Mistletoe and Mayhem - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,61

Inside were a collection of small trinkets, and he removed Ruby’s long-lost silver bell.

When he thrust it toward Hector, he refused to take it. “Don’t be such a coward. Give it back to her yourself, and maybe she’ll forgive you for what you tried to do one day.”

“What about our bargain?”

“I made no bargain with you, but I have the truth of you now.”

Hector stalked upstairs and returned to his bedchamber immediately. He’d fetch Pip and take him to Ruby ahead of their departure from the estate.

But he found Ruby and Pip together already, surrounded by Hector’s packed trunks. Pip was playing with his horse behind one, and Ruby was seated before the fire.

He turned to Pip first to say good morning. Hector leaned down and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Come and sit with your mother and I.”

He turned away, sure the boy would follow eventually, and claimed a spot by Ruby’s side on a cozy settee. “Good morning.”

“I woke to find you gone.”

“Yes, I went to speak to your uncle about the abduction attempt.”

“Why?”

“Because during the night, I realized it couldn’t have been Roper behind it.”

Ruby’s eyes flickered around the room nervously. “Pip, come and sit with us.”

The boy got to his feet and dropped into the space between them. He looked up at Hector and smiled. “Will you take me to visit the horses?”

“Indeed, I will.” He ruffled the boy’s hair again. “How would you like to visit London for a few days?”

“London?” both Ruby and Pip cried out in surprise.

“Yes, but if we don’t run into Clement I’d like to divert to spend Christmas night in my home. I find I have a few extra presents to acquire this year, too, and I have a special license to arrange.”

At the word presents, Pip’s eyes lit up wide, and he inhaled, anticipating a surprise. Hector hoped his ultimate gift for the boy, a pony, would be enough to wait for.

Ruby touched his arm. “You were serious last night?”

“Every word. I will marry you, and I will deal with the Ropers, and we will make a home for all of us together wherever you’d like to live.”

The boy turned to him. “Will you be my new papa?”

“If you want me to be.” Hector smiled.

The boy chewed his lower lip.

“I’ll teach you to ride as well as your papa and me. I’ve a friend who keeps a pony in London. We could visit him after I marry your mother.”

The boy suddenly wrapped his arms about Hector’s neck and hugged him tightly. “Can we go now? I don’t like it here.”

Hector pulled the boy onto his lap. He leaned down to the boy’s ear to whisper but turned his gaze on Ruby. “We could go today, but first, I’d like to have your mama agree to marry me.”

“Mama?”

“Yes, Pip.”

“Why won’t you marry Hector?”

“Well, I suppose I won’t marry him because he hasn’t asked me,” she admitted.

Hector grunted in surprise. He had thought he’d made his interest clear, but perhaps it hadn’t been the perfect proposal after all. He could do better.

He lifted the boy off his lap and stood. “May I have your undivided attention, madam?”

“Of course, Lord Stockwick,” Ruby promised, fluttering her lashes demurely.

“Well, my dear,” he began. “It seems I’ve found and fallen for the prettiest lady in all of England, and I would like her to be my wife without delay, if she will have me.”

He fell to one knee before Ruby and extended his hand to her. She tossed her head slightly from side to side and then burst into the most remarkable smile he’d ever beheld. “Yes. Yes, I would be honored to be your wife, good sir.”

Hector shuffled closer. “Darling.”

He cupped her face and, after a pause, pulled her in to kiss softly. When he drew back, Pip’s face was inches away from them. So the boy didn’t feel left out, he kissed his forehead, and then laughed. “I always thought that would be much harder.”

Ruby laughed. “It isn’t, not when there is love.”

“So very true. I swear you’ll never feel alone again,” Hector promised as he gently wrapped his fingers around her nape. “I’ll love you more than you’ve ever dreamed possible, too. Forever and ever and ever.”

Ruby kissed him, and he didn’t think there had been a better start to Christmas in all his life. He also predicted Christmas would become his favorite time of year from this moment on. He’d make sure of it.

Epilogue

Ruby set her hands to her hips. “Where do