OF DREAMS AND CEREMONIES Read Online Free Page A

course."
    Another pause lengthened. Dave must have been looking a bit lost, as Simon softly said, "Don't worry unnecessarily, Dave. Nicholas leads a healthy life. He does what he can to minimise the potential for problems. And he's still young. There'll be time to worry more when he's older."
    "I hope so. Yes."
    "There's every chance that he'll enjoy a long life. Whatever happens, though, if he's shared his life with you, then he'll want for nothing more. He'll have no regrets."
    Dave had coloured up again, but he glanced at Simon and nodded his thanks.
    "And you, sir?" Simon asked lightly. "Are you all right? It can't be easy for you. Nicholas isn't the only person for us to worry about."
    Which Dave appreciated, he really did, though he brushed off Simon's concern. "Oh, I'll be all right. Like you said: nothing more. I don't want for anything more."
    "Then bless you, Dave, for being your own good self."
    At which point Dave stood, muttered his thanks, shook Simon's hand, and made himself scarce.

    There didn't seem to be any order in which the extended family sat down for meals, with three exceptions: Richard, the earl, always sat at the head of the table; Robert, his eldest son and heir, always sat somewhere around the middle; and Robert's wife Penelope always sat at the far end. Dave assumed that Penelope had become the lady of the house after Nicholas's mother died a few years before.
    Otherwise, people sat quite randomly, depending on whim or on who they were already having a conversation with. It had felt a bit disorienting at first, but Dave soon decided he liked the informality - especially when contrasted with the dauntingly old dining room, where they were surrounded by the sort of tapestries and paintings Dave associated with the dustiest museums. There was a great long table set with fine china that put the set he'd inherited from his grandmother to shame, and glasses that were probably crystal or something - different sizes and shapes for different drinks - and cutlery that was probably real silver. Still, everyone seemed far more concerned about having fun - and talking over each other and making sure the kids were okay - than bothering over whether Dave was using the right knife.
    As they gathered for lunch that day, Richard came into the room just after Dave and Nicholas, and murmured, "Perhaps you'd sit by me today, David."
    "Oh. Sure. Thanks." He looked at Nicholas's father, and saw at a glance that Simon must have already told Richard of his conversation with Dave. Richard looked back at him with solemn gratitude, and nodded. Then a sweeping gesture invited him to sit at the earl's right - which even Dave knew was a place of privilege. He'd been invited to sit there for the first family dinner he'd attended, as well.
    Nicholas didn't seem to make anything of it, other than perhaps accepting this as Dave's due. He followed Dave, though chatting away to his sister Lilibet, and claimed the seat to Dave's right by standing there with his hands on the back of the chair. Young Robin made the most of Nicholas's distraction, however, by nipping in to sit down beside Dave.
    "Oh! Cheeky!" cried Nicholas - who promptly made sure to claim the next chair along. Lilibet sat on his far side, and picked up the briefly interrupted conversation.
    Robin chuckled in glee, and grinned winningly at Dave. Robin was all of ten years old, and the most delightfully innocent flirt. Dave smiled back at him, and winked, which made the boy chuckle again.
    "Robin," said Richard, "perhaps you'd let Nicholas and David enjoy being together for this little while. I suppose it mightn't mean very much to some, but they recently became engaged."

    Nicholas glanced at Dave, though he must already know that Dave didn't mind. It wasn't as if Dave didn't have plenty of Nicholas's undivided attention at other times … "It's all right, Father. I can share. To a point ," Nicholas added in ironically severe tones to Robin.
    "You'd think Robin