When Luke seized her hand she immediately halted, not so much as fighting the restraint of his grip. That his touch dissolved her anger, or mitigated it enough that she wasn't compelled to deliver a blow to her brother's head, did not go without notice. Hubert and Gerard cast sideways looks at each other. It was Sebastian who was nonplussed as he grabbed hold of Gerard, making certain that this familial visit was not punctuated by a physical tiff. Throughout the day he had become more convinced that the prince and princess elect, as unlikely a couple as they were, were suited for each other. Not just anyone would have persisted through grueling labor in the hot sun. There had to be some semblance of affection, he wagered mentally, for any royal to pick up a rake and use manure to fertilize someone's flowers. Both of the stubborn fools were in denial about how deeply they were emotionally entangled.

"It still has a long way to go," Rhiane conceded as her gaze wandered over the rooms. The floors had been re-finished, but the baseboards could stand to be replaced, the walls had been smoothed, repaired, and primed, but needed another coat of paint, and there was a considerable amount of furniture she had custom-ordered that would not arrive for a few more days, despite the best efforts of the merchants from whom she had purchased. "But Sebastian can handle it from here, and I'll only be a call away for anything else I couldn't take care of today," she said with a smile. It was difficult to coordinate interior design from a distance, but Luke had proved through modern technology it was entirely possible. If he was able to keep up with his responsibilities while on tour, she could certainly keep an open dialogue with her brother-in-law about home renovations.

"I can call in a favor to the dry cleaner in town," Sebastian offered as he rescued the discarded sweater. He would have volunteered some of his clothing again, but it had already been made clear to him earlier that day that it was not an option that Luke was willing to consider. All of his garments were mass-produced, not individually tailored, and certainly not of a designer make. The only alternative arrangement that would have them leaving the Black household in clean clothes was to have the village's business open up for a special request.

"That sounds wonderful," Rhiane quickly agreed before Luke could protest. "We'll be in my upstairs bath," she declared as she began to lead her fiance towards the stairs. Already she could see the color draining from her brother's face. The implication that the two would be washing [i]together[/i] was horrifying to her only surviving sibling. He had known about her occasional dalliances, but she had never brought anyone home. Not only was he politically opposed to the monarchy's philosophies, and therefore its heirs, he was disgusted by the notion of his younger sister being with [i]any[/i] man intimately. He lacked an avenue with which to object. No one could deny the duo could use a shower and he begrudgingly had to concede she was as much an owner of the house as any of them. There was no way to stop them, much as he wanted to do so.

"You should have let me clock him," she whispered as she led the way to the aforementioned bathroom. "It's been a while since anyone knocked sense into that jackass." The bathroom was relatively large, another reflection of the success of the builders, who had not been as poverty-stricken as the current generation. Three doors led from it to the hall, to Rhiane's bedroom, and to Edwin's. There were two sinks, an ornate antique ceramic tub, and a more modern shower. This was one of the rooms that still needed attention; the former farmer wanted to replace all the tiling, replace the shower and toilet, and refurbish the counters, all of which were clean but outdated.

"What do you prefer, a bath or a shower?" she asked as she began to shuck off her clothes. Once he had undressed as well, she'd toss them out the door for Sebastian retrieve and ferry away. They had privacy and time to relax, finally, to unwind for at least a half an hour before they were thrust back into the constant flurry of activity of their lives.