Chapter Text
The Martin estate was abuzz with the arrival of the Stilinski family, up from London for their annual summer trip to Bath. Alpha Martin and his daughter Lydia had the servants tidy up and prepare for afternoon tea, as the carriage bearing their guests made its way to them.
The Honorable Omega Stiles Stilinski stared aimlessly out the window of the carriage, whilst his father read the paper.
“Don’t look so glum, son, you’ve always enjoyed our holidays to Bath,” the older man chided lightly.
“Ah yes, another month spent drifting about the estate and attending balls where no one will dance with me,” the boy’s honeyed voice grated out.
“You are almost of age now, Stiles, I won’t interfere any longer if you wish to dance.”
Stiles snorted. “And how long before your position in Parliament affords any suitor I may find a lifelong cell in Newgate?”
“You tease, and I find it quite flattering you think me merciful enough to spare your suitors execution.”
“One can only hope, I could arrange visits for prison, at least.”
Lord Stilinski merely rolled his eyes, “Your coming out ball will be held at the end of the year, you can worry more about your courtships then. As for this summer, you can meet some eligibles at tomorrow night’s dinner party. I would’ve thought you’d be more than eager to one up your cousin Lydia.”
Stiles smirked at him. “Don’t play coy, Papa, it doesn’t suit you.”
The gates were open and the servants waiting when they arrived, with the Martins waiting at the top of the steps to the estate.
“Brandon, Lydia, it’s been too long.”
“Johnathon, Stiles, a pleasure to see you again!”
Lydia looked to her cousin, giving him a rare, genuine smile. “Cousin, how are you?”
Stiles stepped into the other omega’s embrace, giving her a squeeze. “All the better to be here. There’s nothing quite like Bath.”
“Or the colonels who reside here?” The redhead responded with a smirk.
“Careful now, daughter, I work with a great deal of those men,” her father chided wearily.
The four stepped into the grand house, the two visitors removing their heavy coats, which had been needed in London’s ever drab weather, and moved to the sitting room where hot tea and fresh pastries awaited them.
Stiles wasted no time in indulging in the pastries, having quite the notorious sweet tooth, while his father drank his tea black, which often bewildered others. Lydia took her tea with the smallest dollop of cream, and Alpha Martin ignored all in favor of a cigar.
“Minnie has made all the preparations for tomorrow night’s party; the guests have all been properly invited, of course.”
“Mother has spent the last day and a half over at the McCalls, making sure the Alpha McCall knows to keep his tongue in front of Allison.”
“Is he really still vying for her? She turned him down on at least half a dozen separate occasions.” Stiles knew all too well of the epic war the Alpha McCall waged for the Omega Argent’s affections.
“She’ll be here early for luncheon with Mama, I expect we’ll get the full story then, should nothing more interesting come up first.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The train from London moved far too slowly for Derek’s liking, and his uncle’s obvious flirtations with the woman seated across from them did little to ease his nerves.
“You must tell me, Alpha Hale, wherever did you and your uncle learn such beautiful French?”
“In France, one would assume.”
Peter shot his nephew a withering look before continuing to charm the lovely and married, by the gold twined about her finger, woman from Liverpool or Devon or somewhere equally as dreary. Derek had refrained from divulging that while his own handle of the French language came from years of tutoring, his uncle picked the language up by working his way through all of the whorehouses in Paris, and would surely have made his way to the ones in Marseille and Lyon as well had he not been called upon to attend the annual summer season in Bath, as well as the ever charming dinner at the Martin Estate.
“If you’ll excuse me, Lady Pembrook,” Derek interjected, “I must take my leave.”
Leaving his seat in the dining car and, hearing the poor woman insist to his uncle her name was Pembry , made his way to the private compartment he shared with his uncle for some much needed rest, for he had spent his previous season managing his families lesser estates as part of his grooming to replace his dear mother Talia as head of the Hale family and assume the title of Marquis of Westminster, and had gone without a decent sleep since the first frost of winter.