Joyful Greetings and Surprising Twists

[Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel]

Castiel agreed with an apelike shaking of his head and smile, and while I smiled when he called me love it was easy enough to assume he actually meant it for the other lady present. Well and good for her, I suppose. Being a voyeur wasn't really my style but if I'd have to watch them cast glances full of affection at each other I'd do it with class. Besides, I'd only ever hated watching because it meant I wasn't involved. True still now, but I'd handle it. I always handled everything.

Giving my husband a nod and smile in return I watched him walk from the room for a moment, refusing to acknowledge his handsomeness or the more tense coldness in the air for his absence and started for the parlor. Not the usual one, this- that had far too small a table and not enough glasses to keep us from tainting our palates by reusing them. No, we'd need one of the others, meant for larger entertaining groups and almost like a men's after-dinner room. I'd learned my way around my house easily enough and it was acceptable, if not quite to my entertaining standards yet. Far too simple and rural, but seeing as how Lilli enjoyed Castiel's tastes it would probably suit her.

A bit harsh, I realized, and very much in the habit of my nature, but I reminded myself sharply that I was to be cordial to her. She was far too easy a target and hurting her would do me no good. Castiel was the one who more battles would have to be won against, especially now.

The lady's words drew my attention back to her and I simply listened, expression pleasantly nonchalant as though she were saying nothing I didn't know or understand. Generally I assumed apologies were made only to assuage someone's conscience or pride, or to give the appearance of sympathy, but she seemed sincere enough. Besides, no doubt she was embarrassed and if Castiel came in to her crying things would go more sorely with me. Best to cheer her up.

"It's fine," I told her, one single glance sideways at where my husband had gone and a servant had entered from breaking my gaze at her as I beckoned the man forward and murmured my request for hors d'oeuvres and glasses of water. Once he was gone I looked back at Lilli again. "There is very little to know, though I would hate to repeat what Castiel may have already told you, so perhaps we should let it pass." Smiling a bit wider and with a bit more sincerity I cocked my head, my expression more rueful. "I will call you Lilli though."

Moving closer to the door I gestured toward the sitting room with a delicate wave of my hand. "It's just this way if you're ready. The appetizers won't take long and there will be just enough time to pick out some glasses."

[Lillianne du Verais]

This entire situation was surreal, almost laughable, and I might very well have laughed had I not been afraid of crumbling into tears after. This was my own fault, all of it - I'd allowed myself to fall too hard too fast, and in my attempts at giving him space, all I had done is apparently shown him nothing, and he sought affection elsewhere.

None of this was Liselles fault... and was any of it Castiels? Parts, mayhap, but it all bled back to me again. I sighed softly at myself, not knowing what to believe right now. Stupid, stupid Lilli, always diving without looking. Well, this was one dive I would not make again; I would not open myself to this pain once more, or this humiliation, no matter how sweet Liselle was being.

Liselle certainly was taking this much better than I, though I supposed she had more time to adjust than me. Much more, and from the way she and Castiel had looked at each other, her heart wasn't tangled up in it. But was his? He had called her love, after all... and I liked to think he wouldn't throw that word around without meaning it. Not that it mattered - I wouldn't hear it directed to me anyway. I wouldn't allow it; he belonged to another.

I didn't comment when she suggested we let it all pass, though I still felt like I should be apologizing and explaining myself to her. I was not a hussy, I wanted to say, I didn't want to poach where her nets were already cast. But, no, I let it go as she gently bade, and let the subject flow along away from the most awkward of subjects to something more easily handled: food and drinks.

"I"m ready whenever you are," I offered amenably, walking slowly behind her so as not to run her heels over. "Your family is into wines? That must have provided a lovely childhood growing.. I could only imagine the sort of mischief one could get up to in such a place," I added, a tiny smile peeking out on my lips.