Work Text:
It annoys Colin, Francesca knows, that his news is no surprise to her; he does love to tell a good tale, this most buoyant of her brothers.
“You’ve heard, then,” he says, flatly, crossing his arms, “from who - Daphne or Eloise - oh, why do I even bother to ask, we both know which of them couldn’t hold her tongue if our very fortunes depended upon it.”
“Oh, I’d known for years, actually,” Francesca says, and delights in Colin’s shock for several delicious seconds before continuing, “You forget that your wife is not the only member of the family who prefers to be still and observe others, though as it goes so much against your natural inclination to make trouble, I can see why,” and if Colin is speechless for several moments afterwards, perhaps she savors that, too.