It wasn't a servant or student that stopped him this time. Robin caught up to him as he passed under the arched doorway and entered the hallway, long legs carrying him on several strides to close the gap. "Terribly busy today?" he put a hand to his shoulder to stop him, "I suspect that if you have no time for God you'll have none for me."

His tone was conversational but it disguised how closely he had been watching him throughout the service. Was it devotion that kept him so still and focused? He had never appeared especially fanatical about religion and one glance at her ladyship’s almost scornful expression throughout the proceedings was enough to tell anyone that he hadn’t married into such a family either. But then again, he was hardly an expert on the subject, as much as he had tried to remedy this recently.

Those first few months, they were more strangers than brothers, connected by half a bloodline that he had otherwise severed himself from, like a surgeon cutting out a tumour- or so it had felt at the time. It had been easy enough to declare himself estranged when he was on another continent to the rest of the family but it made for a humbling return.

Maybe he should have taken the opportunity to offer the Lord a grateful prayer for having mercy enough to take their father before he attempted it.