Chapter Text
Charles was allowed less than quarter of an hour alone before Raven knocked on the library door and entered without waiting for a summons.
“I thought I heard the motor,” she said. “How was London?”
Charles gave her a weary smile. “It was…London-ish,” he replied.
Raven smiled back – she knew well Charles’ opinions on the big city. “And your business? Did it go well?”
“About as well as anything that involves lawyers and accountants can be expected to go. Fear not, though, sister dear, they haven’t taken it all away from us yet. I can still keep you in the manner to which you are accustomed.”
The joke fell rather flat, however, as Charles had to fight to smother a yawn on the final words. Raven sighed at him. “You look tired,” she said.
“I am tired,” Charles told her. “Somehow London always makes me so, even though I wasn’t doing anything especially strenuous.”
“Well, you’re home now, and I think you should go to bed. It may be early still, but you look like you need some sleep.”
“I will,” Charles promised. “Soon. My head is still a little full of numbers and legal nonsense to allow me to sleep easily yet.”
“Very well. At least let me ring for some refreshment, though. I know you, Charles, and I suspect I wouldn’t like to know when the last time you ate was.”
She rang the bell before Charles could object, and upon reflection he realised that perhaps he didn’t want to. Raven’s words had brought his hunger to his attention, and he decided that something to eat might be welcome after all.
Raven, it seemed, had divined his train of thought, She gave him a rather triumphant look, and sat down in the chair on the other side of Charles’ desk, curling her feet under her in a way she would never be able to do in other circumstances.
“So, did you see anyone in London?” she asked, clearly determined to keep him company – probably to make sure he did in fact eat something, Charles thought ruefully. “Apart from lawyers and accountants, that is?”
Ah yes. Charles shifted uncomfortably in his own chair, aware that he had something to confess to his sister. Something that he knew wouldn’t please her.
“I did, as a matter of fact,” he began warily. “And I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
Raven’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as she looked at him. “What kind of bad news? Who exactly did you meet and what have you done?”
“I’ve, er, well, I’ve invited Alex Summers and Sean Cassidy to our party next month,” Charles said quickly.
“Oh, Charles.”
“They’re my friends,” he defended himself. “And they’re not bad sorts, really.”
“But they’re so…exuberant,” Raven said, sighing. “I trust you remember last Christmas?”
“They’ve matured since then,” Charles protested, perhaps not entirely truthfully. “I’m sure they’ll be on their best behaviour. And besides,” he added, “weren’t you saying just last week that you thought I was becoming too stuffy and boring? I certainly can’t be either of those things around Alex and Sean.”
“Yes, those are not words one could use to describe them,” Raven conceded. She sighed again. “Very well, I’ll tell Mrs Spriggs that we will be expecting two more guests that weekend.”
“Would you? Thank you, darling.” He’d never admit it, but Charles was a little scared of Mrs Spriggs, their rather formidable housekeeper, and never more so than when he was causing the kind of trouble that meant significant changes to her routine and plans. Which seemed to happen somewhat more often than either of them would like.
“I suppose it could have been worse,” Raven said. “I’m sure we can handle Alex Summers and Sean Cassidy.”
Charles cleared his throat, suddenly wishing he were anywhere but here. Raven instantly fixed him with a look rather reminiscent of Mrs Spriggs in one of her more exasperated moods.
“What is it?”
“Alex and Sean aren’t actually the bad news,” Charles admitted. He took a deep breath. “I also met Sebastian Shaw while I was in London…”
“Oh no…”
“…and invited him and his family to the party as well,” Charles finished in a rush. He contemplated the distance from his desk to the door, wondering if he could make a dash for it while Raven was still absorbing his words.
No such luck, of course.
“How could you, Charles?”
“I think he wants to get to know his neighbours better,” Charles tried. “He seems very eager to fit in.”
“Of course he is,” Raven said scathingly. “He knows he’s not one of us, but he desperately wants to be.”
“I didn’t think you were such a snob about these things,” Charles said, and then quailed under Raven’s renewed glare.
“I’m not, as you very well know. But you can’t possibly be telling me that you actually want him here, for nearly three whole days?”
“Well, perhaps not…”
“So why did you invite him?”
“I don’t know,” Charles said. “I really don’t know how it happened, Raven. One moment we were talking about our plans for the autumn, the next I’d apparently invited him to stay for the weekend.”
Raven shook her head despairingly. “I suppose there’s no chance you could rescind the invitation?” she said.
“Not without looking impossibly rude, no. And, as I said, he is our neighbour – it would be better if we were all on friendly terms.”
“Couldn’t we just invite him for dinner one evening during the party?” Raven asked. “Surely he doesn’t need to be here the whole time. He only lives three miles away, for heaven’s sake – it’s not as if it’s going to be much of a change of scenery for him.”
“He seemed to be rather looking forward to taking part in the traditional weekend house party,” Charles said. “One way of fitting in, I suppose.”
“There really is no way we can get out of this politely, is there?” Raven said, apparently finally resigning herself to their fate.
“No, I’m afraid not,” Charles replied. “I really am very sorry. It was not my intention to spoil our party, you must know that.”
Raven sighed. “I know. And I also know that you probably want to help him fit in. You’re too nice for your own good sometimes.”
“Thank you…I think.”
“I suppose by ‘family’, that means Mr Shaw’s wife, and his ward, Miss Salvadore,” Raven said. “I’ll have to tell Mrs Spriggs we’re expecting five extra people instead of only two.”
“Er, it’s six, actually.”
“I beg your pardon? Who else have you invited?”
“No one,” said Charles hastily. “That is to say, it won’t just be Mr and Mrs Shaw and Miss Salvadore in their group. They’ll also be bringing Shaw’s nephew, Mr Lehnsherr.”
“Mr Lehnsherr?” Raven’s eyebrows rose. “The Mr Lehnsherr? The Mr Lehnsherr that all the girls in the neighbourhood have been entertaining wild romantic fancies about ever since they learned of his existence?”
“The very one,” Charles replied, smiling. “Although I seem to recall you’ve entertained a few ‘wild fancies’ about him yourself.”
“It wouldn’t do not to join in,” said Raven dismissively. “And you can’t deny that the man is something of a mystery. If Mr Shaw won’t tell us anything about him, what else are we to do but fill in the details ourselves?”
“Just so long as Mr Lehnsherr doesn’t hear any of the details when he arrives,” Charles warned her. “It won’t do to frighten the poor man away before he’s even got to know us. He’ll think we’re a group of mad fantasists.”
“Of course not,” said Raven. “But I must admit that I am very much looking forward to meeting him. And I think you are too, Charles.”
“I’m sure he will be a very amiable guest,” said Charles blandly, although he knew he hadn’t fooled Raven. Then he smirked slightly at her. “So, does this mean I am forgiven for inviting the Shaws, since they will be bringing someone so interesting?”
Raven narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure,” she said. “Perhaps. I shall have to consider it some more.”
“But you will still speak to Mrs Spriggs…” Charles suggested hopefully.
“Yes, brother dear, I will speak to Mrs Spriggs. Although one of these days you will have to work up the courage to speak to her yourself about this kind of thing.”
“I will, I promise,” Charles said. Then, after a short hesitation, he added, “Just not quite yet.”
Raven laughed at him, and Charles smiled sheepishly. Still, privately he couldn’t help thinking he had carried all that off rather successfully. He had delivered his bad news, and had emerged relatively unscathed from the incident.
Now all he had to do was hope the party went as well.