by Regina Darcy
Christiana’s lips pulled into a wry smile. “Yes, but that is only due to the fact that he has promised to bring my emerald pendant back from the one who took it. I do not think that, had he not made such a promise, he would be so devoted in his attentions.”
Mrs Hardcastle leaned against the doorframe and arched one brow. “Do you not?”
The question hung in the air, sending a shiver down Christiana’s spine. She did not want to think about what it could mean should she believe that Thayne had any sort of fondness for her—for then she would have to look into her own heart and admit to what she had been hiding and battling ever since she had first met the man.
The truth was, after their discussion yesterday, Christiana had found herself considering Thayne more and more. In fact, she was not quite certain that she had managed to make it through a single hour without thinking of him. To marry him would be to gain back her respectability, to free herself from her disgrace—and yet it was not either of those things that pushed her towards the idea of marrying him. It was, she realised, due to the fondness that was slowly growing in her heart.
Thayne was a kind, handsome gentleman with a good family, an estate of his own and a generous nature that behoved him to her all the more. She knew in her heart that he would be a kind husband, that he would do all he could to make their lives together one of contentment and happiness, and it was this knowledge that continued to pull her towards him. The generosity he had shown her, the charity, the warmth, and the friendship made him, in her eyes, a truly wonderful gentleman. A gentleman who was willing to be her husband, if she would but accept him.
She tilted her head, regarding herself in the mirror. Thayne had spoken of the loneliness he had experienced these last five years and had stated that he wished to marry so that he might no longer be alone. That, at least, she could fulfil. She could bring him conversation, companionship, and an affection that she was quite sure would continue to blossom with every day they spent together. In that regard, they were very well suited—and at least she had the reassurance from him that he was marrying her for who she was, not so that he might rekindle memories of his late wife.
So, what was it that made her hesitate? Was it because she feared that her own heart might prove her foolish, yet again? Lifting her chin, Christiana let out her breath slowly. No, she knew that she was not at all foolish in giving both her heart and her trust to the Honourable Aaron Thayne. He had not and would not abandon her. She had nothing to fear, not even the fondness for him that was growing in her heart.
“Mrs Hardcastle?”
The sound of Thayne’s voice made Christiana jump, and she made to hurry towards the door in order to close it, only to see Mrs Hardcastle grin as a gleam flickered in her eyes.
“We are just here, sir,” Mrs Hardcastle called, pressing her back against the door. “Lady Christiana is just now trying on the gown you sent her. Should you wish to see it?”
Christiana felt herself flush hot, aware of how it curled all through her belly and sent fire into her blood. She wanted to hide from him, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed to be looked upon by him. It was a foolish reaction and one that she berated herself for, even though she shot a hard look towards Mrs Hardcastle who accepted it with nothing more than a grin.
“If it is quite alright?”
Thayne stood just outside the door to one side, evidently not quite certain he ought to come into the room. Christiana wished she had time to fan her face to cool the blush that was burning within her cheeks. Mrs Hardcastle waved Thayne into the room, and he stepped inside, his eyes widening as he saw her.
“Do you like it?” Mrs Hardcastle asked, a little jauntily. “I think it is quite beautiful, Mr Thayne. You have done very well in picking such a fine gown.”
Thayne did not say anything for some time, his eyes fixed on Christiana, his jaw working. Christiana did not know what to say and so chose to simply stand quietly in the middle of room, her hands clasped in front of her.
“It is—it is very good on you,” Thayne managed to say eventually, his voice a little gruff. “It is quite wonderful, in fact.”
“Thank you,” Christiana replied, wishing that she was not so obviously overcome. “And thank you again for the generosity in purchasing this for me.”
“But of course,” he replied, clearing his throat and putting both hands behind his back, evidently trying to be quite at ease. “You need a gown for the ball tomorrow night, and it was my pleasure to purchase this for you. Although, may I say, Lady Christiana, that I shall be the envy of every gentleman there when they see me dancing with you on my arm.”
Her heart pounded wildly as she saw Mrs Hardcastle slip from the room. She was quite alone with Thayne. “Thank you,” she murmured, accepting the compliment with as much grace as she could.
“You have not forgotten our dance, I hope?” he asked with a quick smile. “I have been greatly looking forward to it.”
She smiled then, the tension breaking apart just a little. “No, I have not forgotten.”
Thayne tipped his head. “The waltz, I think.” He smiled, his eyes aglow with appreciation. “And you will give me your answer then?”
She did not hesitate. “Yes, Thayne,” she agreed. “After the waltz is ended, I shall give you my answer. I will tell you whether or not I will be your bride.”
Thayne’s expression softened. “I look forward to it all the more then, my lady,” he replied, before dropping into a grand bow and quitting the room.
NINE
Thayne sucked in his breath, feeling everything within him bursting to life. Lady Christiana was even more beautiful than yesterday and now, to accompany her to the ball was to make him the happiest gentleman in all of England.
Even the pain of his wife’s death, the confusion and sorrow over not knowing who was responsible seemed to dim all the more, making him realise just how little he had dwelt in misery these last few days. That was, he was quite certain, due to Lady Christiana’s company as well as the fact that he simply could not get her from his mind.
He prayed that she would agree to wed him. They would get along quite well together, he was quite sure of it, for not only did he care for her very deeply, he was beginning to believe that she felt something similar. She was, mayhap, afraid to admit it to him, perhaps even to herself—but given what she had endured thus far, he could not blame her.
“You are a vision, Lady Christiana,” he breathed as she walked towards the carriage, her new cloak wrapped around her shoulders and the muffler he had given her safely encasing her hands. “I will be the envy of every gentleman present.”
She smiled sweetly at him, her eyes alight in the lantern light. “Thank you, my lord,” she murmured, accepting his hand as she climbed the steps into the carriage. “This is, in fact, quite exciting.”
He chuckled as he sat opposite her, rapping on the roof. “Is that because you look forward to having your emerald pendant back safely?” he asked with a slightly raised brow. “My men have already departed to the house where Lord Archibald is residing.”
She started as though she had quite forgotten about the pendant altogether. “No, Thayne,” she replied softly. “In fact, I had not thought of that when it came to this evening.” Her eyes darted away for a moment, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. “No, it is that I am rather excited to be in your arms, dancing at the Christmas ball.” Reaching forward, she touched his hand. “I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me. When I first awoke in that carriage, I thought my life was entirely ruined. You have helped me from a very dark situation and brought me back into the light.”
He could not help but place his other hand over hers. “It is my very great pleasure to help you, Lady Christiana,” he said truthfully. “I only hope that we may find ourselves in an even happier situation by this evening’s end. After all, I am to introduce you to my own father and mother this evening.”
“After our dance,” she laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Do pr
ay that you will wait until then.”
Her smile filled his heart with hope. “I will wait,” he promised eagerly. “But do not toy with me, Lady Christiana. I do not think I can wait for much longer after that.”
***
The carriage ride seemed to go rather quickly, and soon, Thayne found himself helping Lady Christiana from the carriage and walking alongside her into the ballroom. He had made sure to be prompt, knowing that many guests would appear an hour or so later—which he hoped would include Lord Archibald.
“Now,” he murmured in a quiet voice, “I have ensured that you will be very well taken care of this evening. We will not be seen together until later, when the time comes for our dance. A Miss Wilcox is waiting within for you, and she will be your companion for the evening. I will come to you later—although I think it best that, should you see Lord Archibald, you ignore him entirely until we can speak to him together.” He searched her face, seeing the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “You need not be afraid, Lady Christiana. I will always be watching for you; I will always know where you are. You are not going to be alone, not even for a moment.”
She pressed his hand surreptitiously, and Thayne felt a wave of emotion crash over him. The urge to protect her, the urge to wrap his arms about her and make sure she never left his side grew with every moment, but he knew that, in order to ensure her reputation was as secure as possible, they would have to separate until the time came for their dance. Then, once Lady Christiana had given him her answer, he would either introduce her as his betrothed or, if she did not accept, merely a friend he had had the chance to reacquaint himself with this evening. Besides which, it was best that Lord Archibald did not see the two of them together, so that his suspicions would not be roused. Thayne had every intention of calling the man out, however, although he knew Lady Christiana would be horrified to hear it. He could not allow her to be so treated without consequence. Lord Archibald would have his comeuppance in the end.
“Thank you for all you have done for me, Thayne,” Lady Christiana murmured quietly as they walked inside. “You truly are the most wonderful man.”
He smiled at her, looking deeply into her eyes and praying that she would accept his marriage proposal. He was beginning to think that a life without her would be no life at all. “You need not thank me,” he replied, his voice dropping low. “For I would do it all again and more, if I had to. You have become very dear to me, Lady Christiana.”
The words fell from his lips, and Lady Christiana caught them swiftly, her cheeks burning red and her eyes sparkling with wonder. She said nothing, but as he watched, he saw how her lips curved gently, how she seemed to come alive with the happiness that rose within her.
“Until our dance,” she murmured, her eyes filled with promise, before she turned and introduced herself to Miss Wilcox, leaving him behind.
Thayne drew in a long breath, feeling himself shake a little with anticipation of what was to come. Walking into the ballroom, he greeted his host and thanked him briefly for the invitation. Making his way into the room, he let his eyes drift over the dancing couples, taking in the decorations of holly and the evergreen branches that seemed to bring with them a wonderful scent. Feeling himself growing rather content with the entire situation, such as it was, Thayne made to make his way down the staircase and into the room all the more, only to be stopped by someone calling his name. Turning his head, he saw his mother and father walking towards him, his mother’s face bright with happiness. She had always loved a ball. Making to speak, Thayne moved towards them—only to see that, just behind his mother, came the tall, dark-haired figure of Lord Archibald.
A sudden fierce panic rose in his chest. Thayne did not know what to do. To speak to the man now would, perhaps, be a little too soon, but he could not tell whether or not the gentleman had seen—and recognised—Lady Christiana, given that she was still standing talking to Miss Wilcox. Forced into making a decision, Thayne plastered a bright smile on his face and greeted his mother and father, choosing to turn his back on Lord Archibald. Tension rolled through him, making him catch his breath, but to his very great relief, the gentleman simply walked past him and descended the steps into the ballroom.
“Thayne!” his mother exclaimed, her eyes shining. “I did not think you were to attend! Is it not still that you despise Christmas terribly?”
“I do, Mama,” Thayne replied truthfully. “But you had already accepted and I did not want to be rude.”
Her mother shook her head, her smile fading. “That is good of you, Thayne, but I do wish you would find a way to remove this sadness from you. Christmas is a time of joy, of happiness and delight, and I would be so glad if you could find even a little contentment each year instead of the pain that you cling to.”
His father, never one for emotion, harrumphed and excused himself, leaving Thayne and his mother standing alone.
“You need not worry, Mama,” Thayne replied gently. “I think that, this year, I may find more freedom and contentment than I have ever done before.”
His mother’s eyes rounded, but she smiled at him, patting his cheek gently. “I am glad to hear it, Thayne.” Her gaze drifted away, settling over his left shoulder. “Oh, but I must go. Your father is talking to Lord and Lady Trenton, and I simply must speak to them.”
Thayne laughed and watched his mother hurry away, his heart lifting within him. It was true what he had said to her. For the first time in many years, he was finding himself to be more and more content with Christmas and all that it brought. Mayhap, if Lady Christiana accepted him, he would find a happiness that might wash all through his painful memories and help him find that peace he had sought for so long. A contented sigh escaped his lips, wondering just how long it would be until he could dance with Lady Christiana.
“Thayne isn’t it?”
His happiness was wiped away and he turned his head to see none other than Lord Archibald approaching, a lopsided smile on his face.
“Lord Archibald,” he replied coolly. “It has been some time.”
“Years,” Lord Archibald replied darkly. “Years since we last saw one other. I believe that was the time when you insisted on stealing away what was to be mine.”
Anger crashed through Thayne’s frame. “My wife was never to be yours, Archibald.”
A sinister chuckle came from Lord Archibald’s throat. “It seems she was not to be yours either, Thayne. Tell me again how long it has been since she died? I heard that she could not take living with you and so found an escape through the worst possible means.”
Thayne’s hands immediately began to curl into fists, his body shaking violently. He could not speak, such was his rage, and it took everything in him not to slam his fist into Lord Archibald’s face.
“But then again, Lord Archibald,” came a clear, calm voice, “everything you say and do is nothing more than a lie, and I am quite sure everyone in this room knows it. Now, why do you not take your leave of my betrothed? Neither of us want your presence here.”
Turning his head, Thayne saw Lady Christiana step forward to take her place beside him—and his heart leapt in his chest. She had just agreed to become his wife.
TEN
Christiana knew that she ought not to interfere, that the plan Thayne had suggested was that they tackle Lord Archibald together, but the moment she had seen Thayne begin to battle his anger, she had been unable to prevent herself from going to his side.
She stood there now, lifting her chin and fixing Lord Archibald with an icy glare, finding that despite her nerves, she was beginning to feel more and more confident with every breath she took. Thayne had helped her with that.
“You are engaged to Aaron Thayne?” Lord Archibald stuttered, apparently quite astonished to see her, given how his face had lost some colour. “How in heaven’s name—” He stopped himself with an effort, clearing his throat in an attempt to cover up his mistake.
“Are you trying to ask me how such a thing could have occurred when I w
as left alone in a carriage, my reputation in shreds?” Christiana asked coolly. “Thankfully, Lord Archibald, I have learned that there are many gentlemen who are just as they seem—honest, kind, and compassionate. Thayne has shown me that what I believed I felt for you was nothing more than a brief infatuation. It has all burnt away, leaving me free to accept his hand in marriage, knowing that the gentleman I am to marry cares deeply for me—as I care for him.”
“And I believe,” Thayne added, his tone steady, “that you have something that belongs to my betrothed. Her emerald pendant?” He shook his head, evidently disappointed with Lord Archibald’s behaviour. “You need not pretend you did not take it, Archibald. We all know that you did.”
Lord Archibald snorted. “I hardly think you can prove that.”
“He does not need to prove it,” Christiana said quickly. “That pendant will be returned to me, Lord Archibald, whether you wish it or not. That proved to me just how callous and unfeeling you truly are, I think. You knew that the pendant was more than just how much it was worth; it was the fact that it belonged to my mother, and it was the only thing of hers that I had left—and still, you stole it from me.”
Lord Archibald had gone very still, his dark eyes darting from her to Thayne and back again.
“You will return to your abode to discover that the emerald pendant is gone,” Thayne said quietly, watching Lord Archibald closely. “Along with anything else that you have stolen. Oh yes, Lord Archibald, this meeting is not by chance. I have known where you have been for some days. In fact, I knew that you would be attending this ball tonight also.”
For a moment, there was nothing but silence between them, only for Lord Archibald to suck in a breath, his face flushing red.
“You cannot take what is not yours to take!” he spat harshly, taking a step closer to Thayne. “That emerald is—”