Chapter 7
Julian found his own place setting and sat with Cinnamon still in his arms.
"I'm not going to be able to eat around you, you ridiculous cat," said Julian fondly, scooting back enough that he could deposit Cinnamon's noodly body into his lap for now.
She proceeded to peer around at everything in front of and behind him, and eventually vanished entirely underneath the table to go make whatever mischief had caught her eye.
"You're Julian St. Albans-Benedict, I seem to recall," said the woman to his right.
"And you're Jacqueline Gallowglass," replied Julian cheerfully. "With the impeccable taste in suits." She, like him, was still wearing her suit from earlier, as tea didn't require the formality they'd need for dinners at an event like this.
"You all know me," said Dr. Geoff, to Gallowglass's right.
Around the table there was also Johanna Applewhite and someone Julian hadn't yet met, one Horton Groundstone, who was on Julian's left.
Geoff introduced them all with perfect manners, even mentioning that Horton was attached to a Katherine Berkelshire, though not yet affianced.
"Which brings us back around to me," said Julian cheerfully. "You should all call me Julian, it's much less of a mouthful than any of the other options."
"I prefer Gallowglass," said that worthy, bowing her head to him in acknowledgement.
"Oh, you can all call me Dr. Geoff," he said, feigning casual though Julian could tell he was going to hold onto that doctor title with tooth and nail.
Lady Johanna giggled but didn't bother to offer them any alternative, and Groundstone said sheepishly, "My school chums always called me Stony, but I wasn't a fan."
"You've less names than me, anyway," said Julian soothingly. "Lord St. Albans-Benedict is terrible, and Viscount of the Charmer's Way is worse!"
They all laughed, some more politely than others, and Geoff shot him a little encouraging wink.
That line of conversation was thankfully interrupted by the tea arriving, a nice strong brew that he was sure Alex would approve of. Once they all had cups to fidget with, everyone seemed to relax a little, and it was the Lady Johanna who opened up the next conversational gambit.
"How do we all know dear Chudleigh, anyway?" she asked, glancing from one to another.
"Julian introduced us," said Geoff, answering the question that Julian was sure everyone really was asking. "At their solstice party the year before last. We hit it off right away."
"They really are the sweetest couple," said Julian fondly. "My now-husband and I chose to host at Solstice to avoid all the traveling around, so we made the nobility mingle with our plebe friends, and everyone for the most part did well."
"For the most part," said Geoff wryly, as the Benedict side of the equation had been a bit snobbish, but only briefly.
"No one was going to date Victor, anyway, he's boring and taken," said Julian with an amused little grin.
Applewhite giggled again, looking young and flighty but at least not judgmental the way Horton's mouth had gone tight. Victor was of equal rank to Julian and also his brother-in-law, however, so Julian felt perfectly safe teasing the man in absentia.
"Chudleigh played rugby with my Glenn in school," said Applewhite, sipping her tea with perfect propriety.
"I also played pickup rugby at uni," said Gallowglass, daring any of them to object.
"How about you, Groundstone?" said Applewhite.
"University friends, also. Some of the same pickup rugby games as Gallowglass here, in fact. She's got a mean shoulder." He looked all amused and indulgent in that condescending way some men got, which prickled at Julian's mood, but Julian refused to let it sour him.
"I'm far too fragile for such things," Julian said, though his frame now was much more sturdy than it looked after all his time working in gardens and learning to fight, not to mention all the magic. "I'll stick to my gardens."
"Oh, what do you grow?" asked Gallowglass, sounding actually interested.
"Magical ingredients, mostly," said Julian. "We do have an herb garden for the house, but veg and the like we get elsewhere."
"Useful over pretty," said Gallowglass, nodding. "I've got a poison garden, myself, just as a hobby, mind."
"Oh, a lot of the things I grow are poisonous, too," said Julian. "Not venomous like our now-absent snake friend," he added, gesturing to where the tank had been removed and replaced with a painting and a couple of decorative candelabra.
"What's the difference?" asked Groundstone, as if humouring a child.
Julian did not roll his eyes, but he did imagine a cat biting the man's calf for a moment before sending a No just in case. "If you bite it and you die, it's poisonous. If it bites you and you die, it's venomous."
"Oh, how gruesome!" said Applewhite, fluttering a little.
"My apologies, I'm not used to genteel sensibilities," said Julian, bowing his head.
He was saved once again by the servers, coming this time with their food, two full three-tiered trays of sweets and savouries, enough that he hoped to fill his ever-empty belly, especially if Applewhite ate like a proper lady.
Corsets might be out of fashion, but the absurdity of slimness was still required of women of standing.
"Ladies first," said Julian, gesturing, which none of the men could rightly object to, so Gallowglass and Applewhite got their pick of the treats.
There was plenty for everyone, however, so no one seemed to be denied a particular favourite, and silence descended awkwardly once everyone had full plates and, after another round of service, refilled cups.
Fortunately for Julian, Lady Johanna was more than willing to keep prodding them into conversation.
"Now, Julian, you and your husband haven't been to any of the big parties this year, why is that?" she asked, fluttering over her cup of tea.
Julian sighed internally but plastered on a smooth smile. "We're just not very social, and work has been very busy. Winter has afforded us a little time for visiting family, and when Chudleigh asked us to come to his house-rewarming party, we decided to indulge him."
"Julian and Alex are good friends of ours," said Geoff, saving him from the stares. "We've been up to their cottage a few times, and me by myself for potions lessons as well."
Julian beamed. "That's right, Dr. Geoff and I share lessons sometimes, when Alex can make time to teach us."
"Oh, you've a magical talent?" asked Gallowglass.
"Yes, I've got a thing for plants, and it's been expanding into regular magic some as well, especially healing," said Julian, figuring this was pretty much common knowledge among those in the know. "Alex is the Charmer of the Way, of course, and we're both Guardians."
"Oh, now what all does that involve?" asked Applewhite, avidly curious now that there was magic.
"It's hard to describe," said Julian. "We keep watch and make sure no one goes through our Way or disturbs the area around it. Our Co-Guardian on the other side is making up for our absence for these few days, but we can't get away often because we need to be on hand should anything happen."
"What's on the other side?" asked Gallowglass.
"Elven lands," said Julian. "Unlike the Queen's Way, no one really can get permission to use ours because of the remote location, so we just Guard it against incursion.
" He paused to take a bite of something savoury and rich, and then added, "We did have an escapee from the Summerlands making trouble just a few weeks ago. "
"Oh?" said Groundstone, trying to sound bored and failing completely. Apparently magic was the way to this group's heart.
Julian proceeded to tell the tale of their thieving squirrel between bites of food and sips of tea, making sure to emphasise the magical nature of both the stolen items and their methods of recovery.
He was vague about the specifics on anything, other than Baegu Tróibl, who he felt deserved every bit of shaming.
There was a lot of laughter, and then someone else started to tell a little story about magic, and Julian was left to eat as much as he could get away with.
It turned out to be enough to be going on with, though he might send down to the kitchens for a snack before dinner, given the overall light nature of the tea foods.
Spinach puffs and watercress sandwiches might be delicious, but they weren't nearly as sustaining as he was used to.
Lady Johanna proved adept at keeping the conversation moving along now that she had a topic everyone was willing to be interested in, so the tales of magic flowed along with the tea right until every last crumb was eaten and only their cups remained.
Chudleigh made an appearance, standing between Julian and Gallowglass, one hand on the back of each chair and a grin on his face. "I see everyone's getting on here, good, good!"
"Lady Johanna has been invaluable," said Julian. "We'd all have stared at our teacups if it wasn't for her."
"Oh, well, I'm just doing my best," said Applewhite, fluttering again and blushing happily.
"Well done you. I'll have to get a dance later to thank you properly," said Chudleigh, which was actually a pretty nice offer as a dance with the host was always a social coup.
"I expect Julian and I would've managed something, but no one else wants to talk about greenhouses for an hour," said Dr. Geoff.
Chudleigh moved over to his chair and gave him a fond, chaste kiss. "My darling, you can make even rerooting seedlings sound exciting sometimes."
"Oh, how are the feverfew seedlings coming along?" asked Julian immediately, getting a wry laugh from the group.
"Quite well. I'll update you later when there's no one else to be bored by us," said Geoff good-naturedly.
Julian grinned back, unrepentant. "We'll have to corner you to schedule another lesson sometime, too."
"Perhaps another weekend visit," said Chudleigh, which made Julian blink and grin in surprise.
"Definitely another weekend visit," said Julian. "I forgot your time had all freed up, despite being at a party about that exact thing."
Chudleigh chuckled and gave Geoff's shoulders a squeeze. "Speaking of which, time to go do my duty to another table."
He moved off, and everyone's teacups were refilled one last time, as people were starting to get up and drift over to other tables now that Chudleigh had opened up the possibility. Julian sipped at his cup contentedly, knowing his prickly husband would come find him soon enough.
After that, it would be up to them to seek out their cats, who were currently hiding somewhere secretive, if their bond-feel was any indication. There hadn't really been much to their taste in the tea foods, but that wouldn't stop them from stealing if something caught their eye.
Alys would stop them, but she wasn't here, and they were clearly keen to take advantage.
"What are you thinking about so intently?" asked Alex, coming up behind him and taking up his free hand for a kiss.
Julian chuckled. "Our cats are stalking someone for their food, but I've no idea who or where. Perhaps the kitchens?"
Alex's gaze went inward, and then he, too, chuckled. "Yes, I'd guess they're stalking something in there. We'd best get them fed their dinner and some treats, or they'll be underfoot at the wrong time and somehow manage to steal a whole roast or something."
"They're bold enough," said Julian. He stood, turned to the remaining group, Groundstone having already left for more appreciative audiences, and said, "You've all been lovely company, thank you." He even gave a little bow.
"You're very welcome," said Lady Johanna with a high-pitched giggle.
"We'll have to find ourselves talking about gardens again soon," said Gallowglass, with evident sincerity.
"I'd love to," said Julian. He hooked his arm in Alex's and gave Geoff a little wave, which he returned, and let Alex lead him off toward the servants' entrance.
They had cats to retrieve.