RenataAndGiulianAs she was coming back from Decuma's room, Renata saw Giulian emerge from the breakfast room. He looked up at her approach and forced a smile, but it couldn't banish the trouble from his eyes. "Hullo, Renata. Have you had lunch yet? There's a buffet laid out in the breakfast room." He motioned with his head toward the room he had just left. "Thanks awfully, Jules, but I've eaten." She looked at him with gentle compassion. "You know, there is so much going on now, so much ... everywhere, and you've been an absolute trump, but I don't think anyone would think less of you if ... well, if the hospitality standards weren't quite so perfect..." Amusement flickered in his expression despite himself. "What? You don't think I'm doing any of the work, do you?" More softly he added, "To tell the truth, I think it makes the staff feel better ... to be able to create an island of order in a sea of chaos." "I hadn't thought of it that way, but I imagine you're right. We all need to feel that there are some things — and people — we can count on, even at times like this." She reached out and touched his wrist very gently. Giulian nodded and said, "Yes. I've been thanking God for them for most of the past twenty-four hours. I expect you have, too." "Oh, yes," she said, and smiled at him. The smile was tinged with sadness — she could not forget what had happened to her mother, what had happened, and might still be happening, to Aquila herself — but it was real, and held affection and hope, as well as gratitude. She then said, "Jules, I heard about Elissa, I wasn't eavesdropping, I just heard ... and I want you to know I'm absolutely sure she will be all right. She's strong and clever and indefatigable. And ... frankly ... I think she'd make a good match for you." All right, she'd probably gone too far with that, but he was practically another brother, she could get away with it. A slight flush of red dusted his cheekbones, but Giulian just nodded. "I ... I've been thinking that too. If — when I get her back, I'll ask her what she thinks of the idea." He gave Renata a direct look. "What about you? Are you having any thoughts in that line? Though I suppose this isn't really a good time for it..." "I'm sure my parents have — had — have — some sort of idea in progress, but they ... I haven't been told yet." And she knew her father would not be happy if he knew about the odd, nice, awkward feelings Decuma was creating in her. Nor would Harry or Alex ... the only one who might have understood was gone. So she'd have to work it out for herself... Giulian arched an eyebrow. "I wasn't talking about what your parents think. I wondered about your own feelings. After all, Elissa's not exactly the match my parents would have picked out for me..." "We should probably join the others," she said. "I'm not sure where they are," Giulian said. "They'd both finished eating. I think Xavier went back upstairs. I don't know where Harry disappeared to. Maybe back into the morning room?" |
