Merry Misrule - St. Clair, Ellie

Chapter 1

“You said he wouldn’t be here.”

“I did.” Caroline cringed. “And I really didn’t think he would be… but he surprised us all. Mother was astonished.”

Joanna nodded, attempting to keep her expression neutral. She knew she should be happy for her friend and pleased for her entire family. Lord Elijah had been gone for over two years now, and they had all rejoiced at his early return from the war.

All but Joanna.

In fact, the only reason she was here was because she had been assured that Caroline’s brother was still away.

For after the last time she had attended such a Christmas party at Briercrest, she had vowed to never be in his company again.

She eyed him suspiciously now from across the drawing room, where he sat in a giltwood Hepplewhite armchair, his eyes dark and heavy lidded, but she wasn’t tricked by his nonchalant pose. He had a smoke in one hand, a drink in the other, a smug smile on his face. Typical, she thought with a snort, turning around to find her friend looking at her with both pity and apprehension.

“I know he wasn’t the… nicest to you, Jo, and I have apologized more times than I can count. But he’s really not a bad sort.”

Caroline stared at her imploringly, as though she was hopeful that Joanna might change her mind.

She was not to be appeased.

Joanna raised her eyebrows. “Caro, because of him I refused to come visit your house for five years. Because of him I lost my most cherished possession left to me by my grandmother. Because of him, I came to dread Christmas.”

“I know, Jo, I do,” Caroline said, placing a hand on Joanna’s arm as she cast her eyes downward. “I’ll make him promise to behave himself.”

“Because he always listens to you?” Joanna said wryly, knowing she wasn’t being fair to her friend, but unable to stop herself.

“You make a point.” Caroline sighed, running a hand over her hair, the same sinfully sweet chocolate as her brother’s. “I promise to do my very best, however.”

Joanna sighed, attempting a smile, but nearly failing, as she couldn’t help but allow her gaze to wander across the expanse of crimson and gold Wilton carpet once more.

The worst of it all was that Lord Elijah Kentmore was just as handsome now, if not more so, than he ever was. Five years had aged him to near perfection. His skin had a touch of tan, passed down from an African grandmother, his hair dark with curls that had always made her wonder whether or not they would wrap perfectly around her finger. She wished she didn’t know that his eyes were a beautiful shade of brown, with a navy circle around the outer edges.

But she did. She knew it all. And she hated him for how perfect his cheekbones were, how chiseled his jaw, how sensuous his lips that were always curled into that smile that beckoned, telling her that if she were to ever tempt herself with his sweetness, he would show pleasure of the highest order.

But that was exactly what had brought about her downfall years past. She was older now, more knowledgeable, and aware of just how he used his charms of seduction for mischief.

She would not be fooled again.

Just then, he turned, catching her eye, noticing her stare, and she jumped in shock, quickly snapping her gaze away to rest upon the flicker of the candlesticks over the fireplace before berating herself for her cowardice. Why should she be ashamed for staring? Everyone else was. She had good reason to.

She held her chin high as she turned her face back toward him proudly, as though she had nothing to hide.

And then he winked at her.

Joanna’s chin dropped open in shock at the action for just a moment, but when he smiled smugly she promptly lifted it once more before turning away, now frantically searching for an escape. Seeing no conversation she had any wish to join, she decided instead that now would be a good time to give herself a tour of some of the front rooms of the house, to see what, if anything, had changed since her last visit to Briercrest Manor.

The skirts of her red silk drop-front gown, still one of her favorites and yet sadly a few years out of date, swished as she walked swiftly down the corridor, away from the drawing room that held tonight’s musical entertainment.

The door of the library was cracked just a bit, and she pushed it