Ordained

Chapter Fifty-Six

"Wait-" He called, but she was already lost amongst the crowd. Frustration flooded through him, the alcohol humming through his system fanning the flames of his irritation into anger with each step. Pacing down the hallways yet again, he searched for Emmeline, not knowing where she would be and annoyed that he had been called away from her side in the first place. He had spent entirely too much time away from Emmeline, his mother's diversion a pointless waste of time. Hantle's girl? Laura Hantle? What was his mother thinking? Sucking in deep breaths he fought to keep his temper under control as he searched for Emmeline. Twice people tried to stop him to talk, but he waved them away without explanation.

He heard her laughter before he saw her. A holy unladylike shriek sounded from one of the rooms he was about to pass. Faltering on the spot he did an unbalanced sort of pivot, spinning to lurch through the door. At once, his frustration melted away, relief at having found her replacing the white hot tension that had been tight in his throat.

Emmeline was sandwiched between Emily and Lavender, her brother halfway through some sort of dramatic reenactment. Her cheeks were flushed as she laughed, her eyes squeezed half shut with mirth. Emily slapped Emmeline's knee a couple times as she too howled. Cursing his own stupidity he realised too late that he should have just followed Emily, she had obviously known exactly where Emmeline was, given that she was already sat beside her. Lavender was tapping her feet against the floor, both arms wrapped around herself as she giggled. Atticus, like a theatre actor carried on with his performance, it was clearly an impression of someone Cassius didn't know, yet as he too watched he found himself chuckling. His small chortle turned into outright laughter as Atticus pretended to trip over an invisible object.

Wiping her tears away with the tips of her fingers, Emmeline tilted her head skywards to protect her makeup. It was just the scene he needed to calm him after his mother's antics.

"Your Grace!" Atticus announced too loudly, his would-be brother-in-law clearly already more intoxicated than he, which was saying something. "I didn't know someone so serious knew how to laugh!" Grabbing both his hands he dragged him towards a chair, both men a little unsteady on their feet.

Cassius should've been offended, but after half a second of pause, his lip twisted and he found himself roaring along with everyone else.

Emmeline was watching him when he glanced back at her, her face alight with happiness. He tried hard to press the image permanently into his memory, but the drink made that difficult. Sighing lightly, he shrugged, it wasn't like he wouldn't see her smile again. He could memorise the exact shape of her smile later.

Sitting in the chair Atticus offered, Cassius joined the group, the Baron and Issac both joining them as the evening dragged on. Emmeline's friends and her brother were truly, very good company. Cassius found himself effortlessly engulfed by the group's endless talking and joking.

It could've been minutes, or hours, when his parents strode into the salon. There were many groups inside, the long room that overlooked the gardens proving to be a popular spot for those not in the ballroom. All around them people jumped to their feet with different levels of stability as Carmen and Victor approached.

"We are leaving son." Victor smiled indulgently, but Carmen's gaze was pinched as she scowled at the rowdy group her son was sitting with.

Emily began to protest at once. "No, not yet!"

The Baron rolled his eyes, by far the most sober of them all. "Ignore my wife. It was an honour to have in our home, your graces. I pray you will visit us again." His low bow, distinguished.

Emily's eyes were wide with unspoken protests when her husband took her hand. Looking from Emmeline to the Marcellus' she seemed to remember herself. "Of course. I am so grateful you attended our celebration, your graces." Her curtsey held steady by the Baron's firm grip.