Wickham Hall: Part Four - White Christmas by Cathy Bramley Page B

eyes found mine and his face broke into a wide smile.
    Beautiful
, he mouthed across the room.
    You too
. I smiled, feeling a flush of heat in my cheeks, and it was all I could do not to shove through the party and fling my arms around him.
    â€˜Now that’s what I call an eligible bachelor,’ the accountant muttered out of the side of her mouth, straining her neck to follow my gaze.
    â€˜Mmm,’ I murmured casually. An eligible bachelor who thought I was beautiful and who had chosen me to be his date. I must be the luckiest person in this entire room.
    I watched out of the corner of my eye as he greeted people effortlessly: smiling, shaking hands, touching people’s arms, kissing cheeks as he worked the room, moving ever closer to my place by the Christmas tree. The accountant continued with her lost passport anecdote but I could scarcely drag my eyes away from Ben and it was becoming more and more difficult to focus on her words. Ben Fortescue, my date. Merry Christmas to me . . .
    Suddenly he laughed loudly and as I looked up to see who he was talking to our eyes met. The accountant’s voice receded and the other guests faded from my vision until it was just him and me. And I couldn’t wait any longer.
    â€˜Please excuse me,’ I said to the accountant, without breaking eye contact with Ben. ‘I think I’m wanted.’
    Ben crossed the room heading my way and I edged closer towards him, the pair of us grinning wildly. I had missed so many opportunities to get closer to Ben this year, I realized: in the gardens at the Summer Festival, the times when I’d turned down a second date after the exhibition opening, and then under the stars on Bonfire Night. But he was here now and I had no intention of letting him leave again for a very long time.
    Ben smiled me a smile that lit up his face like sunshine and stole my breath for a moment.
    â€˜Hi,’ I whispered, ‘I’ve missed you.’
    â€˜And I’ve missed you,’ he said gruffly. He took both of my hands and stepped closer. ‘You look like a Christmas angel in that dress, all golden and radiant.’
    â€˜Thank you. You don’t look too shabby yourself.’
    â€˜Although I must admit to being a bit disappointed you aren’t still in the elf outfit. That was sexy. In a green way. But you still look sexy,’ he added hastily.
    He waggled his eyebrows and gave me the twinkly smile that I adored. The one that hinted that if we could only find a quiet corner he’d show me exactly how sexy. I found myself glancing at the doorway and wondered whether we dared creep off. But before I could speak again he leaned forward so I thrust my cheek towards him, expecting a chaste peck. But instead he tilted my chin and pressed his lips to mine. My heart stopped for a fraction of a second, I closed my eyes and breathed him in, savouring his familiar citrus aftershave.
    â€˜Ben!’ I murmured. ‘What if—’
    â€˜Darling, there you are!’ Lady Fortescue shoved her head between the two of us, forcing us to step apart.
    She beamed at Ben and then at me and then gave a sort of general smile to the people around us.
    â€˜Mum,’ said Ben, planting a kiss on the side of her head, ‘looking as lovely as ever.’
    â€˜Benedict, can I borrow you for a moment?’ She tucked her arm through his as he nodded his consent.
    â€˜You too,’ she said to me, flashing me an icy look that brought me out in instant goosebumps.
    â€˜Of course, Lady Fortescue.’
    My heart thudded as I followed them numbly out of the sitting room and into a small room where the guests’ coats had been hung. Lady Fortescue shut the door behind us and folded her arms.
    â€˜Benedict, I saw that. In fact, I think everyone in the room probably saw it. Kissing a member of staff . . . What do you think you are playing at?’ she said.
    â€˜I apologize if I’ve caused you any