The trio waited little more than five minutes before Julius arrived on horseback.
He was excited to spend some time alone with just his sister and the viscount - after all, they had hardly had ten minutes together since she had been married.
However it seemed that today would not furnish him with such an opportunity.
Entering through the door of the reception room, he was halfway through a comment about Alexander becoming positively soppy over the Indian Princess when he first noticed Arabella's presence.
"What's Bella doing here?" He asked Aurora with a look of complete confusion.
"I've invited her own for dinner," Aurora explained. "Do you mind?"
"Yes."
"Julius!" Exclaimed both the young women at once.
He let out a snigger as he glanced between them. The pair were now sporting rather stern looking glares which were somewhat reminiscent of his mother's.
"It's not fair! I wanted to spend time with you, not be forced into company with her," he cried petulantly.
"Mmmn, I wonder what that must be like? To be unwillingly forced into company without having any say in the matter? I cannot possibly imagine how you are feeling right now."
Julius, it seemed, did not appreciate her sarcasm.
"I won't stay unless you-"
"Oh shut up Julius," interrupted Arabella, causing the siblings to turn to her in astonishment. Arabella Archer did not interrupt. Nor did she shout or chastise.
"Now sit down and behave," she commanded him.
The Grey boy looked as though he were going to speak out, but she shut him up before he had even spoken a word with a particularly frosty look.
In response, he simply retired to the sofa in the far corner of the room.
Or at least he tried to.
Instead he was stopped by Miss Archer who grabbed a hold of his arm and flung him onto the sofa beside her.
"Stop being rude, Julius. You were never this bad when we were younger."
"Can't you see what she's doing?" He asked her, causing the girl to send him a questioning look as she smoothed out her skirts.
"Aurora is clearly trying to force us into some kind of a..." he found himself unable to complete the sentence, but it seemed he did not need to. For Arabella Archer had already worked out what it's ending would be.
"He cannot be serious!" She exclaimed as she leapt from the seat and over to where Aurora was presenting to read, amusedly.
She glanced up briefly before speaking. "Who cannot be serious about what?"
Arabella let out a hrmph sound.
"Julius and... me? No! No no no. Absolutely not. He is a nuisance and wild as a goose and he - he is disgusting. Good god! No!"
The viscount had chosen this opportunity to make his presence known among the company.
"Goodness Aurora," he spoke from behind them, "I think you're right. They're a perfect match. Shall we?" He gestured towards the exit with a smile.
Julius and Arabella shot each other a glare before following the viscount and viscountess into the dining room for dinner.
***
Loyal readers,
You will no doubt have noticed that this is a much shorter chapter than usual. That is because I am uploading two chapters today instead of one!
And what exciting news there is to come! Indeed, the ton will be quite shaken by it.
Yours truly
Valentina Riviera