A Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles Page B
Authors: Michelle Styles
Tags: Romance
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dance. A festive way to end this holiday ball.'
Emma glanced from Jack to Dr Milburn. Jack Stanton appeared close to creating a scene.
What had happened between these two in the past? She hid a smile. Dancing with Dr Milburn would show Jack that she was not without partners.
'Yes, I believe I am not engaged for that one.'
'I look forward to it with great eagerness, Miss Emma.' Dr Milburn made a bow and was gone.
Emma breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing untoward had happened. She started to go towards the chandelier room, but Jack's fingers held her elbow. She turned to see his intent face--
black hair framing even darker eyes.
'How long has Charles Milburn been your father's doctor?'
'For the last five years or so. He was wonderfully kind when Mama was dying.' Emma tilted her head. 'Dr Milburn serves as Papa's personal physician and the company's doctor.'
'We knew each other at school.' Jack forced his jaw to relax, forced his mind not to revisit the petty cruelties Milburn had inflicted on those unable or unwilling to stand up for themselves.
'I had always wondered who Milburn reminded me of, and now I know.'
'Who?' Emma tilted her head, and her curls touched the white column of her throat.
'A man I was unfortunately acquainted with in Brazil.' Jack chose his words with care.
'And this person was not someone you were overly fond of?'
'He was a conman and murderer,' Jack stated, and watched Emma pale.
'Dr Milburn kept my mother alive.' Emma's voice became chilled. 'Mama lived for his visits.
He has been helpful with my father, who is not the best of patients. People change. You have.'
'As you say, people change.'
'Father would have a match between Dr Milburn and me, but I suspects he says it in fun.'
Emma gave a little laugh. She could hardly confide her unease to Jack. Dr Milburn was fine as her father's physician, but as a husband--never! 'He knows I am determined on my spinsterhood.'
Jack's eyes travelled down her face, finally resting on her neckline. A bold, caressing gaze that caused a strange warmth to grow inside her. Emma resisted the urge to pull her neckline higher. 'In that dress, you look anything but a spinster.'
'I shall take that as a compliment.' Emma looked at him from under her eyelashes.
'It was an observation, Miss Harrison. Pray do not mistake the two.'
Several men claimed Jack's attention before Emma had time to give a suitable retort. She glared at his back.
Chapter Six
'Emma Harrison!' Lucy's laughing voice called out from the increasing throng of people. 'Of all the things!'
Emma spotted her friend, sitting with the other young matrons as the dancers swirled around them. The room baked in the glow of the crystal chandeliers. The committee had ensured the rooms were festooned with greenery, giving it a very festive look.
'Is there something wrong?' Emma asked, as she noticed Lucy's brows puckering.
'I haven't seen you wear a dress like that in years...not since...well, since your mother became seriously ill,' Lucy replied, holding out her hand. 'Are you going back on the marriage mart? Giving up on your determination to lead the solitary life?'
Emma shook her head. 'I made an unwise bargain.'
'A bargain? Do tell me more.' Lucy patted the seat beside her and Emma sank gratefully down. She had forgotten how many petticoats a ballgown required, and how much the weight increased. 'If you look now, you will see that my sister-in-law is seething.'
'Why?' Emma looked with interest to where Lottie Charlton stood, listening to Dr Milburn.
'She does appear to have swallowed a rather nasty plum. Perhaps she is not enamoured of Dr Milburn's conversation.'
'You upstaged her entrance. Lottie had consigned you to the shelf, and you--you have leapt off it in spectacular style tonight. That dress, Emma!'
'I have done nothing of the sort.' Emma gestured with her fan towards the increasing crowd of men who surrounded Lottie. The petite blonde was half hiding her face behind a fan, and
Emma glanced from Jack to Dr Milburn. Jack Stanton appeared close to creating a scene.
What had happened between these two in the past? She hid a smile. Dancing with Dr Milburn would show Jack that she was not without partners.
'Yes, I believe I am not engaged for that one.'
'I look forward to it with great eagerness, Miss Emma.' Dr Milburn made a bow and was gone.
Emma breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing untoward had happened. She started to go towards the chandelier room, but Jack's fingers held her elbow. She turned to see his intent face--
black hair framing even darker eyes.
'How long has Charles Milburn been your father's doctor?'
'For the last five years or so. He was wonderfully kind when Mama was dying.' Emma tilted her head. 'Dr Milburn serves as Papa's personal physician and the company's doctor.'
'We knew each other at school.' Jack forced his jaw to relax, forced his mind not to revisit the petty cruelties Milburn had inflicted on those unable or unwilling to stand up for themselves.
'I had always wondered who Milburn reminded me of, and now I know.'
'Who?' Emma tilted her head, and her curls touched the white column of her throat.
'A man I was unfortunately acquainted with in Brazil.' Jack chose his words with care.
'And this person was not someone you were overly fond of?'
'He was a conman and murderer,' Jack stated, and watched Emma pale.
'Dr Milburn kept my mother alive.' Emma's voice became chilled. 'Mama lived for his visits.
He has been helpful with my father, who is not the best of patients. People change. You have.'
'As you say, people change.'
'Father would have a match between Dr Milburn and me, but I suspects he says it in fun.'
Emma gave a little laugh. She could hardly confide her unease to Jack. Dr Milburn was fine as her father's physician, but as a husband--never! 'He knows I am determined on my spinsterhood.'
Jack's eyes travelled down her face, finally resting on her neckline. A bold, caressing gaze that caused a strange warmth to grow inside her. Emma resisted the urge to pull her neckline higher. 'In that dress, you look anything but a spinster.'
'I shall take that as a compliment.' Emma looked at him from under her eyelashes.
'It was an observation, Miss Harrison. Pray do not mistake the two.'
Several men claimed Jack's attention before Emma had time to give a suitable retort. She glared at his back.
Chapter Six
'Emma Harrison!' Lucy's laughing voice called out from the increasing throng of people. 'Of all the things!'
Emma spotted her friend, sitting with the other young matrons as the dancers swirled around them. The room baked in the glow of the crystal chandeliers. The committee had ensured the rooms were festooned with greenery, giving it a very festive look.
'Is there something wrong?' Emma asked, as she noticed Lucy's brows puckering.
'I haven't seen you wear a dress like that in years...not since...well, since your mother became seriously ill,' Lucy replied, holding out her hand. 'Are you going back on the marriage mart? Giving up on your determination to lead the solitary life?'
Emma shook her head. 'I made an unwise bargain.'
'A bargain? Do tell me more.' Lucy patted the seat beside her and Emma sank gratefully down. She had forgotten how many petticoats a ballgown required, and how much the weight increased. 'If you look now, you will see that my sister-in-law is seething.'
'Why?' Emma looked with interest to where Lottie Charlton stood, listening to Dr Milburn.
'She does appear to have swallowed a rather nasty plum. Perhaps she is not enamoured of Dr Milburn's conversation.'
'You upstaged her entrance. Lottie had consigned you to the shelf, and you--you have leapt off it in spectacular style tonight. That dress, Emma!'
'I have done nothing of the sort.' Emma gestured with her fan towards the increasing crowd of men who surrounded Lottie. The petite blonde was half hiding her face behind a fan, and
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