Mahogany Is The Color Of Devotion

Chapter 9

Nicholas handed his coat to the maid at the door. His palms were sweating and his heart was beating a mile a minute. This wasn't a good idea. He could feel it in his gut. But it had been so easy to say yes to Andrew's invitation. The ease in which he had complied to the dinner invitation was nothing short of shameful, considering that he was supposed to be avoiding Lafayette at all cost. He wasn't the best at keeping his mouth shut, even he knew that flaw about himself was very prevalent.

He cleared his throat and ran swift fingers through his hair before making his way down the hall, heading for the parlor. As he entered he noticed Andrew immediately. In the room sat Andrew's nephew Leo. Leo was pouring liquor into a glass.

"Do pour me a cup as well. Lord knows I need one," He said, garnering the both of their attentions.

Andrew grinned, though there was a drunken glint in his eyes. "Nick, my dear friend! God, its been ages!"

Nicholas sighed, a drunk Andrew meant one thing. He glanced in Leo's direction for confirmation and Leo smirked, sliding his glass toward him, "They're having a row. A serious one based on what I've heard so far."

He took the glass and sipped at it, "It hasn't been ages, you drunkard. You saw me a few days ago at the gaming tables."

Andrew grinned wide, a hiccup escaping him as he gulped down the rest of his glass. "Fill her up!"

Leo chuckled, "Are you sure? Aunt Hany won't be too happy about you stumbling into her dinning room. You know how finnicky she is about proper etiquette. "

He scoffed. "She doesn't bloody care about me! That woman! Ughhh, that woman!"

Leo laughed, "You love her, don't you?"

Andrew made a noise in his throat, "Give me the damn drink."

Nicholas drank the rest of his glass, placing it on the wooden counter before him. "What is it this time? It can't possibly be as serious as you think it is."

Andrew winced as if guilty.

"What did you do, Andrew?"

"I just suggested the woman stop working! She doesn't need to for God's sake. Let the kitchen staff do their bloody job."

Leo choked on the drink in his mouth, "You did what?"

Andrew stiffened, his words getting louder, "I told her to sit down and do nothing for once. She's the lady of this manor, why the blasted hell is she still doing anything! There are people qualified, trai-," Nicholas cut him off, "Tell me you didn't say that to her!"

"Well, yes, I... I, bloody hell! Whose side are the both of you on?"

Leo and Nicholas glanced at each other before sighing, "Hany's, you idiot," they both snapped back.

Leo snatched away Andrew's glass, "You're a child, Uncle, really you are. No matter how tough Aunt Hany is, she's still a woman, God, she's your damn wife. She has feelings, she is sensitive, you know. You're a fool for telling her she's not qualified to do what she loves. You've known her long enough to know she loves the kitchen. Cooking is her thing, her passion and you basically told her she has no business indulging in it."

Leo sighed before rounding the counter and patting his uncle on the shoulder before heading toward the door, "You, dear uncle, should get your apology speech ready."

Nicholas poured himself another glass, drinking it down. "I do have to agree. You're in the wrong this time, most definitely."

Andrew's face twisted and he groaned as if he knew he was in the wrong the entire time. As if the confirmation from others was a relief for him. "I've really stuck my foot in it this time, haven't I?"

Nicholas chuckled, "You think? And I thought I was the fool around here."

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Leo stood in the doorway of his cousin's room, watching her primp at her vanity. He sighed, the protector in him wanted to go back downstairs and pull Nicholas off to the side and demand he bloody well avoid his cousin, but watching the giddiness in her movements, the excitement in her voice every time she talked about them man. "Damn it," he muttered as he walked in, plopping down on her bed.

She glanced at him through her vanity, "You better not have gone riding in those clothes, Leo. I would hate to kill you for leaving behind the scent of horse dung on my fresh linen sheets."

He chuckled, "You do flatter me so with your words cousin. Truly, you do."

She huffed as she pinched at her cheeks before making a face. "Is Nicholas here? I heard someone come in."

"He's here. He's drinking with uncle Andrew. Well, more like babysitting... Your father is drinking through his cups for liquid courage."

Lafayette smiled at that, "He realized he was in the wrong this time, I take it?"

"Indubitably. He's rather distraught actually. How he'll apologize will be quite the show. But then again, inviting Nick over probably won't help his plight. We all know how he so annoys your mother."

Lafayette flushed, suddenly on guard. She knew how clever Leo was and it wouldn't take him long to see right through her and figure out that she had nudged her father along in inviting Nicholas over. She cleared her throat. "You're absolutely right. But it's much too late to tell him to leave. Mother knows he's attending and she didn't seem quite so angry, you know."

Leo raised a brow, "Didn't she?"

"No," Lafayette proclaimed, turning in her seat to smile at her cousin, "she was strangely calm. As if all the anger had been wiped clean out of her. A good omen?"

Leo shrugged, "Or the calm before the storm? You do know that caused the argument, right?"

His words wiped the smile off her face entirely. She hadn't thought of that at all. "I know what caused it... I, oh, dear."

"What's to be served for dinner?"

Lafayette cringed, "Pork stew and... Bloody hell. She's going to kill him."

Leo stood, "And?"

"Pork stew and tomato soup!"