“That is a very good question.”
They both settled by the hearth as Richard called for tea.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Richard asked.
Isabel made a show of rearranging the pleats of her skirts before finally raising her eyes to his. “Your wedding.”
Richard stifled a grimace. “What about my wedding?”
“Well, we need to set a date. The bride will need to arrive in London for her wardrobe fittings to prepare her trousseau. We both know that her family is lacking the necessary funds, so you would have to provide all that.”
“I have no issue with that.” Richard waved his hand.
“So, what do you have the issue with?”
Richard blinked. “Pardon?”
“What do you have the issue with?” she repeated slowly this time.
“Nothing.” Richard shrugged.
His housekeeper entered at that moment with a tea tray. “Miss Isabel, how good of you to visit!” the woman said good-naturedly. “Oh, pardon me, Lady Vane,” she corrected herself as she started setting the tea.
“Thank you, Mrs. Whiston. I am glad to see you, too.”
“How is married life treating you? Is everything well? Because we heard rumors that the staff wasn’t treating you very well. And if that’s true—”
“Thank you, Mrs. Whiston,” Richard interrupted. “That’ll be all.”
The woman narrowed her eyes at him and then smiled at Isabel. “Apologies, I shan’t distract you from your conversation.”
“Oh, no, do not apologize. My brother just woke up on the wrong side of the bed it seems,” Isabel said pertly. “Everything is well. No need for you to worry, I assure you. I shall gladly speak to you about those rumors, but later.” She punctuated her words with an annoyed glance toward Richard.
He rolled his eyes. “You always were too familiar with the servants.”
“And you always were too rude with… well, everyone!”
Richard pursed his lips. “Howarethings in your household? No more… accidents?”
Isabel raised her brow. “Oh? What, James is not reporting to you anymore?”
Richard shrugged. “Nothing that is of interest in any case.”
Isabel let out an annoyed breath. “I am not here to talk about my life. I am all settled into quite a happy existence, but I can’t say the same about you.”
“How would you know that I am not happy?” He spread his hands.
Isabel slowly sipped on her tea as she watched him. “Because I know you, Richard. Contrary to what you might think, I have always known you. I can see when one of my siblings is hurting, and this is you now.”
Richard scoffed. “Whatever you think you know… you are wrong.”
She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “So you arenotin love with Jo?”
Richard took a sip of tea at that exact moment and almost choked on it from the surprise. He did not expect his sister to be this blunt. Sam, maybe. But not Isabel. She was always cautious and very polite. Perhaps the marriage had changed her.
Richard coughed, then took out his handkerchief to wipe off the smeared surface. “Why would you ask that?”
“I think it’s a fair question, considering I caught you in a passionate embrace more than once.”