"Blair don't be disgusting," Alaric chided.
Clayton led them to the yard of the House, where the Briggs had swings and a wide open training space, the Wignell House boasted a seasonal sitting area near a pond, covered but open to the breeze. Blair sat in one of the white outdoor chairs, seeing a light spread on the table waiting them. Before she could lose her limited patience, Clayton thankfully spoke, "our Debut was likely much like your own, and Queen Akiyama asked your brother if he was happy to be her Count Briggs one day."
It was a reasonable question, so Blair wasn't expecting to see Alaric's pale face go mottled with embarrassment. "What did you say to the Queen, Alaric?" she prompted, not even able to guess given that Alaric was the well behaved one. 
"He said that the only thing that would make him happier would be to be her Prince Consort, and if not then Count was more than acceptable," Clayton answered for him, and Blair gelt her face split in GLEE as Alaric hid behind his hands. "In his defence, Queen Akiyama is only eight years older than us, and quite a beautiful woman so it was a smart, if unorthodox, move." 
"Is that why you've never accepted a Letter of Intent for yourself Alaric? You're holding out for a crown?" she teased, knowing he wasn't power hungry. 
"I want at least one of my siblings to be well set before I selfishly worry about my own affairs," Alaric corrected. 
"And lucky for you, it looks like Derbie is writing Lady Ban a Letter of Intent, you won't have to wait for Gavin to marry Eniola," Blair clapped Alaric on the arm. 
"The garden party went well then?" Clayton asked as if she had a clue.
"I didn't go, I don't do the Social Events at this Season," Blair shrugged. 
"Whyever not? I'd imagine you'd be a hit at any of the parties," Clayton sounded surprised.
"If they need to be told by their families it's time to get married, they don't need ME. Could you imagine what it'd be like to be married to someone that spineless?" it was a partial truth, so she used it well.
"Which hasn't stopped you from receiving multiple Letters of Intent every week," Alaric pointed out to her annoyance.
Blair gave a scoffing laugh, "I even brought the latest batch with me, want to see what my offerings are?" she threw the unopened Letters on the table and made sure her teacup had anything but tea in it. 
"An awful lot of untitled merchant families," Clayton noted, looking at the wax seals discerningly. 
"All hopeful a marriage to me will give them pretty babies, noble blood, and a fat purse once a month," Blair spat in response. 
Clayton gave her a surprised, but not doubting, look, "you would make pretty babies, can't blame them for knowing that, but if you really want them to leave you alone maybe you could express your scorn." 
"As some of these families work closely with ours in the ports," Alaric interjected, "it would probably be more diplomatic if I resolved it."
"I don't know why I didn't just burn them like I normally do," Blair admitted.
"Maybe you're hoping to have a date to whatever Event I plan that I can pull off with only a week of preparation. You will come out to support me, won't you?" Clayton maneuvered her and Blair gave him a flat look for it. 
"If I come out to your Event, I will be my usual self, are you certain you want to risk that?" she expected his retreat. 
"Of course, I'd have you no other way little Briggs," he taunted back instead. "You forget that I may have missed your Debut, but I was front and center for many of your shenanigans before I left on Tour."