Read Online A Regency Christmas Pact Collection by Ava Stone, Catherine Gayle, Jerrica Knight-Catania, Julie Johnstone, Jane Charles, Aileen Fish - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ava Stone, Catherine Gayle, Jerrica Knight-Catania, Julie Johnstone, Jane Charles, Aileen Fish
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Mills were playing chess over a small table between two chairs. Chess , something her uncle hadn’t done since Aunt Margaret’s passing. He looked happier than she’d seen him in months, and Tessie’s heart constricted. If only they didn’t have to leave…
But they did have to leave. She couldn’t stay here any longer. She just couldn’t.
She must have made some sort of sound because the elderly Miss Mills glanced towards the doorway and smiled welcomingly. “Miss Birkin! How was your jaunt across the pond? Did you trounce my nephew? Please say you did. His ego could stand to be lowered just a bit.”
“She’s trounced me in each meeting we’ve had, be it verbal or physical.” Lord Berkswell’s deep voice from behind Tessie robbed her of her breath.
Heavens! Where had he come from?
“That sounds like Tessie,” Uncle Martin chuckled and then coughed into his fist.
“Are you all right?” Tessie asked.
But before her uncle could respond, a strong hand squeezed Tessie’s shoulder as Lord Berkswell stood at her back. She didn’t even dare turn around to look at the man. The heat from his body, his nearness to her made her gulp. Heavens! How had he snuck up on her so soundlessly? And how dare he try to appear charming now that there were witnesses?
“Uncle Martin,” she began, and would have stepped away from the marquess if his hand on her shoulder hadn’t prevented her from doing so. “I really must speak with you.”
Lord Berkswell’s hold tightened. “Do let them finish their game, my dear.”
So he could try to charm her into not leaving? Hardly. Arrogant brute. Not to be deterred, Tessie tipped her nose in the air and said, “Uncle Martin, I’d like to return home as soon as possible. I am sorry.”
She had her uncle’s full attention now. “Home?” He pushed out of his chintz chair and turned to face her. “As soon as possible?”
“You can’t mean to leave today,” Miss Mills rose from her spot as well, a frail hand upon her heart, a concerned expression upon her face.
Time was of the essence. “Unfortunately. I am feeling a bit homesick,” she said. What else could she say with Lord Berkswell at her back? The man was Miranda’s brother-in-law. It wouldn’t do to tell anyone else the truth of what he’d said, at least not at the moment. Not with the holidays upon them and Miranda in her delicate condition.
“My dear.” Miss Mills started towards her. “A storm is coming. You can’t travel these roads today.”
A storm? She’d just been outside, and it was quite clear. Bright, even. “I’m certain we’ll be fine.”
But the old woman was shaking her head, most defiantly. “Powell, our steward, says his bones are aching. You shouldn’t risk it. Truly.”
“His bones are aching?” Tessie echoed. What sort of nonsense was this?
“Fellow was injured and broke a few bones during the Wexford Rebellion,” Lord Berkswell informed her. “Ever since then, he’s sworn he can feel a change in the weather coming.”
Uncle Martin nodded as though that ridiculous statement made sense to him. “I had a cousin who swore the same. Broke his leg, jumping from a hayloft as a boy. I have to say, his accuracy was spot on.”
Tessie chanced a glance over her shoulder at the marquess behind her. His warm brown eyes nearly singed her.
“You don’t honestly believe that rubbish.”
A ghost of a smile tipped his lips. “I’ll believe in anything if you’ll just stay,” he returned, soft enough for only her to hear.
Uncle Martin started towards her. “I think we should wait until at least the storm has passed, my dear. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to us on the road.”
Until the storm passed. Tessie resisted the urge to grind her teeth together. There wasn’t going to be any sort of storm, and waiting for the blasted thing to end was more than futile.
“I can show you my library,” Lord Berkswell began. “That could keep your homesickness at bay. Or the
But they did have to leave. She couldn’t stay here any longer. She just couldn’t.
She must have made some sort of sound because the elderly Miss Mills glanced towards the doorway and smiled welcomingly. “Miss Birkin! How was your jaunt across the pond? Did you trounce my nephew? Please say you did. His ego could stand to be lowered just a bit.”
“She’s trounced me in each meeting we’ve had, be it verbal or physical.” Lord Berkswell’s deep voice from behind Tessie robbed her of her breath.
Heavens! Where had he come from?
“That sounds like Tessie,” Uncle Martin chuckled and then coughed into his fist.
“Are you all right?” Tessie asked.
But before her uncle could respond, a strong hand squeezed Tessie’s shoulder as Lord Berkswell stood at her back. She didn’t even dare turn around to look at the man. The heat from his body, his nearness to her made her gulp. Heavens! How had he snuck up on her so soundlessly? And how dare he try to appear charming now that there were witnesses?
“Uncle Martin,” she began, and would have stepped away from the marquess if his hand on her shoulder hadn’t prevented her from doing so. “I really must speak with you.”
Lord Berkswell’s hold tightened. “Do let them finish their game, my dear.”
So he could try to charm her into not leaving? Hardly. Arrogant brute. Not to be deterred, Tessie tipped her nose in the air and said, “Uncle Martin, I’d like to return home as soon as possible. I am sorry.”
She had her uncle’s full attention now. “Home?” He pushed out of his chintz chair and turned to face her. “As soon as possible?”
“You can’t mean to leave today,” Miss Mills rose from her spot as well, a frail hand upon her heart, a concerned expression upon her face.
Time was of the essence. “Unfortunately. I am feeling a bit homesick,” she said. What else could she say with Lord Berkswell at her back? The man was Miranda’s brother-in-law. It wouldn’t do to tell anyone else the truth of what he’d said, at least not at the moment. Not with the holidays upon them and Miranda in her delicate condition.
“My dear.” Miss Mills started towards her. “A storm is coming. You can’t travel these roads today.”
A storm? She’d just been outside, and it was quite clear. Bright, even. “I’m certain we’ll be fine.”
But the old woman was shaking her head, most defiantly. “Powell, our steward, says his bones are aching. You shouldn’t risk it. Truly.”
“His bones are aching?” Tessie echoed. What sort of nonsense was this?
“Fellow was injured and broke a few bones during the Wexford Rebellion,” Lord Berkswell informed her. “Ever since then, he’s sworn he can feel a change in the weather coming.”
Uncle Martin nodded as though that ridiculous statement made sense to him. “I had a cousin who swore the same. Broke his leg, jumping from a hayloft as a boy. I have to say, his accuracy was spot on.”
Tessie chanced a glance over her shoulder at the marquess behind her. His warm brown eyes nearly singed her.
“You don’t honestly believe that rubbish.”
A ghost of a smile tipped his lips. “I’ll believe in anything if you’ll just stay,” he returned, soft enough for only her to hear.
Uncle Martin started towards her. “I think we should wait until at least the storm has passed, my dear. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to us on the road.”
Until the storm passed. Tessie resisted the urge to grind her teeth together. There wasn’t going to be any sort of storm, and waiting for the blasted thing to end was more than futile.
“I can show you my library,” Lord Berkswell began. “That could keep your homesickness at bay. Or the
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