Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

" I 'm seriously regretting agreeing to this," Ellen said as they stood outside the Duke and Duchess of Raven's residence.

"We could just leave and get pies, and no one would know," Harriet said, her American accent stronger when she was nervous.

"I like that idea, my love," Alex said, kissing her cheek.

"We are about to enter the Duke of Raven's residence, my sweet," Gray said to Ellen. "Sinclairs and Ravens are not what you would call normal or conformists. If we were to step a toe back into society, I could think of no better household. And if anyone upsets you, I will deal with them."

"And me," Leo and Alex said at the same time.

"If they don't annihilate the individual, I shall deal with what is left of them," Uncle Bram said.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Leo asked. His necktie felt too tight.

Ellen leaned into Gray when he wrapped an arm around her waist, comforting her.

Leo had told himself for years he did not want to be part of a couple, and he almost believed it most of the time. But when he was constantly faced with the love this family had found, it was not easy to stand true to his belief. Plus, there was the loneliness, and also, lately there was Hyacinth.

He was lying to himself if he didn't acknowledge that. In some part, coming here was because he wanted to see her again. She intrigued him, and he was also worried about her. Something was not right, and perhaps tonight he could put his questions to her if he got her alone.

"I made it. All is well!"

They turned to look at Ram, who was hurrying toward them with his coattails flapping.

"Lord, the traffic, but you can all relax. I am here to help you navigate your first foray back into society." He punched Theo gently in the arm. "I say, young man, look at you all grown up."

Theo smiled, happy with the compliment.

"Now, you will all listen to me," Uncle Bram said. "We are the equal of any who we meet tonight, and I will not have you thinking otherwise," he said, making eye contact with every one of them.

"Except Gray. We all know we're far better than him," Ram said to his cousin, who rolled his eyes.

"Chins raised and take no insults from anyone. However, it is my belief there will be none of that. The mix of guests will be eclectic, as the duke's family are wed to those who do not walk in society, and they will all be present."

"Yes, Gray is right there. The Sinclair and Raven families are almost as odd as us," Alex added.

"Exactly. Thank you all for coming when I know this is hard for you, but it is time," Uncle Bram added. "I am extremely proud of every one of you."

"Then let's get it done," Leo said. He then fell in behind his aunt and uncle with Theo. This was his little brother's first foray into society, and he would make sure the experience was a good one, even if the thought of what they were about to do was making him want to relieve his stomach of its contents.

The Raven town house was as you would expect from one of the most powerful noblemen in society. Grand on every scale and yet also a welcoming place, Leo thought as he stepped inside.

Uniformed staff lined the walls. Light from lamps showed off huge vases of colorful flowers and gilt-framed pictures. They passed elegant furniture as the Nightingale family joined the line of guests waiting to greet their hosts.

Leo intercepted a few looks from those around them but ignored them. He had a title and was the equal of most that would attend tonight.

"I've never seen anything like the inside of this house, Leo," Theo whispered.

"The house we grew up in was grand like this, do you not remember?"

"Perhaps I did not appreciate it then, as usually all I wanted to do was slide down the banisters when no one was looking," Theo said.

"If you care to glance slightly to the right between those shoulders before you, brother, you will see someone you know," Alex whispered in Leo's ear.

Leo obliged and saw the back of a woman's head. She turned to smile at something the person beside her said, and the breath lodged in his throat. Hyacinth was here.

"I see that you have located who I mean." He could hear the smirk in Alex's voice.

"Who are you trying to locate?" Theo asked.

"An old friend" was all Leo said as they moved forward. But he kept his eyes on her as Theo chatted beside him about everything he saw .

Hyacinth's hair was pinned in place with tiny sparkling emeralds. She wore blue, and he could see the length of her pale neck above the line of her dress.

"I want you to speak with her this evening, Leo."

"What?" He shot Ellen a look. As usual, she was stunning in oyster silk, and the large proprietorial man at her side would ensure that she received only compliments this evening, even if there were those who remembered exactly why the Nightingales had been tossed out of society.

"Hyacinth. I fear she is lonely, Leo, and needs friends. We were once that before we treated her shabbily."

"Ellen, we had problems of our own to deal with," Leo said. "Our intention was never to hurt her."

"Even so, I'm sure Hyacinth is lonely," his sister hissed in his ear.

"There was no way you could tell that from a few conversations when we touched on nothing personal." Leo did not like to think of Hyacinth as lonely. It made his chest burn.

"It was her eyes. I could tell, looking at them, and the other thing."

"What other thing?" He shot Ellen a look.

"The vision I had of her weeping over a coffin with her two children huddled at her side."

"And the visit I had from her late husband." Alex was looking at him over Ellen's and Gray's shoulders now.

"We are in a receiving line about to enter a society gathering, which we have not done in years. Is now the time for this discussion?" Gray asked.

"Yes, listen to the man who is making sense." Leo glared at his siblings.

"Don't use that stuffy tone with me," Ellen said. "We are just concerned about Hyacinth and explaining why to you so it sinks into your thick head."

"I do not have a thick head. "

"The thickest," Alex added. "But back to Hyacinth. If I get the chance this evening, I will have a quiet word with her about what her late husband is showing me. If she is receptive, of course."

He tried very hard never to lose control. It was something he'd worked on since leaving society. Staying calm in all situations. Some said he was too controlled, but Leo liked it that way. His siblings, however, and clearly any mention of Hyacinth, could test that.

"You will not do so here, Alex," Leo gritted out. "People will already be judging us. If they hear you talking, we'll be run out of London again!"

"That will do," Gray said. "I realize you are all nervous, as am I about reentering society, but perhaps we could save the verbal jousting match for another less public setting?"

"We are simply talking, husband, and there is no harm in that," Ellen said.

"About Hyacinth needing friends," Alex added, simply to annoy Leo. He ignored them.

The problem was, he agreed. He felt she was lonely too, plus there was that worry he had that something wasn't right with her.

"Good Lord!"

Leo looked to where the voice had come from and found they had reached the front of the receiving line, and the Duke of Raven was looking at them with delight on his face.

"Well now, this is wonderful," the beautiful woman at his side said. The Duchess of Raven was her usual stunning self, and beside her duke, they were a regal couple.

"You got them here, Bram." The duke shook Uncle Bram's hand. "Well done."

"They knew it was a worthy cause, Duke."

"Excellent. Well, go on in. The others in our family will be pleased to see you here," the duchess said .

They entered the huge ballroom full of light and color. The noise from music and guests chatting hit them on all sides. Leo stood for a second, adjusting. He then exhaled slowly when he felt the large hand of his uncle settle on his shoulder.

"We are here, all together, Leo."

He nodded, schooled his features into a blank expression, and entered. His eyes moved, taking in the people he had not seen in many years and searching for Hyacinth. Leo could not see her and told himself to stop looking.

They moved into the room and among the guests. He heard the gasps of surprise and whispers from some. People greeted them, and some even seemed genuinely pleased to see them.

"It's like walking down Crabbett Close with every local's face pressed to the window watching," Gray muttered from behind him.

It was an apt description, Leo thought. Except the Crabbett Close locals liked the Nightingales. It was fair to say some people in the duke's ballroom did not.