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It was not until a fortnight that her nephew Eijun had finally set foot in the Viscount St. Vincent’s household.
Her father’s sole attempt at communicating this unforeseen delay was a hurried missive informing her that his plans to vacate England had been postponed and subsequently, so was Eijun’s arrival.
The flowers which her daughter Ayaka had painstakingly adorned her cousin’s room with had already turned into such an unbecoming shade of brown and was thrown out accordingly. Mrs. Nakamura, their housekeeper and a consummate stickler for cleanliness, even felt the need to air the sheets thrice before their most awaited guest had presented himself.
When cousin Eijun did arrive, in a sunlit afternoon, they were all of them, barring the Viscount who was currently away from the house, in the perfect place to observe his glorious arrival. Her two eldest daughters, Ayaka and Kaori had just finished joining her for a drive in the park and all three were ascending the staircase to change their attire when Takahiro suddenly came bounding down, almost knocking them flat into the steps and running towards the door shouting, “It’s him! It’s him! Woah, that’s a lot of luggage—but by Jove if that isn’t the finest beast in the land!”
The boy’s speech had so astounded his mama that Lady St. Vincent was for a moment, speechless. Mr. Fujimoto, their butler, who doubtlessly heard Takahiro’s commotion but possessed a sterner mind than Her Ladyship had sallied forth towards the front door with some of the servants, swiftly surveyed the outside and promptly announced to his mistress that Mister Sawamura had, at that moment, arrived.
The footmen opened the front doors to allow the ladies a most favorable view of such a handsome equipage, along with the awed and intrigued faces of the Viscount’s three youngest siblings who were playing bat-and-ball in the garden of the square. The children attached themselves to the railings, amidst their nurse’ indignant scolding, striving to take a glimpse of the animal which had attracted their elder brother’s attention and brought him down in the fashion of a whirlwind.
Their cousin’s arrival was nothing less than magnificent. Four strong horses, who appeared as if steaming from the exertion of the lengthy journey, fronted the chaise, accompanied by two outriders and a sturdy-looking groom who steered a most excellent black horse.
The doors of the post chaise opened and before a stone-faced female carrying a dressing bag, three parasols and a bird cage could alight, an Italian greyhound vaulted over, eager to be out of the vehicle’s constraints.
Afterwards, Mister Sawamura finally descended but instead of accepting the footman’s help to get down, he asked him to hold his poor little Miyu instead.
This poor little Miyu turned out to be a monkey dressed in a velvet coat and a funny hat, and scarcely had the little children beheld the animal when the little party scrambled towards their cousin, tearing the garden gate open and running past Ms. Sano, their appalled nurse, shouting in delight, “A monkey! He’s brought a monkey!”
The Lady St. Vincent was stupefied. Her father’s tales regarding her omega nephew, she now realized, had been nothing but misleading. Sir Eitoku’s little Eijun stood five feet nine inches in his stockinged feet, built with lean flesh, long-legged, with a cheery face and a head full of glossy brown locks under a most fetching hat.
She watched as her nephew stooped over gracefully and clasped her youngest daughter’s hand, laughing gaily, “Yes, yes, indeed I am your cousin Eijun! Pray won’t you prefer to call me Ei-chan? It is a much rather endearing name don’t you think? Tell me your name!”
“I’m Chika! Oh and if you please, may I speak with the monkey?”
“Of course you may, for I brought him for you! Do be gentle when you approach, he’s a bit shy you see. That’s why I call him Miyu, for his beauty and gentleness.”
“Brought him for me? Truly?” Chika gasped.
Eijun laughed, “Not only for you darling, for all of you.”
At this, he smiled warmly at Tsubasa and Yuiko who found themselves quite bashful in the presence of their cousin, “Oh and the parrot too, of course. Do you like pets better than books and toys? I always did so and thought it very likely that you would too.”
This declaration removed any lingering shyness from the two and they soon found themselves clinging to their cousin’s embrace.
“Cousin!” Takahiro called, breaking in on the ardent assurances of the children that cousin Eijun indeed had judged their taste most accurately, in a manner in fact that was highly unequaled in all of their experiences of adults, “Is that your horse?”
Eijun turned away from the children and watched Takahiro with an open and honest countenance, the smile still remaining, “Indeed he is! I call him Kai, do you like him?”
“Like him? By Jove if he isn’t the most magnificent horse I have seen! Is he Spanish? Have you brought him from Portugal?”
“Ei-chan, what’s your doggy’s name?”
“Cousin Eijun, can the parrot speak? Ms. Sano, can we keep it in the schoolroom?”
“Mama! Mama! Cousin Eijun has brought us a monkey!”
Tsubasa’s jovial shout urged Eijun to survey the area. Seeing his aunt and older cousins on the doorway, he ran up the steps and exclaimed, “Dearest Aunt Aiya! I beg your pardon! I was making friends with the children! How do you do? I am very much happy to be here! Thank you for letting me come!”
Lady St. Vincent stood quite overwhelmed still feebly gripping the dissipating thought of the diffident nephew of her earlier imaginings, but when the wondrous gleaming opposite finally presented himself in front of her, she promptly threw all false thoughts into a void of things unregretted and unremembered. She clasped Eijun in her arms, looking over the lovely child with sparkling eyes and such a healthy complexion. “Dearest Eijun! --quite overwhelmed! Oh how big you are and such a blooming countenance! Welcome dear, dear child. Welcome!”
Upon closer inspection, her nephew indeed seemed a most striking presence that she had taken a moment to recollect herself before introducing Ayaka and Kaori to their cousin Eijun.
“Ayaka and Kaori? Truly? But you are both so beautiful, why can’t I remember that?”
The statement was spoken with such glaring frankness that Ayaka, who was overwhelmed at first, began to let out a giggle.
Indeed, one can never suspect Eijun of being dishonest, what goes in his head generally goes out of his mouth unfiltered.
“Well, I did not remember either!” Ayaka retorted, “I thought you were our little tanned cousin, all legs and tangled hair!”
“Yes, but I am—oh, not tangled, perhaps, but all legs, I assure you, and dreadfully tanned! Indeed, I have not grown up into a beauty! Sir Eitoku tells me I must abandon all pretensions—and he is a judge, you know!”
However, the Lady St. Vincent thinks, a beauty or not one can never forget Sawamura Eijun.
Her nephew turned to her and asked, “Will you people direct my groom to where he may stable Kai, ma’am? Only for tonight, I assure you! Oh and a room for himself? I shall arrange everything just as soon as I have learnt my way about!”
Takahiro swiftly assured him, that he himself would lead his cousin’s groom and ensure that his splendid horse would be accommodated most comfortably. Eijun smiled and thanked him while Lady St. Vincent insisted that there was room to spare in the stables and that he must not trouble his head in such matters.
But Eijun was determined, “No, no, my horses are not to be charged upon you, dear aunt! Sir Eitoku particularly charged me to make my own arrangements if I should be setting up my stable, and indeed I mean to do so! But for tonight it would be so kind of you!”
That was enough to send Lady St. Vincent reeling, what kind of omega nephew was this, who set up his stable, made his own arrangements, and called his grandfather Sir Eitoku? Lady St. Vincent found him to be a most obliging relative, very sensitive and very mindful that he be not a burden to others—oh but darling Eijun can never be a burden!
Then Tsubasa came forward with the monkey in his arms demanding that mama should tell Ms. Sano that poor Miyu be allowed in the schoolroom.
Lady St. Vincent shrank from the monkey, “My love, I don’t think—oh, dear, whatever will Youichi say? Oh and the Kominatos!”
“Youichi is not such a muff as to be scared of a monkey!” Tsubasa insisted.
“Indeed Miyu will not bite anyone!” Eijun encouraged, “I had him with me for nigh a week and he is the gentlest creature! You will not banish him, wouldn’t you Ms. Sano? Oh and how do you do?”
Between her horror at having a monkey thrust upon her care and her desire to please this glowing omega, who extended his hand kindly in greeting, Ms. Sano seemed charmed at the request.
“Do forgive me aunt! I know it is most impertinent but do allow the children to keep poor Miyu!”
Lady St. Vincent remarked that she had no issue upon it (despite her wariness at keeping such a pet) but that they should ask Youichi for permission, a remark that all the young children took as consent to take the monkey to the schoolroom at once, none of them thinking that their oldest brother would have any objections.
Their mother fretted however, “I do worry upon the Kominatos receiving such a pet when Youichi finally weds the eldest omega.”
At the mention of this, Eijun perked up. “When can I meet them?”
Her Ladyship smiled, “Oh darling, Youichi is helping them move here in London. He has hired a house for them to stay in before the wedding. They will call on us soon, I am sure.”
“I do hope they take a good liking to poor Miyu and the parrot and of course, my dog—Ace.”
Lady St. Vincent patted her hand uneasily, “Of course, darling.”
Eijun was then led up to the Blue Saloon where she at once cast her sables onto a chair, unbuttoned her pelisse and tossed off her modish hat. Her aunt, fondly drawing her to sit beside her on the sofa, kindly asked if she was tired from the journey and if she would be partial to some refreshments.
“No, indeed! Thank you, but I am never tired and although it is a trifle tedious, I could not count it as a journey!” He said. “I should’ve been with you this morning, only that I was obliged to go to Merton first.”
“Go to Merton? What for dearest? Have you any acquaintances there?”
“No, no, but Sir Eitoku desired that I do so!”
“Oh darling, do you always call your grandpapa Sir Eitoku?”
His eyes gleamed even more, “No, if he makes me very cross I call him grandpapa!” He continued, “It is of all things what he most dislikes! Poor angel, it is a great deal too bad that he should be saddled with such a maypole for a grandson! Oh and of course, no one can expect him to bear it!”
His aunt sat shocked at the admission and he added with his unnerving candor, “You do not like that! I’m so sorry but indeed he is a delightful parent, and I love him very dearly! But it is one of his maxim’s you know that one should never allow one’s partiality to blind one to a person’s defects.
The astonishing proposition that a grandson should be encouraged to take note of his grandfather’s faults caused so much horror to Lady St. Vincent that she remained speechless.
Kaori, on Eijun’s other side, desired so much to learn what he was at Merton for that she spoke for her dazed mother.
“Only to take Sancia to her new home,” Eijun explained, “That is why you saw me with those ridiculous outriders, for nothing can convince Sancia that English roads are quite safe. Safer at least than the bandits and guerilleros who so much infested Spanish streets!”
“Who is this Sancia?” His aunt asked in bewilderment.
“Oh! The Marquesa de Villacanas, of course! Hadn’t Sir Eitoku informed you of her name? I highly suppose you would like her! Indeed, you must like her! She is quite stupid and terribly indolent, but so very pretty and of a very good nature!”
The explanation did nothing but baffle his aunt even further, “You don’t know? Perhaps, he did not tell you? Indeed, he did not! Oh that man! Why, dearest aunt, Sir Eitoku is going to wed Sancia.”
“What?” Lady St. Vincent gasped.
“Yes, indeed he is. You must be glad, if you please, for she suits him very well. She is a widow, and extremely wealthy.”
“Why, he never did breathe a word of this to me!”
“Sir Eitoku believes explanations are rather dull, you see, that it might take too long. I am sure you’re quite aware that he has no patience for questions,” Eijun said in an excusing manner. “Or perhaps,” he added with a playful glint in his eyes, “that I might do it for him!”
“Why papa never told me! Not even an inclination! Oh it it so just like that man!” Lady St. Vincent declares in indignation. “Pray, tell me my dear, when does he intend to marry this Marquesa?”
“That, I fancy is why he has never informed you of it,” Eijun answered seriously. “You see, he cannot marry until I am off his hands. It is so awkward for him, poor dear! I have sworn to do my best, but I never can marry anyone I do not like! He understands me most superbly. This is one thing I can never accuse him of—that he is unreasonable for he never is!”
“But why cannot grandfather be married until you are, Eijun?” Kaori asked curiously.
Eijun answered swiftly, “Why it is due to Sancia! She dislikes the thought of being a sort of stepgrandmama for me.”
Lady St. Vincent raged silently at the thought of the callous Spaniard, “You poor child! How brave you are to confide in me. She is jealous of you, I am sure of it! It is too bad of my father. Oh but if I had known this!” Then a sudden thought darted through her mind and she gasped, “Is she unkind to you, Eijun? Does she scorn you?”
At the inquiry, Eijun laughed as if the very thought was absurd. “Oh I’m sure she never disliked anyone in her life! It is that everybody would expect her to care for me and she is much too lazy! No, indeed, she is much too handsome and too good-natured to be jealous of me. To be sure, she confesses a most considerable affection for me, but share a household with me she will not. No, pray do not think I blame her!”
“She seems to me a very odd sort of woman,” his aunt insisted, unconvinced. “Pray tell why does she live in Merton?
"Indeed, she is Aunt Aiya! Most odd to be sure! Oh and Sir Eitoku hired the prettiest villa for her in Merton! She means to live retired until Sir Eitoku comes back to England. She will lie in bed until the morning is half gone, eat a great many sweetmeats, read a great many novels and be perfectly pleased to receive friends that would take the trouble to visit her and would not mind if she sometimes remains asleep for the visit. Sir Eitoku insists that she is the most reposeful female of his acquaintance.” When Eijun spots his dog he stroked him and added charmingly, “Why except for Ace here, of course.”
As his loyal companion licked his fingers in affection, he turned to his aunt in worry, “Oh dear ma’am! I hope you do not detest dogs? For I can never part with her, you see.”
Lady St. Vincent assured him she had no objections to dogs, although she is much wary of monkeys. “Oh do forgive me! I found him in Bristol and could not resist gifting him to the children! Why now that I have given Miyu to them, I daresay they will be much distressed to give them up.”
At this, his aunt had no argument, fully aware of how her littlest children would take to the thought of removing their newest pet.
Lady St. Vincent, determined not to think about Youichi and the Kominatos' possible rejection of the animal, opted to talk about her nephew’s aspirations to wed.“But oh indeed darling, if you had come much earlier, I might have found a most suitable match for you.”
Eijun looked at his aunt in wonder, “Indeed, why is it so?”
“You see, Youichi’s closest friend—Lord Westcliff, well that is his proper address but Youichi calls him Miyuki and Lord Westcliff calls my Youichi, Kuramochi. See, darling, what good friends they are? Well, Lord Westcliff is a very pleasant man and to be sure I should have been very happy to see you two as a match, I declare I could scarcely find a finer alpha for my darling nephew to have! Although I confess I rather thought he’d ask Youichi to marry one of his sisters, but oh it was not to be, he is betrothed.”
At this, Ayaka who remained silent throughout the entirety of the conversation interjected, “He is very rich too, cousin!” Lady St. Vincent looked at her disapprovingly “--and very handsome!”
Eijun laughed, “Fine qualities one should find in a prospective match, to be sure, but it is of paramount importance that he be unbound, cousin Ayaka.”
Ayaka looked at him with a mischievous smile, “Oh, but he is only engaged to be married and not yet wed.” At Ayaka’s insinuation, Lady St. Vincent gasped scandalously while Eijun laughed hard in apparent delight.
-
By the time Eijun had changed his travelling dress for an evening gown of pale green crape, with rich silk trimmings, and tied at the waste with a cord and tassels, his cousin Ayaka had also completed her own toilet and was ready to escort him downstairs to the drawing room.
At the door, the Viscount arrived and Mr. Fujimoto received him with a grim expression.
"Has the little hellion arrived then?" Lord St. Vincent asked as he passed his greatcoat and hat to a footman.
At the butler's terse nod, Youichi released a long-suffering sigh and prepared himself to face calamity in its human form. "God help us all."