“Shush,” Alexander said with an irate glare. “I’ve no desire to spend another moment feigning interest in feathers and fripperies.”
Elliot craned his neck, hoping to direct the new arrivals his way. Well, he had to find some way to amuse himself. Watching Alexander squirm always proved entertaining.
As he watched an array of heads part to make a pathway through the throng, a strange feeling of familiarity flooded his chest. As soon as he caught a glimpse of the lady’s golden locks and the gentleman’s brown hair, his heart skipped a beat.
Elliot narrowed his gaze.
Leo?
His friend’s face filled his field of vision. Elliot’s mind told him it was impossible, that his eyes were seeing a glittering mirage concocted by his wild imagination.
“Good Lord,” he gasped, blinking rapidly out of fear he had made a mistake. “Leo is here.”
“Don’t be absurd,” Alexander said, turning to scan the room. “They’d not travel all the way—”
As the couple broke through the crowd, Leo and Ivana were suddenly standing before them. Elliot’s heart almost leapt through his mouth. Without another word he raced over, embraced his brother, brought his sister’s hand to his lips and kissed it. Alexander came to join them, his cries of joy attracting attention.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Elliot struggled to contain his excitement. The blood rushed through his body so quickly he could hear it vibrating in his ears.
Leo grinned. “We’ve come to rescue you from the evil clutches of a room full of bores.”
Ivana tapped Leo playfully on the arm. “We have come to stay for a while.”
Alexander cleared his throat. “Having braved the three-week journey, you’ll need to stay for a month to recuperate.”
Ivana glanced at Leo and smiled. “I think we plan to stay a little longer than that.”
Ignoring the gapes and stares, they bombarded the new arrivals with questions. As soon as the dance ended, Evelyn and Grace hurried over, and they spent another few minutes embracing.
“And so now you are a marchioness,” Evelyn said affectionately.
“As I have just been reminded by those who stopped to greet us,” Ivana replied. “You know what it is like at the castle. No one pays any notice to such things.”
Leo raised a brow. “From your most recent letter, I understand we have two new nephews.”
All four of them tried to answer at once, but then stopped, laughed and gestured for Elliot to continue. “Our sons are both six months old.”
“Louis is our son.” Grace beamed with pride.
“And Theo is ours,” Evelyn added.
“And what of the other children,” Ivana asked eagerly. “Are they well? Are they thriving?”
Elliot nodded. “They are all doing remarkably well. Come to Portman Square tomorrow evening.” He had almost invited them for dinner but thankfully remembered that they still suffered from the affliction. “We will all gather there and wait until you’re able to venture out.”
Ivana smiled. “That would be wonderful. I cannot wait to see their smiling faces.”
“How … how are the Bruhns?” Evelyn asked hesitantly.
“They are living up at the castle,” Leo informed. “Herr Bruhn has taken to carving wooden figures. He has made one for each of the children.”
“Come,” Alexander said. “Let us go and find somewhere quiet to talk, where there are not twenty pairs of ears all listening out for a juicy piece of gossip.”
As they made their way through the ballroom in a bid to reach Alexander’s study before being pounced upon by another nosey guest, Elliot gave a contented sigh. It felt good to be together again. In his wildest dreams, he would never have thought the golden-haired devil would become like a sister to him. It seemed that life had a way of delivering the unexpected. Even in the darkest times, he now knew one must always have faith.
The next morning, Leo woke with a start as he struggled to recognise his surroundings. It took him a moment to realise he was in London and not snuggled up in their huge bed in the castle.
The warm body curled next to him shuffled closer. “What time is it?” Ivana asked dreamily.