The Girl is Not For Christmas - Emma V Leech Page 0,84

a shock. The girl’s bottom lip trembled, not helped by Ceci still sobbing piteously at the top of the stairs.

King took a proper look at Livvy to see she was soaked through, the hem of her gown muddy. She’d been with Ross, then. Rain droplets clung to her hair and her cheeks and nose were red from the cold, redder still as she fought the tears that were forcing strange little hiccoughing noises from her. It was too much, though. The emotion got the better of her and she stood, sobbing and crying, clutching her arms about herself as her eyes and nose ran. She certainly wasn’t an attractive sight when she cried, which was the oddest thing to realise, as King only wanted her more than ever. He wanted to hold her tight and comfort her and make everything all right, but he could not. Still, he could manage this mess. Weeping females were surely not too much for the King of Sin’s legendary charm.

“What the devil is going on?” Harry said, appearing in the hallway with Susan in tow.

“Oh, good Lord,” King murmured as the crying ratcheted up a notch.

Birdie, who was in Susan’s arms, had looked up at her mother—now sunk to the floor at the top of the stairs and sobbing noisily—and promptly decided she needed to join in too. At this point the piglet trotted through the hallway with a pink bow around its neck. George followed, shedding clothes as he went.

“H’lo, Ing,” he said, waving cheerfully as he kicked his breeches free and wandered off after the pig.

King took a deep breath.

“Harry, handkerchief,” he commanded, nodding his thanks as Harry gave his over.

King was still only in his shirt and breeches and had nothing so useful to hand. He pressed it into Livvy’s fingers, relieved when she used it to wipe her eyes and give her nose an enthusiastic blow.

“Right,” he said, moving to pick up the silver tray.

He turned to Jane, who looked wretched too, fat tears rolling down her pink cheeks.

“Now, then, Miss Jane. I think you owe your aunt and your mother an apology for giving them a horrid fright, and a promise never to do such dreadful a thing again,” he said gently, reaching for her hand and giving it an encouraging squeeze.

“I… I am s-sorry, L-Livvy,” the girl stammered. “I won’t do it again, Mama. N-Not ever. Promise.”

Livvy said nothing, all her energy and concentration focused on not falling to pieces in front of everyone again.

“You’re not hurt?” King said, crouching down to meet the girl’s eyes.

“My knee hurts a b-bit,” Jane stammered, sniffling now. “And I scraped my hand.”

“Oh, dear. Well, be a brave girl, and Harry will take you and your sisters to the kitchen and Gelly will patch you up. Harry, give this tray to Spargo and see what can be done with it. And your mama needs the sal volatile and a nice strong cup of tea in her room, please.”

“Yes, King, at once,” Harry said, snapping to attention like King was Wellington commanding the troops. “Come along, Jane, you silly goose,” he said, with all the tender sympathy of a male sibling as he took his little sister’s arm and hauled her off to Gelly with Lydia and Rebecca tailing behind them.

“Susan, give Birdie to me and get George dressed again, then see that piglet back to where it belongs.”

“Yes, King,” Susan said, fluttering her eyelashes at him and sighing heavily. She gazed adoringly at him as he took Birdie from her. King cleared his throat.

“Ahem, er… yes, well, run along then before George is completely bare ar… around the house.”

Susan giggled, blushed, and then ran after her brother.

King turned back to Livvy and took a moment to squeeze her hand. She had stopped crying now at least, though the blank expression on her face was somehow worse.

“Deep breaths. I’ll be back in just a moment,” he promised.

Livvy didn’t so much as blink, just stared into some place in the far distance, her arms clutched about her middle.

King hurried up the stairs, carrying the wailing baby.

“There, there, now,” he soothed the child, feeling like an idiot. Had there, there now, ever made anyone feel remotely better? Though, strangely, the child soothed a little, staring up at him with watery eyes, her eyelashes all spiky as she sniffled. King stroked the baby’s head and kissed her silky cheek. “There’s a good girl.”

When he reached Lady Boscawen, he reached down a hand to help her up.