"Yes, of course," Lord Laurent said smoothly as he and Sirius took a seat. "Our gardener is quite good."
As he warmed to the subject and began to talk about the rare plants they had and from where they'd been imported, Altair tuned him out. His father had never admired the gardens, except from an upstairs window, and he took a rather proprietary view of them. Plants were, after all, just another thing to own, and plants that were expensive or hard to come by were a marker of higher status.
Altair's mother had loved flowers that attracted bees and butterflies. Some of the worst fights he'd ever had with his father were about keeping the back gardens the same after his mother had died. Eventually they'd come to a compromise. Altair's father agreed to put the rare plants in the front, where they'd be seen better anyway, and keep the back gardens as Lady Laurent had wanted it.
Altair picked up his teacup once again and sipped his tea, which he took black. He watched Seloria over the rim of his cup. She was very beautiful, and her manners were excellent, but Altair suspected that she wasn't getting the best impression of the illustrious Laurent family. When she glanced at him, he met her eyes and quirked his lips in a small, rueful smile.
He didn't have much appetite, but one benefit of being the despised son was that the servants generally took pity on him. The cook knew Altair liked sweets, and she would save the extra tea cakes for him.
By the time Altair's teacup was empty, he judged enough time had passed so as not to bring insult on either side. He replaced the cup on the table and stood.
"Father," he said in his most respectful voice, "my understanding is that Miss Cassul has got a lot of visits to make today. We mustn't keep her too long, but I did agree to show her our award-winning gardens." Pandering to his father's pride always left a dry taste in his mouth, but he knew what was necessary to say.
"Of course," Lord Laurent agreed, replacing his teacup on the table as he stood. "Sirius and I ought to get back to our work anyway." On cue, Sirius stood as well. They both bid Seloria goodbye and thanked her for coming before filing back out.
With them gone, Altair crossed to Seloria and offered her his hand. "I realize you can't stay long, but if you're still interested, I would be honored to take you through the gardens before you leave."