"Miss Kreel!"

He plows through the hallway and bows shortly to her.

His son has found a wife! Of an ancient family! He did not believe the boy had it in him.

"Sit! Come in, come in!"

“Where is Altan–? Oh, I suppose you can meet him later,” he dismisses his own thought.

He gives Galora a small nod. It’s okay. You can follow them.

He cannot stop smiling.

She tries to think through her objectives and draws a blank. Make a good impression? She always does, that's like breathing. 

She just needs to get from here to never needing to return to Father's house alone. 

Perhaps she could get his family to encourage them in eloping? 

It feels disorienting not to really have a secret purpose.

She follows them in. 

Ambrose does all the things a good fiancé should. He thinks.

Finds Galora a seat– there, by the window where she can get some sun– fluffs up the cushions just right, and asks one of the maids to get his betrothed a drink.

She is probably going to need it.

He gives her an encouraging look, and cuts in before his parents can begin their (well-meaning) interrogation.

“I know what you’re both going to say. Yes, I know this happened quickly. Miss Kreel and I – we simply did not wish to wait.”

HE DID WHAT. "You eloped?!" he barks. In truth he is impressed, the boy may have brains but no guts, he thought - but this is going too far - 

"You take this poor girl and you drag her across the country to be married, like the most vulgar- "

She lays a soothing hand on his arm and smiles, a little forcefully. "Darling. Will you not tell us how this happened, from the beginning?"

“What? No!” He defends indignantly, ignoring his mother’s attempts to intervene. “We did no such thing.”

Can Father not jump to conclusions for once in his life, just while we have a lady to impress—

“We would not have had the time, anyway.” Ruffled, Ambrose seats himself next to Galora. 

He frowns. 

Well, that's not good. 

She drops her shoulders and hunches in on herself, making herself look smaller, dropping away from his gaze - it's what people want to see, and it does sometimes work, she has no options here, doesn't know where the levers of power are -

He does not even begin to notice!

"Then what in the holy gods' name have you done, boy?"

He places a hand on her own and glares protectively at his father. 

“Proposed.”

She squeaks. 

"Oh my darling that's wonderful!"

"And you said yes?!" he booms at the girl. Politely. She is of a very good family. He booms politely. 

How did his son manage this???

She's terrified but not, in fact, stupid. She's missing something here. 

"Yes, sir."

Galora is getting nervous. He needs to take control, somehow.

“She charmed me the moment I saw her. His Grace encouraged me to approach her at last, at the Huntingdon ball, and we found an instant connection.”

Ambrose isn’t used to speaking like this in front of his parents. He can hardly believe it himself, would hardly believe it were she not right here. Tangible, warm and soft under his fingers.

“We are in love.”

She can do an incredibly convincing happy loving smile. 

She is crying a little bit, and she rushes over to embrace her son and her new daughter, at last.

"Well." The Duke himself was involved! This is a priceless opportunity. 

He gets up gruffly and shakes his son's hand in a crushing grip.

"We will have to prepare the wedding at once! It shall be months of work to make perfect."

Ow–

”Actually, we were hoping–“

“What have I missed?”

He’s sauntered in, bitten apple in hand. 

Somebody new is here. Red hair, is that–? Surely not. Has his brother brought home a girl?

Great timing as usual. 

“Ah, Galora– this is my brother, Altan, the one I was telling you about.”

“The very same.”

He bows and captures her hand and kisses it with perfect rakishness. 

…He does not like the way Altan is looking at his fiancée and is trying to be very good and not gouge his eyes out about it.

He catches Ambrose’s stare and smirks, but his gaze soon turns quizzical. “Dare I assume, brother?”