The Time has Come

[Lord Laurent de Lac]

Lisette's statement had barely had a chance to fill the air when he Laurent threw his napkin on the table and his voice sounded like the crack of a whip. "Enough! Both of you! If we cannot be civilized at the dinner table, then we can't be civilized anywhere else." Laurant was not the Lord of de Lac by any means, but Veronica had been pushing Laurent to become the Duke of Twinport so much that it was coming through. His tone was as steely as Lisette's, "If neither of you can curb your tongues for the duration of the meal, then I bid you to leave so that it can be enjoyed for what it is."

Laurent held no regret for letting his temper come through. He had worked to arrange this so the siblings might have a discussion of the future, enjoy some wine and lobster puffs and perhaps admire the sea. However, that did not seem likely to happen now. In a rare sight, Laurent's face was no longer the embodiment of the sun, but that of a dark summer storm.

[Lord Aristide de Lac]

The slap to his face was the final straw. Aristide had no desire to be in the presence of his mother right now and if he was not careful, he might do something he regretted. He rose to his feet, features set harshly, and started to head for the doorway. Listening to his mother's demand might hold her tongue and pave the way for tensions to run their course. They had before, but Ari wondered how much more he and his mother could take of each other. They were family, yes, although there were times when he really just wanted to be alone.