He smiled at him! He had a lot of kids! Maybe he would not be that chagrined by the news of his son. Maybe Benjamin could even teach his father to be a little more tolerant, with that working class charm!

He beamed obliviously at all the low-key terrified children, who would certainly be his not-quite brothers and sisters one day.

“No,” he said, and his smile wavered slightly. “German.”

… His father’s side was German, so it was kind of true!

Ben would have no idea where Germany was, except that it was on the continent and Germany had battled with France. He smiled as if he did know. "What brings you here?"

Simon returned with a corkscrew and opened the bottle. Then he took Zech's cup - they didn't have glasses - and filled it for him, offering him an encouraging - and admittedly very amused - smile.

Zechariah beamed.

“A friend of mine summers here, and wanted me to see the sights with him.”

Mostly the saunas. The men there were typically too forward for both their tastes, as far as Zechariah could tell... but Chris seemed intent to bring him regardless. He blinked at the improper cup, but he supposed it was short notice. Smiling again, he took a polite sip.

“I enjoy, uh, fishing.”

That was what they did around here to pass the time, was it not?

“What do you like to do, sir?”

Ben looked at the man a little confused. Then he said: "We fish most o' the time, but there ain't much time for leisure. But when possible I like to have my children read to me..."

Except Simon, who could still barely read, even less read out loud. - Simon who now took his father's cup.

"Simon..." Ben said, but Simon was already filling it, and filled it generously too. He put the very full cup down before his father with a smile, while Ben grimaced. The children looked on in horror.

"Maybe we can take the boat one day, and I can show you how our fishing's done..." Simon remarked casually as he started filling his own cup.

Zechariah’s expression matched Benjamin’s. That was entirely backwards. Were the children his nanny?

He frowned when Benjamin made a face of distaste at the drink. He had not thought he would be a creature of expensive tastes, but it was time to think again. How long would it take Christopher to get some more champagne in from France? Maybe he could go himself, though he would not be able to sample it.

“That would be …” shit, he was going to find out Zechariah had never fished in his life, “... delightful.”

Simon smiled. He finished pouring himself a cup of the forbidden drink and looked up at Zech straight and said in a warm voice: "I'll take you any time you like. Or you can come find me, and you can take me."

Zechariah was mid-sip of his wine at Simon’s offer. He choked, sputtered, coughed, and cleared his throat.

It was not exactly the conversation he wanted to be having in front of someone’s family, let alone children … but the college boys had never taken him to meet their family before talking that way.

It was promising. Right?

Said family entirely missed the double meaning, and even Simon looked on with feigned surprise when Zech started coughing.
"Ye'r alright, ser?" Ben asked, and Rose hurried to the wooden drawer pulled out a cup, filled it with water from a jug on the table and handed it to Zech.