Read Online A Valentine For Christmas - A Regency Novella by Kate Harper - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Harper
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landed among them, electing instead to pretend she was not there.
When Charlie left Madeleine to rejoin the Christmas preparations, Anne wrinkled her nose. ‘And how is her majesty today?’
‘Now Anne,’ Charlie murmured, still puzzling over the odd conversation she had just had, ‘let’s not be rude. She is foreign.’
‘She is certainly rude enough for all of us,’ Anne said. Having suffered several snubs the night before, the girl was inclined to be petulant. Charlie couldn’t blame her. Anne was going to be quite lovely in a year or so when she had lost what little was left of her puppy fat but she was at a sensitive age. As for Merry… well, the youngest Miss Weathering took likes and dislikes as she saw fit and clearly, she had taken one against the glorious Madeleine.
‘I think she’s got mean eyes,’ Merry said now.
‘Don’t be silly. She has beautiful eyes.’
‘They can be beautiful and mean at the same time. You have nice eyes. Smiley ones. She doesn’t even see anybody when she looks at them. She looks right though you.’
Charlie would have protested but she thought she knew what Merry meant. Truthfully, Madeleine did not seem interested in anyone but herself. But perhaps she was an only child? Although that couldn’t be right for Charlie was sure that the girl had said she had a large family the evening before. One thing seemed certain; she did not seem to know a great deal about her cousin, despite her declaration to the contrary. More than that, she was not at all interested in elucidating the unhappiness that lay within the man. Which meant that it was up to Charlie to do so.
Her role now seemed clear. She was to be the Heroine.
She elected to ignore the small, prosaic part of her that suggested her motives less virtuous than she wished them to be. Yes, she wanted to help his lordship; it was dreadful to see any soul in pain. But Lord Valentine looked far too much like a brooding hero to resist and, thanks to Mrs. Radcliffe, Charlie had yearned for a hero to redeem, or at the very least to assist in some way, for some time. And what better thing to do was to reintroduce the joy of Christmas to a man who clearly thought the whole thing was so much nonsense? If Madeleine du Pont was not here to help him then she, Charlie would be more than happy to oblige.
Lord Valentine was late in coming down to luncheon, so much so that Charlie wondered if he were going to put in an appearance at all. Madeleine had spent the intervening time preening in the glow of James and Harry’s unstinting admiration. They might be young but they were male and Madeleine was clearly enjoying being the focus of their attention, particularly James who, at nearly twenty, must be more or less of the same age.
They were all seated and the first course set before them when the missing guest strode in. His steps faltered at the sight of the family sitting around the table but Mr. Weathering waved an amiable spoon in his direction.
‘My dear fellow, just in time.’
Lord Valentine hesitated a moment longer, but he came forward and took his seat. Dorrie had disappeared back into the kitchen but Anne immediately rose to her feet and moved around to ladle soup into his lordship’s bowl. He gave her a tight smile and she dropped him a curtsey before returning to her own seat.
‘Are you feeling better, ma cherie ?’ Madeleine inquired, voice honey-sweet.
‘Yes, thank-you.’
‘Oh, were you feeling poorly?’ Mrs. Weathering asked, suddenly all concern. ‘I had not realized. We would have sent a tray up to your room.’
‘There is no need for special consideration, I assure you. I did not sleep well and I thought to lay down for a time. I am sorry to be late. Unpardonable manners, I’m afraid.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ Mrs. Weathering dismissed the apology with a smile. ‘With the wind blowing like a banshee all night it is no wonder you could not sleep.’
‘I did not hear a thing,’ Madeleine said,
When Charlie left Madeleine to rejoin the Christmas preparations, Anne wrinkled her nose. ‘And how is her majesty today?’
‘Now Anne,’ Charlie murmured, still puzzling over the odd conversation she had just had, ‘let’s not be rude. She is foreign.’
‘She is certainly rude enough for all of us,’ Anne said. Having suffered several snubs the night before, the girl was inclined to be petulant. Charlie couldn’t blame her. Anne was going to be quite lovely in a year or so when she had lost what little was left of her puppy fat but she was at a sensitive age. As for Merry… well, the youngest Miss Weathering took likes and dislikes as she saw fit and clearly, she had taken one against the glorious Madeleine.
‘I think she’s got mean eyes,’ Merry said now.
‘Don’t be silly. She has beautiful eyes.’
‘They can be beautiful and mean at the same time. You have nice eyes. Smiley ones. She doesn’t even see anybody when she looks at them. She looks right though you.’
Charlie would have protested but she thought she knew what Merry meant. Truthfully, Madeleine did not seem interested in anyone but herself. But perhaps she was an only child? Although that couldn’t be right for Charlie was sure that the girl had said she had a large family the evening before. One thing seemed certain; she did not seem to know a great deal about her cousin, despite her declaration to the contrary. More than that, she was not at all interested in elucidating the unhappiness that lay within the man. Which meant that it was up to Charlie to do so.
Her role now seemed clear. She was to be the Heroine.
She elected to ignore the small, prosaic part of her that suggested her motives less virtuous than she wished them to be. Yes, she wanted to help his lordship; it was dreadful to see any soul in pain. But Lord Valentine looked far too much like a brooding hero to resist and, thanks to Mrs. Radcliffe, Charlie had yearned for a hero to redeem, or at the very least to assist in some way, for some time. And what better thing to do was to reintroduce the joy of Christmas to a man who clearly thought the whole thing was so much nonsense? If Madeleine du Pont was not here to help him then she, Charlie would be more than happy to oblige.
Lord Valentine was late in coming down to luncheon, so much so that Charlie wondered if he were going to put in an appearance at all. Madeleine had spent the intervening time preening in the glow of James and Harry’s unstinting admiration. They might be young but they were male and Madeleine was clearly enjoying being the focus of their attention, particularly James who, at nearly twenty, must be more or less of the same age.
They were all seated and the first course set before them when the missing guest strode in. His steps faltered at the sight of the family sitting around the table but Mr. Weathering waved an amiable spoon in his direction.
‘My dear fellow, just in time.’
Lord Valentine hesitated a moment longer, but he came forward and took his seat. Dorrie had disappeared back into the kitchen but Anne immediately rose to her feet and moved around to ladle soup into his lordship’s bowl. He gave her a tight smile and she dropped him a curtsey before returning to her own seat.
‘Are you feeling better, ma cherie ?’ Madeleine inquired, voice honey-sweet.
‘Yes, thank-you.’
‘Oh, were you feeling poorly?’ Mrs. Weathering asked, suddenly all concern. ‘I had not realized. We would have sent a tray up to your room.’
‘There is no need for special consideration, I assure you. I did not sleep well and I thought to lay down for a time. I am sorry to be late. Unpardonable manners, I’m afraid.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ Mrs. Weathering dismissed the apology with a smile. ‘With the wind blowing like a banshee all night it is no wonder you could not sleep.’
‘I did not hear a thing,’ Madeleine said,
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