She opened her mouth to say something, then smiled on a soft laugh. “No, you weren’t. They are very lovely and do add to the scheme indeed. I am surprised you knew about them.”

“You will find, my dear Adelaide,” Gage broke in around a mouth of potato, “that Basset knows a very little bit about a great many things and must exercise this knowledge wherever he can.”

As he’d no doubt intended, laughter rang out from the other guests, though Harrison still looked at Adelaide, her smile still perched on her lips.

As the conversation around them continued, he could only shrug a little as though to ask her if it was all right. Her small nod at his gesture was enough, and he felt a warmth settle in his chest that had nothing to do with the meal before him.

“Shall we retire for some music and gifts?” Adelaide asked of the table, now that they all appeared to have finished the exquisite meal.

“Only if we do not have to go far, and the gifts are lavish,” Gage Trembath said without shame, continuing his trend of being exceptionally amusing and rather outspoken.

It was a most intriguing display, given there were two young ladies present who were unmarried and perfectly respectable.

Well, Emblyn was perhaps peculiarly respectable, but there was potential for a fortune from Basset, if need be.

Still, he was being rather free with his good humor, and it was difficult to say if he was being his truest self, or if he were aiming for a particular impression.

“I don’t know what sort of gift you are anticipating from us, Gage,” Basset inquired as they all stood. “By your own accounts, you have everything you need.”

“It is true,” Gage answered easily. “But I’ll have you know, I am in desperate need of a good pen wiper, and nobody ever gives it to me.”

Honora giggled at the idea, which made Emblyn grin, and the two girls linked arms and headed out of the room together.

Formal procession would have been nice as they moved to the rest of the evening, but Basset preferred informality in small, intimate gatherings, so they would not. It would have been a picture to have Gage bear one of the girls on each arm, though.

Perhaps he might do so at the Twelfth Night ball.

Basset held out his arm to Adelaide, and she took it with a smile. They moved toward the wide staircase all together, heading for the large drawing room that Adelaide had ordered to be particularly arranged for them.

“We’re not going to the music room?” Julia inquired from behind them.

Basset and Adelaide shared an amused look before Adelaide glanced over her shoulder at their guests. “We decided there was simply not enough space in the music room for a Christmas gathering.”

“You decided,” Basset interjected with emphasis.