Eloise breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, now that a stalemate has been reached on this issue, and the initial tension has completely dissipated, I think we should all retire to the dining hall and celebrate. Dexter."
"Don't push your luck, Mother. The fact that I have allowed this woman and her fiancé to remain in this house does not mean that I am ready to move on from the fact that she has been out of our lives for so long."
"Are you saying your sister isn't worth a meal together?" Eloise pressed.
"I am saying I have better things to do with my time," Rochester said.
Eloise tsked. "Louisa is the important business you have to attend to now, isn't she? For her sake you will deny us your presence at the table. It says a lot about the person you are becoming."
Eloise understood how stubborn he could be, but she hoped that if he didn't want to dine with his sister, he shouldn't be too eager to chase after that woman.
