His heart broke a bit for that, and he tried to force a smile of his own as he squeezed her hand again. "You know how tenacious Father is," he muttered. "Do you really think he'd just forget?"
He hesitated a moment, then drew her in against his chest in a brief, tight hug. "Look, the wedding won't be for a few weeks. This is just...finalizing things. Not much has to change once they leave." That was definitely a lie--or at least a stretch--but he hoped it was somewhat comforting.
Andreas was so absorbed in his own anxieties, his worry for his sister, that he didn't actually notice the carriage arrive outside the townhouse and the three figures that approached the door. In fact, he didn't realize their guests had arrived until there was a brief, panicked shuffling outside the parlor door while a footman stammered, "Madam, please, there's--the master of the house would wish to speak with you before you adjourn--"
"Nonsense," an unfamiliar voice waved off the anxious propriety. It was a woman, her accent low and sonorous, like she was about to slip into song at any moment. "You said the young lady is through here, yes? Why delay?"
With that, the door swung open, revealing Milana Bartok and her two children. For some reason, the first thought Andreas had was that her daughter, Reina, was almost a strange, mirror-inverse of Gavriella. They were nearly of a height, both with fine, doll-like features and each clearly dressed to impress. But while Gavi was fair and dark-haired, stark contrast to her black and burgundy gown, the Serenian woman had olive skin and flaxen hair, with a gown of a nearly identical style in silver and pale blue. Clearly, she'd been paying attention to Connlaothian fashions.
Milana herself had eschewed such niceties, dressed in clear Serenian fashion and positively dripping in gold and sapphires. Andreas had to resist the urge to frown at the ostentatious display before his attention flickered toward the young man who stepped around from behind his mother.
His eyes widened. "You--!"
Mikhail grinned, smug, and dipped into an elaborate bow toward Gavriella, ignoring her brother entirely.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, my lady."
