Merry Misrule - St. Clair, Ellie Page 0,30
it reminded him something of the forests just beyond the manor.
He rummaged through his bureau, trying to determine just what he could give that would be worthy of the build-up he had noted. He stopped, considering. He could likely give anything he chose; he just had to make them think that it was something they desperately needed.
Elijah tapped a finger against his chin as he looked at all that was before him. Finally, he settled upon it.
His souvenir from Portugal. It was a rose that had been dried, crushed between the pages of a large book. That should do it. He gave the rose, instructions to mount it in one of his mother’s frames, and the book itself to his valet to wrap before he returned to the drawing room, receiving them back just before the deadline he provided the rest of them.
Joanna was waiting, an eyebrow arched at his return.
“Found something?”
“I did,” he said, beaming at her, noticing the way the light brought out the gold hiding within her sleek chestnut strands. He wondered what her hair would feel like running through his fingers. He leaned in close.
“A book from you. A rose from me.”
“A rose?” she arched an eyebrow, and he nodded.
“All the way from Portugal,” he said. “I shall need your help to sell its value.”
“What would you like me to do?”
“When you see it, you must pretend that you want it with all of your being — that it would mean more to you than anything else. We need Cecily to desire it badly enough that she will take it over trying to win back her own gift.”
“Very well,” Joanna said, “although I still—”
“Here we are!” Cecily sang out as she and her husband, Lord Danvers, approached, their hands full of wrapped packages. “We have our gifts.”
She took a sideways glance over at her husband, as though she wasn’t pleased with whatever it was he had made her give up. The pocket watch, Elijah could only hope. He was buoyed by the thought that she didn’t have anything else with her that she could trade as part of the exchange.
Once they all finally rejoined them, Elijah clapped his hands together.
“Very well, time to begin,” he said, grinning at them all. “I can hardly wait until you see what I have. It’s unique, it’s exotic, and it’s from a land far away with quite a story behind it. I’ve brought a dice as well so we can all roll to see who goes first.”
They took turns, and slowly began to unwrap each gift. Lady Oxford went first, seemingly pleased with the book she opened, and Elijah realized he hadn’t taken time to review its title. Lord Danvers went next, happy with the bottle of whisky he opened — a good gift, one that Elijah hadn’t considered.
Alex then opened the pocket watch, and Elijah’s breath caught as he saw both Joanna and Cecily look toward it — Joanna with unquestionable longing, Cecily with a gleam of interest.
Unfortunately, with the roll of the dice, it was Joanna’s turn next — he had hoped that she would be able to go after Cecily.
“I—” she looked at him, then back at the watch, “I think I would like the pocket watch.”
“You would,” Cecily said, but then her mouth quirked at the corner, and Elijah knew why — she was aware that she could steal back whichever gift she chose.
Alex then had the opportunity to choose another gift, which he did quickly, displaying the pair of cufflinks he unwrapped.
“My turn,” Elijah said smartly, then picked what he knew was his gift. He looked around at them all. “I must confess that I am choosing my own gift. I know I shouldn’t, but it has to be done.”
He unwrapped the package as though greatly anticipating what was within, before delicately picking out the flower that was within a small frame he had filched from his mother’s parlor.
Joanna gasped on cue, and he could have kissed her — again — for her excellent performance.
“What is it?” Caroline asked.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Well, Eli, you have been teasing it since this game began, so should you not share?”
“Very well,” he said, heaving a sigh as though it gave him great pains to do so. “It is a flower.”
“That’s it?” Alex said wryly. “A flower?”
“Yes,” Elijah said with a nod. “And now that I have thought of giving it away… I think I’d like to keep it.”
Alex and Caroline, both well-versed in his games, both looked