So maybe it was a bit of the coward's way out, but any excuse to not have to face Marietta and the weight of a decision, really of a future, for at least a little longer. There was also the fact that now he was back in the family's good graces, he had to manage his mother.
That meant that Zacharias Smith needed to pick his battles and while at the outset, just because Elaina didn't appear to have anything to do with Arabesque Greengrass inviting him to tea didn't mean a thing. Pureblood wives were all just trouble and in league with each other. And after a few exchanges with Astoria about her mother, he was curious to meet the woman in person again and see if she lived up to all of the hype.
He stood as Astoria entered the room, funny how these sort of reflexes always surfaced in the right setting. "Astoria, a pleasure as always," he said smiling back at her. "Your mother and I were just catching up." Zacharias waited until she was seated to sit back down again. "There does seem to be quite a number of things happening these days."