Heirly Ever After, Vernon, Magan [best thriller novels to read .txt] 📗

Enough food that it could have probably fed my entire extended family for a few weeks and this was just for a few people surrounding the table for one night.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the empty seat next to Madison.

My eyes trailed over the long flow of her dress and how it ended just below the elegant curve of her neck, only visible when she brushed her hair to the side.

Concentrate on the family, Jacob. Not how darn good the woman next to you looks.

“Madison, I must have missed you getting ready. Sorry to have not been able to escort you,” I said curtly, trying not to stare at the way her teeth clung to her bottom lip. The lips that had been pressed to mine not long ago.

Shite, this girl knew just how to distract me, even if she didn’t mean to.

“She was with me,” an uppity voice called from beside her.

I glanced around Madison to see a petite blonde with bright blue eyes and her mother’s tight smile.

“Ah, you must be Lady Cecily,” I said as she put her hand out, and I took it in mine, noticing the same diamonds and emerald cuts along her manicured hands. How many did they have? What I would give to see my sister wearing our family’s legacy jewels, or even my future wife.

“Yes, and you’re the infamous Cousin Jacob, I see. And our mutual friend Madison’s date.”

I glanced between the two women, Madison shifting uncomfortably while Cecily’s eyebrows rose, her lips quirking into a slight smirk.

“Ah, yes, the reason we’re all here, for the wedding of my dear cousin Gavin to Madison’s sister,” I said, looking across the table at stone-faced Gavin as he took his seat next to the nervously smiling Natalie.

“Natalie, I hear you have a lot of tradition planned for us before the wedding. I look forward to hearing more about the English side of my family.” I took a sip of water out of one of the crystal goblets.

Lady Elizabeth giggled from the head of the table. “Oh, yes, I’ve been talking to her all morning in the library. It’s so exciting to finally have everyone back together and to carry on the old traditions.”

“And what are these traditions, Great-Auntie?” I asked, trying to hide my own smile. Exactly the excuse I needed to start a conversation on family history.

Her grin grew at least twice as wide on her face as she fluttered her hands. Though, out of the corner of my eye, Gavin’s mother, Lady Helena, winced at the term.

Good.

She should see that we were family.

Having Lady Elizabeth be excited about the discussion was just icing on the cake.

“Well, originally the couple wasn’t going to have a stag or hen party, but since you’re here, we will be having the official hen party for Natalie and the hunting stag for Gavin.”

“A hunting stag?” I asked, wondering if there were even stag anywhere in the village. The last time I hunted was when I was just a young lad and couldn’t say I enjoyed it since it was the middle of the winter.

Natalie cleared her throat.

Looking across the table, I caught her subtle smile.

Unlike Lady Helena and her son with their stiff and regal demeanor, Natalie’s shoulders were just a little more slumped. Relaxed even. But when she started talking, her entire face and body seemed to light up, her hands fluttering in the air like the Italian ambassadors did.

“A hen party and stag are the traditional parties for the bride and groom the day before a wedding. Kind of like bachelor and bachelorette parties in the States, but these last an entire day. The hen party usually consists of things like tea parties and long lavender soaks, while the stag focuses on hunting, fencing, archery, and all those more manly things. Though you’re welcome to also join us for tea if you’d like.”

“Did you plan all this before I came or just now for the occasion?”

Natalie laughed, putting her hand on Gavin’s arm, which he seemed to melt into, the first sign of a little bit of relaxation from the statue of a man. “Well, I’d always wanted to, but Gavin didn’t think we needed these parties. Hugh will be coming in soon. It’ll be fun to do all of these activities leading up to the wedding.”

“Hugh’s my brother. He’ll be in later tomorrow,” Gavin said, bemused.

“Grand. Will I be getting to meet the entire family?” I asked.

“Hopefully,” Lady Elizabeth cooed.

Something shifted in the pit of my stomach.

Were they all elated that I was here or was there a much deeper plan?

I wondered how much research Natalie had done on this family in all their library books. Maybe there was something in those old books that could give me the answers I needed. I had to get myself to the library as soon as possible.

Before any more awkward conversation could continue, the first course of chilled lemongrass soup was served, something that we never made at our own manor. It was considered something only for special occasions and frankly because it smelled and tasted like meaty lawn shavings.

“Did you make this, too?” Madison asked quietly.

“No, just the desserts. Which you left before we got to finish,” I said coolly, noticing her face flush.

Shite, why was I still playing this game with her?

“What was that I heard, you cooked?” Cecily’s voice rose over Madison.

All eyes at the table flickered toward me, their hard stares gliding over me.

“Bake. And just some of the desserts. Sort of a hobby of mine,” I said, trying to keep my voice even.

As soon as the words left my mouth, that smug smirk returned to Lady Helena’s lips, though she tried to hide it behind her wineglass. As if this was a clear sign that the MacWebleys were beneath the Webleys.

“That explains why Miss Madison was covered in frosting and sugar,” Cecily said with a laugh, and I swore Madison’s entire face turned the same shade of red as her hair.

“Madison, you