13. Sage
SAGE
Sage descended the stairs into a great commotion happening in the main hall.
Most of the party, it appeared, had donned attire for an outing.
Staff were handing out gloves and hats; Mr. Thompson was looking especially dapper with his walking cane in hand.
The front door, which was being held open for their impending departure, allowed a thick band of sunshine to spill across the floor of the entryway.
Roger gave a broad gesture when he noticed Sage had appeared.
“Ah, Mr. Ravenwing! It is a most beautiful morning. Won’t you join everyone for a stroll across the grounds?”
“I am not dressed for such an activity,” Sage told him. He was wearing a rather expensive pair of shoes.
“Nonsense,” Mr. Thompson said. “You look smart, as always.”
“That is the opposite of what I meant.”
“Besides, this is no Hyde Park,” Miss Thackeray was quick to add, ignoring him entirely. “We are not looking to impress anyone.” The way she had fixed her hair was indication enough of that. Half of it spilled down her back in unruly tendrils. Somehow, it suited her.
Sage scoffed. “I never said?—”
“Not that you need to.” Torquil gave him a knowing grin as they passed by on their way to stand beside Emrys. “You’ve already done quite well at it.”
He met Conrad’s gaze where he stood beside Roger, hands on his hips and bouncing slightly on his toes, too eager to be standing in one place for so long. Conrad gave Sage an open smile. It appeared that their secret was out.
“Now remember,” Roger began, cluck-clucking like a nervous parent over his freshly-hatched brood. “Stay on the path and you will be perfectly fine. Wyn and I have walked it numerous times and we’ve yet to get lost.”
“Where is the fun in that?” Emrys asked, wrapping his arm around Torquil’s shoulders as they started for the door. “You cannot tell me you spent your entire honeymoon here and did not get the urge to wander.”
“Roger has always had a fear of wandering!” Miss Thackeray called over her shoulder.
She stepped through the doorway after the Ladies Fitzhugh, her arm linked with Mx.
Hillcrest’s. Mr. Thompson was close behind, followed by Emrys and Torquil.
Keelan and Silas were last. They looked like they would’ve rather still been in bed.
Sage paused.
“Are you not joining us?” The question was meant for Roger, but he looked at Conrad as he asked it. “You said everyone was going.”
“Oh no, we’re going to continue our work in the study,” Roger explained. “It will be nice to have some time to focus without the constant distractions.” He chuckled. “Though, I suppose it is our own fault for filling our home with people and then expecting them to entertain themselves without us.”
“I would imagine it takes some time learning how to host,” Conrad said. “It seems like an enormous responsibility. I think you’ve done a wonderful job of it so far.”
“Too kind of you to say!” Roger held an open hand toward the door. “You’d better hurry along if you want to stay with the party, Mr. Ravenwing.”
Sage wanted to tell him he had absolutely no interest in doing so. Days of rain only meant whichever path they were meant to follow would be a muddy disaster. And if Conrad was not going either, why should he even bother? It was yet another opportunity for him to be alone in a crowd.
He lifted his chin sharply. Be amenable , he told himself.
“Best of luck with your drudgery,” he muttered before he left them to it.
* * *
The pace set by the Ladies Fitzhugh was surprisingly quick. What started as an opportunity to chat and comment on their pleasant surroundings had become an effort in keeping up and not panting audibly.
“Anthea! This was not meant to be a race,” Miss Thackeray complained, though she did not appear to be struggling as much as some of the others.
“After so many days trapped inside, it would do us all well to get a little light exercise,” Lady Anthea retorted.
“ Light being the vital word,” Keelan huffed out. He and Silas were still at the rear with Sage. “I was not prepared to exert myself with both arms pumping during this activity.” This was exactly how their leaders were charging ahead, elbows bent and shoulders working.
Emrys gave a sly grin at the man. “Yes, Keelan, we all know you’ve perfected the one-armed approach.”
Keelan gasped with great offense to the comment as everyone else laughed gamely. Sage found the reaction perturbing. Why were they able to find humor in such witticism when his answer to the riddle had been entirely unsettling?
The more thought he gave it, the more he had a sneaking suspicion that the answer had much to do with who said it.
Emrys Wrenwhistle had always been able to command a room without even trying.
He was charming and just ridiculous enough to put people at ease, all while being incredibly powerful. Sage was none of those things.
He decided it was further proof that this arrangement between Conrad and himself was a smart idea.
Both had their concerns about blending with the present company, but Conrad was fortunate in ways that Sage could never be.
He was new and peculiar. Nobody knew his story, beyond what he was willing to tell.
His name had never shown up in the Tribune linked to questionable, salacious behaviors.
It was likely why everyone had been teasing them so.
Sharing a bed with Sage Ravenwing meant something, and everyone wanted the gossip on how their new friend felt about that.
To Sage’s bewilderment, Conrad seemed…pleased by it.
Unbothered, of course, but also willing to luxuriate in their shared moments like none had ever done before.
He thought of the way Conrad had offered for him to fall asleep in the position he’d found himself in every morning since they’d arrived, the weight of the man’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, the?—
“Careful!”
Another strong forearm was pressed against his chest, and Sage was brought back into the moment only to realize that he was being saved from his greatest fear. Keelan had shouted for him to stop just as Silas prevented him from stepping into a puddle that spanned the entire width of their path.
Sage swallowed and searched both of their faces briefly as Silas moved to place his hand on Sage’s shoulder instead, giving it a squeeze.
“Thank you,” Sage said tightly.
Keelan gave him a soft laugh and nodded. “Not to worry, I’ve done far worse while I was busy daydreaming.”
Sage’s lip curled. “I was not daydreaming .” He managed to successfully step over the mud without getting any of it on himself.
The path was only wide enough for two; he gave Keelan a wary look as the man took up walking beside him.
A strong urge to riot welled in his chest when Keelan linked his arm with Sage’s like they were old friends, but he managed to contain it.
“Nobody could blame you,” Keelan said with a shrug. “Conrad is very handsome. I’ve lost entire days thinking about Silas’ forearms.”
Suddenly, the speed at which they were walking became far less upsetting. The sooner this little outing ended, the better.