaline, laughing and talking as usual while enjoying the poached orange chicken that the cook had so expertly prepared. Nothing seemed to be different on the surface, but some lingering glances and affectionate smiles gave him some hints. He moved his eyes to look at Raoul and his parents, and from the deep frown on Raoul’s face, the awkward lilt on his father’s lips and the astonished look on his mother’s eyes, he knew they had caught in the atmosphere as well.

He decided to relieve them of the torture and asked the hard question. Clearing his throat for attention, he began, “So, I haven’t seen much of you two for much of the best part of the morning.”

That seemed to stop the two of them midway of stuffing chicken into their mouths.

Patrick lifted an inquiring eyebrow, a half smile formed on his lips.

“What best? It has been raining.” Henry pretended to act cool, but the way he quickly shot Patrick a warning spoke volumes. Patrick was beside himself with glee.

“I spot the two of you walking from the direction of the old hangar. Did you find the rain a little hard to bear to walk back to the house?” he casually mentioned. Everyone on the dining table stopped eating at once. He could hear his mother’s sharp intake of breath.

“Henry Elijah Fenton!” Aurelia’s clear voice rang firm, “Did you just bring a proper young lady into your father’s old hangar?!” And as she finally remembered the presence of servants, she nudged Lord Alistair Fenton, who looked as if he had rather been anything but the dining table and said, “We need to talk to the children. I told you to dismantle that hangar ages ago, Alistair, but you never listen!”

“I hardly think they’re children anymore, my dear.” Alistair offered rather cautiously, “They’re young adults perfectly capable of deciding for themselves.”

“Har har har. And foolishly, too.” Aurelia added dryly, giving a menacing glance at Henry and Emmaline who quickly ducked their heads and busied themselves with the next course in their meals.

Patrick gave his younger brother and Emmaline one last amused glance before he turned to talk to Raoul, but stopped dead in his track when he spotted the darkening look in Raoul’s face. And from a quick check on Henry, he knew the younger man picked it up as well.

“Is everything al—“

Suddenly on his feet, Raoul gave the two an unreadable glare before proceeding to excuse himself and walk away. Oh no, Patrick didn’t foresee this one. Emmaline looked like she gave Henry a little kick under the table, judging from the grimace he wore, but that spurred him into action. The two of them quickly excused themselves from the table and scrambled up to the direction of Raoul’s departure.

That left him with his shocked parents. He suspected he knew about Raoul’s behaviour just then. That was alright. He had all evening.

Clearing his throat, he neatly arranged his napkin on the table and asked, “Mother, Father, would you like to retire to the drawing room now?”

He could explain about Henry and Emmaline if they would explain about Raoul.

End