Chapter 229: What the table holds (II)
As the evening continued, the conversation gradually moved away from Isolde’s family troubles.
Liam had plenty to say about the competition, particularly the Inter-House rankings, which he insisted needed to be reconsidered before the next tournament. According to him, the current system placed far too much importance on certain events while failing to properly reward individual contributions.
William disagreed with several of his arguments, and what began as a casual complaint soon turned into a surprisingly lengthy discussion about how the rankings should be calculated.
Seraphina occasionally offered her own opinion, while Isolde listened with growing amusement as the two men debated a subject neither seemed particularly willing to concede.
"You’re missing my point," Liam insisted, leaning forward in his chair. "I’m not saying the winning House shouldn’t receive the most points. I’m saying the difference between first and second place is ridiculous."
"Because you finished second in one of the events?" William asked.
"That’s completely irrelevant."
"Of course."
"I’m making a perfectly reasonable argument here."
"You’re making an argument that would have benefited you personally."
"Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive."
Isolde laughed at that, drawing a satisfied grin from Liam.
"See? At least someone appreciates what I’m saying."
"I’m not sure she agrees with you," Seraphina pointed out.
"She laughed. I’ll take that as support."
The discussion continued for some time before gradually giving way to other topics, including several amusing incidents that had occurred during the competition.
By then, the fire had burned lower, and one of the servants had quietly removed the empty dishes. The evening had grown late enough that William expected someone would suggest retiring soon, but nobody seemed particularly eager to leave.
Isolde had been listening to Liam recount an embarrassing incident involving Marcus when she suddenly lowered her cup.
"You know, I didn’t realize how much I needed this."
Her words drew everyone’s attention.
"Needed what?" Liam asked.
Isolde glanced around the room, looking a little embarrassed by the sudden attention.
"Just... this, I suppose. Sitting around, eating, talking about ordinary things." She smiled faintly. "It’s been a while since I’ve had an evening where I wasn’t constantly thinking about what I needed to do next."
Seraphina nodded in understanding. "You’ve had quite a lot to deal with recently."
"That’s putting it mildly."
Isolde looked down at her hands for a moment before continuing.
"I don’t regret standing up to my mother. I know I made the right decision, and I’d make it again if I had to. But knowing you’re right doesn’t necessarily make things easier."
William listened without interrupting.
"For weeks, I’ve been trying to convince myself that I could handle everything alone. I suppose I thought asking for help would mean admitting I wasn’t strong enough." She gave a small, embarrassed laugh. "It sounds rather foolish when I say it aloud."
"It doesn’t," Seraphina assured her.
"Perhaps not, but I wish I’d realized sooner that I didn’t have to make everything so difficult for myself."
"You’ve always been stubborn," William remarked.
Isolde turned toward him with an offended expression that wasn’t entirely convincing.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"That’s rather rich coming from you, William."
Liam immediately burst out laughing.
"She’s got you there."
William gave him an unimpressed look, but Liam only grinned wider.
"Don’t look at me. I’m staying out of this one."
"You’re doing a terrible job of it," Seraphina observed.
"Well, nobody’s perfect."
Their laughter gradually faded, leaving Isolde smiling into her cup.
For a while, nobody spoke. William watched the fire while Seraphina settled more comfortably into her chair, and Liam occupied himself with the last few pieces of bread he’d somehow managed to discover.
Eventually, William turned toward Isolde.
"You know things aren’t completely settled yet."
Her smile faded slightly, although she didn’t seem surprised by his words.
"I know."
"The inquiry is still ongoing, and your mother isn’t likely to give up after one conversation. There’ll probably be more trouble before this is over."
"I’m aware." Isolde sighed, resting her cup on her lap. "Believe me, I’ve thought about little else since leaving her."
"Then stop thinking about it for tonight."
She looked at him.
William shrugged. "There’s nothing more you can accomplish right now. You’ve done what you needed to do, and we’ll deal with whatever comes next when it happens."
Isolde considered his words before glancing toward Seraphina, who nodded in agreement.
"He’s right. You can afford to rest for one evening."
"I suppose I can."
"You certainly can," Liam added, pushing his chair back. "And on that note, I think this evening could use something sweet."
William raised an eyebrow. "You’ve already eaten enough for three people."
"Which is exactly why dessert would be a wonderful way to finish."
"That makes absolutely no sense."
"It makes perfect sense to me."
Liam stood and stretched before looking around the table.
"Anyone want anything? I’m going to see what the kitchen has left."
"Something small would be nice," Seraphina replied.
"See? Someone understands."
Isolde smiled. "I wouldn’t mind something either."
"Excellent. William?"
"No, thank you."
"Your loss."
With that, Liam headed toward the door, already muttering something about hoping the kitchen still had pastries.
The room became noticeably quieter after he left.
Seraphina watched the door close before shaking her head with an amused smile.
"I don’t think I’ve ever seen him turn down food."
"Neither have I," William replied. "I’m beginning to suspect he considers eating a competitive sport."
Isolde laughed softly, settling deeper into her chair.
For the first time since arriving at the estate, she felt genuinely comfortable. She still had plenty to worry about, and she knew the coming days wouldn’t be easy, but spending the evening with William and the others had done more to lift her spirits than she’d expected.
Her mother would undoubtedly try contacting her again, and the inquiry would continue regardless of how exhausted she felt. There would be difficult conversations ahead, perhaps even decisions she wasn’t ready to make.
But those were problems for another day.
Isolde closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the warmth of the fireplace and the quiet conversation between William and Seraphina.
She was glad she’d come.