They all sat around the large dining table. Nathaniel took the seat at the head of the table, the one ant for the lord of the estate. To his left sat Rowan, Rafal, Rina, and finally Erin, while on his right were Arthur, Imbert, and Lucian.
"Oh, I was starving," Rina said, eyeing the delicious al being served. "Thank you for the al, Brother Nathan."
Nathaniel offered her a gentle smile. "Eat well."
Erin and Rina quickly beca absorbed in their conversation, while Arthur leaned in and said in a low voice to Nathaniel, "It’s funny how you smile at Erin and Rina like the perfect gentleman, making it hard for anyone to believe that you’re not fond of won at all."
"Except in his bed," Rowan quipped.
"Even in bed, he has his limits," Arthur sighed. "The only man I know who does it but with his own set of strict restrictions. Have you ever seen how his servants scramble to clean his entire residence after those won leave?"
"Watch your mouth, Arthur," Nathaniel warned, glancing pointedly at Rina and Erin. "There are kids here."
"My sister is no kid," Rowan said firmly. "I’ve made sure she’s as knowledgeable as the rest of us. There’s nothing she doesn’t know. She’s even aware of creeps like you and what you do."
"You’re a shaless brother," Nathaniel countered. "But Rina is still a child, and her brother here might not appreciate this talk. So, it’s best if you say less and focus on eating."
Rowan looked at Lucian. "Are you planning to keep your sister as ignorant as you are, or make her as liberal as my sister?"
Lucian ignored Rowan’s remark of calling him ignorant and answered curtly, "She’ll learn things when the ti is right."
"What are you talking about?" Rina asked suddenly, looking between them.
"We’re discussing how to make you more educated, like my sister," Rowan answered, glancing at Erin.
Erin understood the aning behind his gaze and had also heard what the n were talking about. "There’s no need to rush to educate her on everything. Let her enjoy what girls her age should."
"At that sa age, you were busy acquiring various kinds of knowledge," Rowan teased.
Erin cleared her throat awkwardly. "Brother, now that I’m here, I’ll take care of what’s important for her. Don’t worry."
"Lady Erin, I’d be happy to learn from you!" Rina exclaid cheerfully. "Anyway, since you’ll be marrying Brother Aaron soon, we’re going to live together. I’ve already moved to Wynters Estate. Once you marry, you, , and Brother Aaron will live together, and I can always be with you."
Hearing this, Lucian glanced at Erin. There was a smile on her lips as she humd in agreent with what Rina said. The food in his mouth suddenly felt heavy and difficult to swallow.
"You can’t be with her all the ti, young lady," Rowan interjected with a grin. "As a newly wedded couple, they’ll need ti alone. How else am I going to get sweet little nieces and nephews who can inherit this vast estate and then hand it over to their most handso second uncle?"
"Umm, I’ll be with her during the day as brother Aaron is busy working during the day, and he can be with her at night," Rina replied innocently. "That way we can share equal ti with her."
"Well, that’s good," Rowan added. "For newlyweds, night ti is even more productive."
"Then it’s a deal, right, Lady Erin?" Rina asked eagerly.
Erin, who was busy glaring at her elder brother and wishing he’d bite his own tongue, struggled to keep her composure. Rowan responded with a playful smirk.
"Lady Erin?" Rina urged again.
"Alright," Erin finally agreed, wishing desperately for this embarrassing topic to end.
Lucian continued to watch her silently. She sensed his gaze and looked at him, but he didn’t look away. His eyes, unwavering and intense, were fixed on her.
Not minding him, Erin decided to focus on her al and eat quietly.
"Rina, has your brother Aaron prepared a place for my sister to stay after the marriage?" Rowan asked, his gaze flickering briefly to Lucian, who couldn’t seem to help glancing at Erin every so often. His eyes seed drawn to her involuntarily.
"Oh, he has," Rina confird enthusiastically. "On the second floor, half of it is for Brother Aaron, and the other half is for his wife. I visited, and it’s beautiful! Lady Erin will love it as well."
"Good. Then I don’t have to worry about my sister’s well-being at Wynters. After all, she’s been living like a princess. Aaron is the perfect man for her," Rowan added and then looked at Nathaniel. "What do you think?"
"Of course. They suit each other perfectly, and Erin would make an excellent Lady of the Wynters," Nathaniel agreed.
Erin continued to eat quietly. Giving a response to his brother ant he would continue to talk.
"Rina, if you’re staying at Wynters, then what about the Rainiers? Once Lucian gets married, you’ll have to spend ti with your other sister-in-law as well," Rowan remarked.
"Oh, don’t worry about that. My brother doesn’t plan to marry. And seeing him now, I’m sure he’s going to remain unmarried for a lifeti," Rina replied. "I’m just glad I can at least have a sister-in-law, thanks to Brother Aaron."
"That’s pretty brutal to say about your brother, little girl," Rowan comnted with a chuckle.
"I wish it weren’t true, but it is," Rina sighed. "He never even looks at a woman, let alone considers marrying one. Other than Oriana, he only interacted with Lady Erin so I thought he would at least like her, but...."
"You’re talking too much, Rina," Lucian’s cold voice cut in sharply.
Rina imdiately lowered her head and focused on eating. No matter how much she acted spoiled, she knew better than to cross her brother. He was still the person she feared the most.
"Aaron should have been here so Erin and he could spend so ti together," Rafal interjected, attempting to break the silence caused by Lucian’s warning. Sowhere his second brother was the reason to start it all.
"Don’t worry. I would personally escort you to Wynters," Arthur spoke, "You would stay at Wynters so both of them have all the ti they can spend together."
"Great," Rowan said, glancing at Erin with a grin. "Already shy at the thought of eting your husband? You’re practically burying your head in your dish, Erin."
Cough! Cough!
Erin nearly choked on her food. It seed ’teasing her’ was the desert her brother chosen to go along with this tasty al.
Lucian, who was sitting across from her, imdiately passed her a glass of water and said, "Look up."
Erin took the glass of water and drank it, still coughing mildly. She set the glass down and looked at Lucian. "Thank you, Lord Rainier."
Lucian gave her a slight nod in acknowledgnt.
Rowan smirked lightly, but Rafal shot him a displeased look and leaned in to speak quietly. "We need to talk."
"After this al," Rowan replied casually.
The al continued peacefully after that, with Erin focusing on her conversation with Rina, while the others busied themselves with important discussions. Lucian, however, was busy multitasking—listening to the n, responding when addressed, and stealing glances at Erin involuntarily.
He found it increasingly difficult to take his eyes off her. There was a strong urge building up inside him to spend so ti alone with her and talk, but the question was—what would he even say?
After the al, the n decided to explore the estate, leaving Erin and Rina inside as the evening was approaching, and it was too cold for them to be outside.
The n returned late, and as usual, Rowan ordered the butler around as if it were his own ho. "Get us so wine."
Nathaniel didn’t stop the butler, so they all settled in the open lounge area on the first floor. The servants even arranged a fireplace in the center, so everyone could sit around it and keep warm.
The liquor was served, and conversation flowed as they talked. But a certain man found his eyes drifting toward the other side of the residence. All of a sudden, his gaze caught a figure walking along the corridor opposite them, and he stood up, setting his wine glass down on the table.
The others were engrossed in conversation and enjoying their wine, so no one noticed the silent man slipping away. Rowan, however, missed nothing. He smirked, sipping his wine as he watched Lucian leave.
Lucian walked along the corridor, following the figure that had caught his attention, his gaze fixed on her.
He noticed she was heading upstairs, to the wide open terrace, as the upper floor had no rooms or walls.
He ascended the stairs on his side of the residence and reached the upper level, only to find her standing on her side of the terrace, in the cold night air, gazing up at the starry sky.
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