progress. Joseph and Edna had arrived the night before along with the rest of their guests, fearing that the inclement weather would prevent them from attending the nuptials. The woman had seemed to have a personality change in the length of time it had taken Thornwich to go home, pack and come back. She had been most pleasant at dinner. Perhaps Thornwich’s new leaf extended to his marriage. Nick hoped so because he saw potential in Edna and the women seemed to be getting on well. Also Edna now had her rival for the staff’s affections out of her house. That had to be a relief. He understood there was often jealousy when a new mistress arrived.
“Thank you, Eastden, for everything.” Nick turned to find his brother by marriage watching Edna and Gabriella chuckling at something Nick’s young cousin Jack was doing. The three-year-old was rolling around on the floor and singing. Nick did not want to know what the child was up to.
Nick raised his brandy glass. “To new beginnings.”
“Aye, to new beginnings.”
****
Gabriella curtseyed to her partner, an elderly uncle of her new husband, and drew in a deep breath. The impromptu dancing in the large drawing room had delighted her. A number of servants with varying degrees of musicality were coerced into playing, the rugs were rolled back and furniture pushed against the wall.
This set of country dances had been particularly lively and Gabriella was completely out of breath. She walked over to the chaise where Nick sat alone, nursing a brandy. He could not have been there for long because he had been talking to the vicar when this set had begun.
“Oh Nick, be a dear and fetch me a drink, please.”
“No.”
She turned to him, aghast. Had he just refused to get a lady a drink? And his own wife at that?
“Nick? What…” He leaned close and his breath tickled the hairs falling out of her coif near her ear.
“Time to get that beautiful fur-lined cloak you wore to the church and your boots, my dear. The only person you shall be getting hot and bothered with for the rest of the evening is me.”
“But it is only six o’clock.”
“It is nearly seven o’clock. It will take at least half an hour for us to extract ourselves from all these relatives and we have half a mile in the snow to walk. And then I am going to wish you a very special and very early Merry Christmas.” He ran a finger down her bare arm and she shivered, turning to gaze into his hazel eyes. They burned with desire, and anticipation coiled through her. “Come, my love,” he coaxed gently. “It is time and there is nothing of which to be afraid.”
****
“You were rather optimistic in your theory that it would only take half an hour to extract ourselves from your relatives,” Gabriella said as they rounded the side of the stables and headed down the path to the dower house. The snow was eight inches thick and still falling.
Nick flung his arm around her and pulled her into his body to help keep her warm, but she struggled free. “I think they were deliberately trying to stop us getting away. Trying to frustrate me, I’d say.”
“I do believe they were,” she giggled and he chuckled in reply.
The path dipped down a slight incline and she clutched the arm of his coat. Nick held the lantern he carried higher just as his foot gave way on some unseen ice. His sore knee protested the extra pull on it. It seemed that the world overturned slowly as he landed with a thud in the soft snow. A little squeal of terror came from his wife’s lips as he sucked in the air which had been brutally expelled from his lungs. A quick mental assessment of his body told him nothing had been damaged including his previous injuries.
“Oh Nick, are you all right? My darling.”
“I’m fine,” he assured her. “Just help me up.” He raised his hand and she took it. In one swift movement he pulled her down on top of him. She squealed and kicked unconvincingly.
“Oh you vexing man,” she cried as
“Thank you, Eastden, for everything.” Nick turned to find his brother by marriage watching Edna and Gabriella chuckling at something Nick’s young cousin Jack was doing. The three-year-old was rolling around on the floor and singing. Nick did not want to know what the child was up to.
Nick raised his brandy glass. “To new beginnings.”
“Aye, to new beginnings.”
****
Gabriella curtseyed to her partner, an elderly uncle of her new husband, and drew in a deep breath. The impromptu dancing in the large drawing room had delighted her. A number of servants with varying degrees of musicality were coerced into playing, the rugs were rolled back and furniture pushed against the wall.
This set of country dances had been particularly lively and Gabriella was completely out of breath. She walked over to the chaise where Nick sat alone, nursing a brandy. He could not have been there for long because he had been talking to the vicar when this set had begun.
“Oh Nick, be a dear and fetch me a drink, please.”
“No.”
She turned to him, aghast. Had he just refused to get a lady a drink? And his own wife at that?
“Nick? What…” He leaned close and his breath tickled the hairs falling out of her coif near her ear.
“Time to get that beautiful fur-lined cloak you wore to the church and your boots, my dear. The only person you shall be getting hot and bothered with for the rest of the evening is me.”
“But it is only six o’clock.”
“It is nearly seven o’clock. It will take at least half an hour for us to extract ourselves from all these relatives and we have half a mile in the snow to walk. And then I am going to wish you a very special and very early Merry Christmas.” He ran a finger down her bare arm and she shivered, turning to gaze into his hazel eyes. They burned with desire, and anticipation coiled through her. “Come, my love,” he coaxed gently. “It is time and there is nothing of which to be afraid.”
****
“You were rather optimistic in your theory that it would only take half an hour to extract ourselves from your relatives,” Gabriella said as they rounded the side of the stables and headed down the path to the dower house. The snow was eight inches thick and still falling.
Nick flung his arm around her and pulled her into his body to help keep her warm, but she struggled free. “I think they were deliberately trying to stop us getting away. Trying to frustrate me, I’d say.”
“I do believe they were,” she giggled and he chuckled in reply.
The path dipped down a slight incline and she clutched the arm of his coat. Nick held the lantern he carried higher just as his foot gave way on some unseen ice. His sore knee protested the extra pull on it. It seemed that the world overturned slowly as he landed with a thud in the soft snow. A little squeal of terror came from his wife’s lips as he sucked in the air which had been brutally expelled from his lungs. A quick mental assessment of his body told him nothing had been damaged including his previous injuries.
“Oh Nick, are you all right? My darling.”
“I’m fine,” he assured her. “Just help me up.” He raised his hand and she took it. In one swift movement he pulled her down on top of him. She squealed and kicked unconvincingly.
“Oh you vexing man,” she cried as
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