Chapter 164

Cassandra was still growing accustomed to the quiet of her new bedchamber when Nora arrived to inform her that breakfast was ready.

Morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, falling across the muted sage bedding and the dark wood panelling.

She slept better than she expected, and the thought of another day in her new home no longer felt quite so daunting.

She got dressed for the day, allowing Nora to arrange her hair in a simple style, then followed her maid downstairs.

The dining hall was already occupied. Octavia sat beside Lorelei.

Eugenia, who seemed incapable of remaining serious for very long, was recounting something that had happened during the wedding celebrations while Merissa listened with rapt interest.

Draven sat at the head of the table and like the others, he was also paying attention to his sister’s rather dramatic storytelling. But that was until he noticed Cassandra

His face brightened the very second he saw her and just like that, everything else was promptly forgotten.

"There you are. Come and join us."

He rose as she approached and drew out the chair beside him.

Cassandra accepted the gesture with a grateful smile, settling into the seat he pulled out for her before he returned to his place at the head of the table.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Very well, thank you. I cannot recall the last time I slept so peacefully. I tend to feel rather anxious when sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings."

"I’m glad to see you settling in nicely."

Breakfast was served and they dug in. After some time, Octavia turned her attention to Merissa. "And how are you enjoying your stay, my dear? I hope the wedding festivities weren’t too overwhelming."

"Not at all. I enjoyed myself immensely." Merissa reached for a piece of toast, her face brightening as she spoke. "I met so many interesting people, and several very handsome gentlemen."

Eugenia chuckled. "Several? You make it sound as though you were conducting an inspection."

"Well, I was obliged to make the most of the occasion," Merissa replied, entirely untroubled by the teasing. "It would have been a waste to spend the entire event speaking only to people I already knew."

Lorelei glanced at her. "And did any of these gentlemen distinguish themselves sufficiently to warrant a second meeting?"

Merissa considered the question seriously. "Perhaps one."

"Only one?" Eugenia asked. "You disappoint me."

Their amusement spread around the table, and even Octavia smiled at the younger woman’s enthusiasm.

Cassandra found herself listening with pleasure. The family possessed an ease with one another that came from years of shared experiences, old jokes and familiar disagreements. She could not yet take part in all of it, but she was no longer merely an observer. They had welcomed her into their home, and there was room for her to find her own place among them.

Draven turned towards her even while the other conversation still went on.

"Do you have any plans for this morning?" He asked.

Before Cassandra could answer, Eugenia interjected from across the table.

"She has plans with me."

Draven gave his sister a droll look."Does she?"

"I promised to show her around the house yesterday. You remember, Cassandra?"

"Ah, yes." Cassandra smiled. "Of course I remember. How could I forget?"

"I could take her around myself," Draven offered.

Eugenia was entirely unmoved. "And deprive me of the pleasure of keeping my promise? Besides, don’t you have something else to do, ducal obligations. Focus on those, why don’t you."

"I am perfectly capable of showing her around this morning." Draven argued. He was beginning to loathe the way Genie was constantly usurping his time with Cassandra.

"I don’t doubt it. But I already offered, and I have made the arrangements. It would be terribly rude for me to go back on my word now."

Draven gave his sister a dark look. Eugenia responded with an innocent smile before resuming her breakfast.

Cassandra lowered her gaze to her plate, concealing her amusement.

It was becoming increasingly apparent that Eugenia had no intention of allowing her brother to monopolise his wife’s time, and Draven seemed equally determined not to concede defeat.

Their rivalry was more playful than hostile, though Cassandra suspected that Eugenia’s familiarity with her brother made her unusually well equipped on ways to frustrate him.

In the end, Draven abandoned the argument. Breakfast continued, and the family soon moved on to other subjects. Cassandra learned a little more about the household’s arrangements and listened as Octavia and Lorelei discussed some matters concerning the coming weeks.

The meal passed pleasantly, and when the servants began clearing the table, Eugenia got to her feet with a bright grin.

"Alright then, off I go." She said but the words were mostly directed to her brother, a bid to annoy him even more than she already had.

"Shall we?" she asked Cassandra.

Cassandra rose from her chair. "Lead the way."

---

Eugenia began the tour with the areas closest to the main stairwell, explaining the purpose of each as they went.

The residence was larger than Cassandra had yet appreciated, with long corridors connecting the principal rooms and smaller passages leading towards the private quarters. There were still many parts of the house she had not seen, and she was grateful that Eugenia knew it well enough to guide her without trouble.

The music room was one of the first places they visited. A pianoforte stood near the windows, with music sheets arranged on a nearby stand and chairs positioned to accommodate listeners.

Eugenia explained that the family occasionally gathered there in the evenings, particularly when visitors were staying at the residence.

"Do you play?" Cassandra asked.

"A little. Though I am not certain my playing would encourage anyone to linger. Lorelei is the one who is gifted."

"I’m sure you’re being modest."

"Not at all. I have many talents, but musical genius is not among them."

Cassandra laughed, and Eugenia seemed pleased to have elicited the response. She moved on before Cassandra could question her further, leading her into a bright morning room with pale curtains and comfortable chairs meant for relaxation.

"This is a pleasant room," Cassandra remarked.

"It is one of my favourites. Mother sometimes comes here to read, and I used to spend hours in this room when I was younger. I have many fond memories here."

Cassandra glanced around again, already imagining herself reading by the window or taking her correspondence there when she wanted a change from her chambers.

The rooms she had seen so far were not merely grand spaces intended to impress visitors. They were places where the family had spent years living, working and resting, each carrying traces of its occupants.