Because no one says no to Henry Bolingbroke

[newredmuses]

Only the strength of his father's friendship with Bolingbroke has him here -- that and Kate's insistence that he must occasionally act like he is part of a company, with responsibilities to allegiances greater than his own. This is why he is glumly walking up this long driveway with a bottle of good scotch under his arm, though he neither cares much for whiskey nor for the man in whom most of it will inevitably end up.

"I have far better things I could be doing with myself tonight," he mutters, when there is still time to make a phone call and go home to those pastimes, like building a model airplane or butchering some karaoke or, God save them all, babysitting.

Comments

[adivasheadvoices]

"I hope it gets you farther."

She sighs, and reaches out to touch his shoulder again.

"Hal -- won't you do me a favor tonight and not bait him?"

[newredmuses]

There's a moment, between the sardonic smirk and the furrowed brow, a flash of canniness that belies the rest of him. Hal cants his head and pauses. "How on earth do you live with him?" he asks quietly.

[adivasheadvoices]

She gives him a sharp grin.

"Use your imagination."

[newredmuses]

"A cold shower for me, then." He glances over her shoulder. "I think I've just spotted Westmoreland." He leans close and lowers his voice. "We'll continue this conversation later."

[adivasheadvoices]

"Will we," pleasantly.

Time to go find her husband and make sure he's behaving, then.

[newredmuses]

Hal tips an imaginary hat and strides off.

Maybe it's through this brief gap in the hall that allows Kate to be spotted. Margaret Percy, her mother-in-law, gives her shoulder a squeeze. "Kate, my dear! I assume if you're here you've brought that son of mine with you."

[adivasheadvoices]

"Margaret!"

Kate beams and gives her mother-in-law a quick hug. "He's around here somewhere. I sent him off to say hello to our host."

[newredmuses]

"That should narrow things down a bit. I've sent his father to do the same." She smiles. "And how are you this evening? Managing things well?"

[adivasheadvoices]

"Oh, I'm fine. Are we putting all the Henrys in one place, then?" She glances back over shoulder. "Hopefully with one exception."

[newredmuses]

"What would be the collective noun for that? A murder? Or a calamity?" She says it so casually, it's a dare to anyone to overhear. "I must confess, I'm a bit let down that young Bolingbroke hasn't invited all these friends I hear so much about. Isn't that what makes these affairs worth coming to?"

[adivasheadvoices]

Dry: "Stick around long enough, and I hear you may have your chance. I'm amazed his father lets him get away with it."

[newredmuses]

"His father nothing. I know he drives our Harry mad." She chuckles. "I think I came to see that too. Tell me, they haven't already crossed paths, have they? Have I missed the fireworks?"

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate sighs. "Just a few sparks. If I'm lucky that's all there'll be."

[newredmuses]

"I'm starting to think it's some sort of hackneyed dynastic thing. Bolingbroke drives my husband batty too, though in different ways. Hal doesn't have a child yet, does he? Oh!" She lays a hand on Kate's arm. "Henry was good as gold when he was over last, by the way. Did you get a lot of work done? Harry said you were both quite tied up."

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate beams.

(Her husband is absolutely incorrigible and she loves him.)

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. Thank you so much for taking him. We got to be so productive."

[newredmuses]

(Margaret smiles, just so. Where did Harry get that from, I wonder?)

"Oh yes, we made masks and puppets and a terrific batch of fruit bars, and then we got out the big bucket of crayons that will outlive us all--"

From behind Kate's shoulder, Harry scoffs. "How dare you talk about my father like that!"

[adivasheadvoices]

Kate's smile goes nowhere, and her voice stays bright.

"I beg your pardon, Margaret, I think I should go see to that."

[newredmuses]

Margaret nods knowingly. "Good luck and godspeed, dear."

In the center of a cluster of men hobnobbing near (but not on) the leather sectional sofa, Harry is at his most animated. "--and to conclude, I said to my cousin Vernon that if he thinks the French are out of Scottish start-ups for good, he'll have his head put on straight when the Douglas has half your next acquisition swallowed up in Edinburgh!"

[adivasheadvoices]

Oh thank God, nobody looks offended yet.

"It's ridiculous to think they'll ever be out of British start-ups, though," objects one of the younger men. "It's a global economy, Percy, like it or not."

[newredmuses]

"Do you not like it? I like it very much." He flashes a wolfish grin. "How else should I have so much opportunity to learn from Welsh wizards? There are only so many ways to throw over the old in Britain. If no one listens to me, the devil take them! They'll deserve everything get, running in place like you would have us, Walter Blunt." He taps his temple. "See, I can remember your name."

[adivasheadvoices]

Blunt laughs.

"And I can remember yours, Harry Percy. Must be early yet."

[newredmuses]

He raises his cup and winks. "Go on, then. Guzzle enough to forget me? I'll leave those endeavors to our gracious hosts."

[adivasheadvoices]

The laughter this time is more subdued. Nobody really wants to draw attention to the younger Bolingbroke's indiscretions -- but nobody can exactly deny them, either.

Kate judges this to be a good time to insinuate herself into the conversation, and does so with a cheerful "Hello, lads!" and an arm slipped around her husband's waist.

[newredmuses]

The squeeze he gives her hand is an admission that he's crossed a line, but he can't let that show, not openly. He'll thank her for saving his neck in private later.

"My much better half! Come to rescue us from our shop talk?" He drapes an arm over her back. "You all know my wife Kate, then?"

"He talks about you enough, I feel we've met already," says one of them with a smile.

[adivasheadvoices]

"I'm sure we've met at some Christmas party or other. Good to see you all." She pecks Harry on the cheek. "I just wanted to see if you found Mr. Bolingbroke."