Mistletoe and Mayhem - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,240

stood at the head of the table and raised his goblet of wine. It was time for the traditional Christmas toast. Conversation around the table faded as guests shushed one another. All heads turned in his direction.

“We are grateful to be among family and friends as we share these bountiful blessings set before us. Lady Seabrook and I have much to be thankful for on this day of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. You may have noticed the absence of our daughter Ammie and her husband Major Rowland.”

“She is the redheaded one,” Gunther hissed to Bess.

She offered a polite smile and returned her attention to the head of the table.

“The couple is expecting their first child,” Father said, “and our family is eager to welcome the newest member.”

Congratulations were offered around the table as people raised their glasses and drank to Ammie and Phillip. Bess touched Julius’s knee. Her eyes were shimmery, as if she might start crying again. He interlaced his fingers with her and silently vowed to be her rock if she needed one. His father met his mother’s eye at the other end of the table. She inclined her head, giving him a nod of encouragement. He cleared his throat.

“We are doubly blessed to be expanding our family even more through marriage.”

Whispers traveled around the room. Julius spotted several disappointed faces from young ladies and their chaperones. Surely, his older brother hadn’t succumbed to the charms of Miss Chambers-Wallace. He narrowed his eyes at Clive across the table.

‘You?’ he mouthed.

Clive shook his head.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” their father said, “please raise your glass in honor of the newly betrothed couple—to Julius and Lady Hadley.”

Bess tensed. Her round eyes reflected his own shock. She released his hand and shifted on the chair, withdrawing from him.

“Hear, hear,” someone said.

When the toast was finished, footmen arrived with the final course. They paraded around the table with dishes of Christmas pudding, silver stands bearing various cakes, and serving trays of gingerbread and shortbread biscuits for all the guests to admire. Mother always made a grand production of everyone’s favorite part of the meal.

Bess’s face was pale. He felt a sickening tumble in his gut. He suspected they had both lost their appetites.

“Meet me in the floral sitting room,” Julius whispered. “I will leave first and you follow after a bit.”

She froze like a rabbit who’d spotted a hound. He dithered. Should he stay until the end of supper and whisk her away before well-wishers bombarded them, or trust her to follow? He settled on taking his chances and left the table.

He paced the perimeter of the sitting room and checked the mantle clock every few seconds. If the betrothal announcement had scared her away, he would have harsh words for his parents. Her marriage to Hadley had been arranged, which meant she’d not been given a choice. Julius would never place her in that situation again.

Hellfire. He wouldn’t do that to himself. He needed her to want him, too.

The door drifted open. He snapped his head toward the movement. Bess slipped inside, closed the door, and leaned her back against it. “Julius, I have no idea how your parents heard about what happened at Davensworth Cottage. Gemma was the only other person I told. I cannot imagine she would say anything. She knew I played a trick on you. I am so sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.”

Her words ran into each other in her haste to apologize. Her show of nerves agitated the butterflies in his own stomach.

“Come, sit with me,” he said.

“Tomorrow I will request an audience with your parents to explain there has been a mistake. If they want me to leave, I will understand. Law, what will we tell the other guests?”

“Nothing.” He crossed the room to gently take her by the shoulders and walked her to the sofa.

“Yes, of course. Maintaining silence is wise. No need to draw more attention to the matter.”

“Please, sit, Bess.”

She lowered to the edge of the cushion and gazed at him with eyes so green, he was stunned by their vividness. “Perhaps I should take a trip abroad?” she said. “I would need to hire a traveling companion, but a discreet inquiry with an agency shouldn’t raise suspicions. After a few months, everyone will forget a wedding should have taken place.”

He sat beside her and cradled her hand between his two. “Could we slow down before we settle on a plan?”

“Indeed.” Pink brightened her cheeks. “I am sorry. I