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Sebastian stopped by the cherrywood cabinet and generously filled a tu the chair across fro dinner"

"Did Mary send you down to prod me for answers?"

"She was a bit concerned"

Tristan ran his finger around the lip of his glass "I attended an affair at Fayrehaven’s this afternoon Croquet, little pastry delicacies that would hardly fill a boy ne"

Sebastian arched a brow "Are you courting Lady Herhty chit?"

Sebastian studied hi to realize that even with his solitary eye he could probably see h Do you want to talk about her?"

Tristan shook his head "No"

What he had with Anne was between theossip, Tristan wasn’t ready to give voice to his thoughts where she was concerned He couldn’t quite sort them out He should be back at sea by now, and yet here he remained in dismal London

"Whoever she is, was she the reason for your lapses into silence during the meal?"

"No, II spoke with Lord Chetwyn for a bit this afternoon He otten about that--the fishing" And his father guiding his hands, teaching him how to properly bait the hook, to cast his line

Sebastian’s lips rose on one side, the other too burdened with scars "The pond is still there, the fish still abundant You should coer than it takes to bury a man anyway Mary is quite pleased with the new residence"

Two years ago he’d ridden by Pembrook on his way to the abbey ruins where he was supposed to in their quest to reclaiht He’d returned to see his uncle buried at the village church He’d had no desire to linger Pembrook was not where he called home

"Did you tear the old one down?" With crenellated walls and towers, it was more castle than manor

"No I had planned to but Mary convinced me that it still had a purpose She is a wise one, my Mary, so I have a tendency to heed her advice"

"She is also a stubborn one I suspect she’dso"

Sebastian chuckled softly "Yes, she would"

Tristan downed his whiskey "She should have been at that damned party today"