Read Online Mistletoe Kisses and Yuletide Joy by Jo Beverley - Free Book Online
Authors: Jo Beverley
Tags: Romance, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Regency, Historical Romance, Medieval, Anthologies, Collections & Anthologies, Holidays
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beloved.
One restless night, hearing the black cat yowling and seeing Sherry's disdain, Kitty made this a lesson for herself. If she ever felt tempted to croon at beguiling Lord Chatterton she should remember that he was just suffering a temporary interest.
It would pass when his normal life resumed, and that would be tomorrow. She was sleepless tonight because tomorrow was Twelfth Night. The next day their servants would begin to return and normal order would be restored. The adventure would be over.
She'd planned to enjoy it and she had.
She had not planned to fall in love with the man.
That, however, was what she'd done.
He was a wonderful companion, able to talk of almost anything and able to listen just as well. He could occasionally show a biting wit, but he seemed kind and not the slightest bit haughty. And his kisses were a work of art.
The past few nights Kitty had found herself wishing he would do more. Thank heavens she was too shy to act on her impulses herself, or she'd be behaving as wantonly as Sherry had in heat! She was not an animal, though, and could control herself. Since there was no question of marriage between them, she must not let him ruin her.
Let him.
With a sigh, she had to admit that Lord Chatterton had made no attempt to ruin her, which was part of her wicked dissatisfaction.
Was it possible to be just a little bit ruined?
Oh, you foolish woman .
Twelfth Night. Her saner part rejoiced that the Christmas season was almost over, and her madness with it. This reminded her, however, that she still didn't know why an earl's heir was stuck in his house without servants except for Ned. He'd promised to tell her, and he would.
Tonight.
Chapter Five
That night, Kitty greeted Lord Chatterton and Ned, hoping her feelings did not show. Tears threatened because this was the last of their magical evenings. On top of that, however, was a kind of relief that the disturbing madness and temptation would soon be over and she could be cool and calm again.
As usual, they sat in her drawing room, chatting. Then Lord Chatterton said, "You have a piano. Do you play?"
" Yes." Kitty hadn't suggested it because Pol didn't know how, and she didn't want to make a distinction between them.
" Would you not play a piece or two for us?"
Asked directly, Kitty could not refuse, and went to the instrument. He followed, and raised the lid for her. She realized then that it was another clever way to give Ned and Pol some privacy, and smiled as she took her seat.
She played a number of pieces from memory, enjoying herself. In fact, she lost herself in the music so that she was surprised, looking up, to see him leaning on the instrument, watching her.
The look in his eyes could turn her foolish -- if she were a foolish woman.
"Do you sing?" he asked softly.
" Not well, I'm afraid."
" I do. Could you accompany me?"
" To what? I don't have music for many songs."
" Let's see."
She rose and he flipped through the music in the bench. "Ah. This one?"
He 'd pulled out Tom Moore's Believe me, if all those endearing young charms . She was certainly familiar with it, for her father had loved to sing it, generally with his eyes on her mother. For a moment she couldn't bear the thought of hearing it again, but then, like a healing salve, she decided she would let it bring back sweet memories.
She ran through the melody once, reminding her fingers, and then he joined her.
"Believe me, if all those endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today,
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away,
Thou would'st still be adored as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin, each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still. "
He had a beautiful baritone voice and he acted well, too, singing to her as if he meant the words. Embarrassed, Kitty looked away for a moment and saw Ned gazing into Pol's shining eyes,
One restless night, hearing the black cat yowling and seeing Sherry's disdain, Kitty made this a lesson for herself. If she ever felt tempted to croon at beguiling Lord Chatterton she should remember that he was just suffering a temporary interest.
It would pass when his normal life resumed, and that would be tomorrow. She was sleepless tonight because tomorrow was Twelfth Night. The next day their servants would begin to return and normal order would be restored. The adventure would be over.
She'd planned to enjoy it and she had.
She had not planned to fall in love with the man.
That, however, was what she'd done.
He was a wonderful companion, able to talk of almost anything and able to listen just as well. He could occasionally show a biting wit, but he seemed kind and not the slightest bit haughty. And his kisses were a work of art.
The past few nights Kitty had found herself wishing he would do more. Thank heavens she was too shy to act on her impulses herself, or she'd be behaving as wantonly as Sherry had in heat! She was not an animal, though, and could control herself. Since there was no question of marriage between them, she must not let him ruin her.
Let him.
With a sigh, she had to admit that Lord Chatterton had made no attempt to ruin her, which was part of her wicked dissatisfaction.
Was it possible to be just a little bit ruined?
Oh, you foolish woman .
Twelfth Night. Her saner part rejoiced that the Christmas season was almost over, and her madness with it. This reminded her, however, that she still didn't know why an earl's heir was stuck in his house without servants except for Ned. He'd promised to tell her, and he would.
Tonight.
Chapter Five
That night, Kitty greeted Lord Chatterton and Ned, hoping her feelings did not show. Tears threatened because this was the last of their magical evenings. On top of that, however, was a kind of relief that the disturbing madness and temptation would soon be over and she could be cool and calm again.
As usual, they sat in her drawing room, chatting. Then Lord Chatterton said, "You have a piano. Do you play?"
" Yes." Kitty hadn't suggested it because Pol didn't know how, and she didn't want to make a distinction between them.
" Would you not play a piece or two for us?"
Asked directly, Kitty could not refuse, and went to the instrument. He followed, and raised the lid for her. She realized then that it was another clever way to give Ned and Pol some privacy, and smiled as she took her seat.
She played a number of pieces from memory, enjoying herself. In fact, she lost herself in the music so that she was surprised, looking up, to see him leaning on the instrument, watching her.
The look in his eyes could turn her foolish -- if she were a foolish woman.
"Do you sing?" he asked softly.
" Not well, I'm afraid."
" I do. Could you accompany me?"
" To what? I don't have music for many songs."
" Let's see."
She rose and he flipped through the music in the bench. "Ah. This one?"
He 'd pulled out Tom Moore's Believe me, if all those endearing young charms . She was certainly familiar with it, for her father had loved to sing it, generally with his eyes on her mother. For a moment she couldn't bear the thought of hearing it again, but then, like a healing salve, she decided she would let it bring back sweet memories.
She ran through the melody once, reminding her fingers, and then he joined her.
"Believe me, if all those endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today,
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away,
Thou would'st still be adored as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin, each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still. "
He had a beautiful baritone voice and he acted well, too, singing to her as if he meant the words. Embarrassed, Kitty looked away for a moment and saw Ned gazing into Pol's shining eyes,
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