" you must be careful, " he said, amusement in his eyes as he closed the ledger and set it aside. he could not pretend he hadn't been nervous to leave so much of the estate in benedict's hands while he was away on his honeymoon. after all, such matters had never seemed exactly his brother's forte... but he was more than happy to find his judgment an unfair one. and, perhaps now with the benefit of hard-won perspective, he could acknowledge that he had never given him an opportunity to prove otherwise... for more than a decade, he had clung to his duties with a vice-grip. the result was a family safely cared for... but it had been limiting - painfully so - in other ways. it was long-since time he learned to ease that grip...
with a knowing smile on his lips, he got up from his desk and made for the decanter. he lifted a glass in silent offer. " you must be careful, brother, or i shall find you even more work to do... possibly invent some entirely, " he added with a smirk.