Antoine had spent the morning much the way he spent every morning since their arrival in England. He'd met with his secretary and went over meetings that he felt would be prudent that he attend. He'd answered correspondence to people both here and back home in France.
When the time of day arrived in which he found himself sitting in his favorite armchair in the study that he'd claimed as his with the London Times spread out before him, he nursed a cup of coffee and read. It wasn't until he got to the section with the advertisements that he found himself jarred from routine. How dare his brother advertise without asking first? And, to be sure, it was the part about being discreet that stopped him most. What would his brother intend to be discreet about?
Rising from his chair and leaving the study, he was bombarded with servants telling him what his brother had been up to this morning. People coming and going, messengers arriving. And there was someone in with his brother now. Sighing, he walked to the room and listened at the door briefly. It wouldn't do for his brother to know that he'd heard so he made like he was arriving for the first time.
Walking into the room, he saw no need to be announced, he closed the door behind him and crossed to the other side of the room waiting. His eyes scanned the room and he sighed again. It seemed he did that more and more these days. He couldn't have people talking about how the eldest Laurent boy couldn't hold his temper so he bit his cheek and waited for his chance to speak to his brother.