"Young master, what would you prefer, pasta carbonara or steak with potatoes?"
Blake sat at the long dining table with the rest of his family, though with was a generous way to put it. The table itself was large enough to host twenty people comfortably, gleaming beneath warm chandelier light, and Blake had been placed near the end, far enough away that the laughter and conversation felt distant.
Just like at the mansion, but with people filling the seats.
"Steak with potatoes," he replied.
The servant nodded and left without another word.
Blake leaned back slightly in his chair, watching as plates were passed around and glasses of wine were filled. Conversations flowed across the table: light, effortless and casual. His relatives chatted about business, about recent trips abroad, about someone's new car.
And, of course, no one spoke to him.
But honestly, it wasn't as awkward as he'd expected.
