38. Sage
SAGE
As gatherings between friends and family were wont to do, all of the careful planning Roger and Sage had done came to fruition with ease.
After an enormous amount of help from the staff, the space between the ash trees had been transformed into a garden party that deserved to be written about, but only with the highest sort of praise.
Lanterns and candles flickered softly along the path to direct guests from the stables, where they’d all arrived from to keep their presence hidden until the time was right.
More lanterns had been attached to the branches above, along with swags of sheer fabric and strings of colorful glass beads that caught the light in a fanciful way.
The tables were set with more candles and sprays of flowers that had been collected from the garden, just as Sage had suggested. He couldn’t help but smile when Mrs. Wrenwhistle inspected one of the bouquets with an air of distaste that shifted into a nod of approval.
Wyndham’s entire family was there, including his eldest brother Auberon, who had not removed his arm from around his wife, Rose, since they’d arrived.
The way she kept her hand on the expectant curve of her belly was explanation enough.
Wyndham’s sister Aveline was also there, along with her husband Arlen, both of them still glowing and apparently unafraid to face society after their sordid elopement at the end of the Season.
Iris Wrenwhistle was resplendent as she sailed through the crowd, greeting everyone just as she always had.
Sage supposed it was a hard habit to break after a lifetime on the Council.
Slightly more surprising was the sight of Mrs. Leonora Pimpernel on her arm.
The gesture was easy and natural, giving the impression of two ladies who had been friends for a very long time—until they shared a kiss that was decidedly more than what one might expect from friends.
Sage wondered absently how Emrys and Torquil felt about this connection, and then laughed at himself for how naturally he’d decided to tease them about it when he got the opportunity. It was perhaps the first time he had ever felt that he could do such a thing and expect a companionable response.
Like his mother, Emrys was not afraid to share his opinions openly.
Upon entering the space, he had immediately made a comment about how dark it was and began calling on fairy lights with ostentatious snaps of his fingers.
Along with the help of his grandmother and sister, the trees became beacons in the night.
Sage privately hoped that Roger would be pleased when he saw it.
Roger’s family was there, as well. Sage had never been properly introduced to any of them, but it was impossible to mistake how similar they were in appearance and personality.
While half of them were speaking cordially with the other guests, the rest explored the space as though they were collecting information on everything they encountered: his father stared up at the fairy lights with his mouth open in awe while his brother inspected the wildflowers.
The rest of the party was made up of fellow councilmembers, including Keelan’s mother, who was never one to miss out on a social event.
Despite the relative quiet surrounding her son’s brief and broken engagement before he quit London to run away with Silas and get married in the country, it had been a topic of heavy conversation before the Season ended.
Sage wondered how she felt about being a part of the scandal for once, rather than simply spreading the gossip around as she was known to do.
It was impossible to tell with her cool composure and diplomatic smile.
Drink in hand, Sage had been making his observations from near the edge of the clearing.
A consequence of his reputation in London was that his name appeared on the list for all the best parties, but once inside, he often found that there were very few people who actually wanted to interact with him.
Usually it was not until the early hours of the morning, when everyone had their fill of dancing and alcohol, that a gentleman would lock eyes with him across the room.
So he was a bit hesitant when Harriet called his name and waved him over to join her and the others.
“Brilliant work on the party, my dear fellow,” Cyril said, raising his glass of champagne in Sage’s direction as Harriet patted his back.
“Did all of you know about it, as well?” Sage asked, scanning their faces.
“Roger is not exactly adept at hiding his emotions,” Lady Anthea said, her arm looped with Lady Imogen’s. “We knew he was trying to keep something a secret, especially when he started sneaking around with you of all people.” Her wife gave her a strong look. “No offense,” she amended quickly.
“You’ve mended the rift, haven’t you?” Harriet smiled up at him. “Now we can all be friends.” Her hand was still on his back. Sage swallowed at the tightness that formed in his throat.
“To friends,” Fern said, holding their bowl of lemon ice up for a toast. The Ladies Fitzhugh put their glasses in, followed by Cyril and then Harriet. They all looked at Sage expectantly. With a huff of laughter, he touched his glass to theirs.
“To friends,” he agreed.
Heavy footfalls came ripping across the grass from the direction of the garden. It was Keelan running and waving his arms above his head like a man unhinged.
“They’re coming!” he whisper-shouted. “Everyone be quiet!”
A silence settled across the crowd as everyone turned to face the direction he’d come from.
The only sound was Keelan’s panting as Silas collected him into his arms, along with some of the delicate beads tinkling in the leaves on a gentle breeze.
Harriet fidgeted with excitement beside Sage as Wyndham came into view with Roger holding one arm and Conrad holding the other, both carefully guiding him.
Someone had tied a cravat around Wyndham’s eyes.
Roger looked as though he might burst with joy.
When they finally stopped, Roger took Wyndham’s hands in his and gave Conrad a nod. Conrad went up onto his toes to untie the cloth covering Wyndham’s eyes and wrapped it around his hand twice as he stepped back, smiling.
“All right,” Roger said. “Open your eyes.”
Wyndham did, blinking against all of the lights as an entirely unrehearsed chorus of ‘ surprise! ’ and ‘ happy birthday! ’ rang out in his direction.
The color drained from his face, and for a moment he did look genuinely startled.
But then, he donned his most dashing smile as he bent to give his husband a kiss while the onlookers applauded and cheered.
Still clapping, Sage watched as Conrad slipped away and left little room for wonder about where he was going.
His magic lifted and swirled in his chest as Conrad approached him, looking devilishly handsome.
After casting the cleaning spell together on Conrad’s clothes to make sure they were extra bright for the party, Sage had demanded to dress Conrad with one of his own cravats and a pin to match.
The jewels of it caught the twinkling fairy lights as they came together for a short embrace.
“That seems to have gone about as well as it could have,” Sage said, giving Wyndham and Roger another glance where they were busy greeting all of the guests who had arrived in secret.
Conrad chuckled, accepting the glass of wine Sage offered him.
“I daresay it’s a good thing Wyndham was not entirely unaware of what tonight was all about. You should’ve seen the look he gave Roger when he discovered I was going to cover his eyes with the cloth.”
Sage laughed as he imagined how ridiculous Wyndham found it.
“The things you’ll do to appease the person you love, I suppose.”
Conrad winked at him after taking a sip of wine. “Indeed.”
* * *
The party lasted for hours, as expected.
Roger and Torquil took turns introducing Conrad to everyone, which meant that Sage also made several new acquaintances, for they did not spend a single moment apart.
Sage noted the way both took care in how they presented them by name—Mr. Ravenwing and Mr. Moore—rather than by any sort of connection between the two of them.
However, a couple of knowing looks and telling smiles were evidence enough that most came to their own conclusions on the matter.
Sage was sure that the way he’d wrapped himself around Conrad’s arm only aided in the process.
In truth, he found himself wishing for the others to see Conrad as his beau, or even as his suitor. If it had been anyone else making the introductions, perhaps the words would have come more freely, but Roger and Torquil were nothing if not discreet in the moments when it mattered most.
He knew he should be grateful for it. The brief lapse in reality he and Conrad shared over the previous several weeks did nothing to erase what awaited them in London.
They had spoken at length about continuing to work together, especially since learning that Conrad had secured his position on the Council.
Sage had also appointed himself as being responsible for showing Conrad around the city.
But what of their connection beyond all of those things?
Just as he began to lose himself in his thoughts, the first dance was announced.
Sage prepared to let Conrad go, as he recognized it as one that the other man was likely unfamiliar with, but he would still be expected to join.
Instead, Conrad placed his hand over Sage’s on his arm to hold it there and escorted him to the dance floor.
“Do you know this one?” Sage asked, trying not to sound too doubtful.
“Only a little,” Conrad confessed. When they separated, he gave Sage a neat bow. “But I would like to share it with you regardless, if you’ll allow it.”