Intolerable Civility

Chapter Twenty-Eight: For the Taking

Annabelle, insipid and gloomy, had done little to impress Cate with the force of her personality when they had finally met, but there seemed little danger in her and her siblings' company. "They are, but they should not be. I will invite them."

"And I think your parents should come too. It would be a chance to extend them an olive branch."

"I'm not sure I want to."

"Surely you do not want Luke to grow up without knowing his grandparents?"

"Not if I cannot be assured of their kindness towards him."

"You will never be assured of that if you have no relations with them."

"I don't think it's a good idea," Cate said. "I really don't."

Nevertheless, Paul did not give the idea up. When David came into the room a little while later, he brought it up again.

"I haven't actually thrown a dinner party here since I inherited the place," David said. "Not beyond Mother and Laurie and Paul, that is. I suppose I've got the place looking decent enough now that I could. And it would have advantages, Cate. It would show whomever we invited your position as my wife and mistress of my household. It would help you gain a little respectability, I think."

"That makes it sound quite frightening," Cate said with a shudder, remembering her hopeless attempt at attending an assembly ball. "I don't think society ever will respect me again."

"Then we will keep it to family," David said. "Mine, Annabelle's, and your parents if they will come."

"Oh no, not my father. Nor my mother. They will certainly refuse anyway."

"Then there is no danger in inviting them." David countered her with a smile.

"Nor any point." She smiled back.

Sitting near the tea table, Paul sighed heavily and cut himself a thick slice of apple and rhubarb cake.

"There is a point," David said firmly. "On the slim chance they do come, they will hear that Luke will take my name and be my son in as much as blood. It will give them a strong reason to accept him as their grandchild. Reason to respect him and his place in your life and mine."

Cate hesitated; she was sure that her parents never would respect Luke. All the same, the fact that David was asking her made her want to do it. And, if they did accept, her parents could not hurt her in her own house while her husband was with her. David wouldn't let them.

"I will write and ask them," she said. "I will invite them. But I cannot promise they will come."

"Excellent," Paul said warmly through his mouthful of cake. "Sarah will be happy to hear this. She was saying just the other day that a dinner party would liven things up around here."

"It was Sarah's idea?" David looked suspicious.

"No, but the idea came to me because of her melancholia," Paul said. "She thinks it is sad that Plas Bryn is so quiet these days. When Uncle Lewis owned it, there were so many parties, you see."

"I know. Sarah remembers them very fondly. I was never invited," David said drily.

Paul left a little while later, taking the remains of the apple and rhubarb cake with him, saying they were for Annabelle. David stayed to pour himself another cup of tea.

"There is something strange about Paul," he said. "He's playing at something."

"He has been very friendly to me of late."

"Yes," David said. "I've noticed it too and it is strange. Not that I don't want you to have friends. I do. I just wish I could believe that Paul really does want to be your friend."