She stared at him for a long, astonished moment. He knew full well that Teddy had been the woman in Charles’s life, yet he wasn’t going to tell her. In spite of his theory that said knowledge would ease her mind and possibly even smooth the difficulties between the two of them, he was going to keep this from her because he feared it might hurt her.
Ten years ago he had made a decision at the price of his own happiness because he’d thought it was best for her. Now, he was doing exactly the same thing for precisely the same reason and with a similar cost attached. In the back of her mind, Elizabeth noted that she should be furious that he had once again made a decision that would dramatically affect her life, yet oddly she wasn’t the least bit angry. Instead a lovely sense of joy washed through her and a bit of awe as well that he could love her so much as to be willing to do whatever was necessary to keep her from being hurt.
“I see.” She nodded thoughtfully. “Still, you said you would not pay for another man’s sins.”
“Oh, I have no intention of doing so, yet I do realize, given our own past, that I may have to continue to earn your trust over time. I shall endeavor to do so.”
“Will you?” Her solemn smile belied the sheer happiness that bubbled up inside her.
“Indeed I will. However,” his voice was firm, “I will not abandon old friends, nor will I promise never to cast an appreciative eye at another woman.”
“As long as your eye is all you cast.” She reached out and trailed her fingers lightly along the lapel of his coat.
He caught her hand. “I can agree to that.”
“You should be aware, though,” she drew a deep breath, “I suspect I will be jealous of every appreciative look you cast and all such looks cast in your direction. I shall try not to be a shrew about it, but I am fairly confident that it has nothing whatsoever to do with Charles and everything to do with how I feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me?” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her palm.
She shivered with delight and anticipation. “I thought I made my feelings perfectly clear the other night.”
“Tell me again.” He fairly growled the words and pulled her tight into his arms.
She raised her chin and looked squarely into his eyes, as intense and smoldering now as they had been when she’d first gazed into them. First wondered what it would be like to be in his arms. In his life. For the rest of her days. “You are now, and have always been, my love. My grand passion.”
“And you…” He leaned closer and brushed his lips against hers. “…are my madness.”
“Grand?”
“Exceedingly grand,” he murmured, and his lips met hers in a kiss that held the grandest of promises for this Christmas and all the Christmases to come.
Without warning he drew back and stared down at her. “I have reconsidered.”
She drew her brows together. “Reconsidered what?”
“In regards to our partnership, marriage, that is, after a great deal of thought —”
She grinned. “Due consideration?”
“Exactly.” He nodded. “I am willing to offer you forty percent, but I can go no higher.”
“Oh, but I think you can.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I shall take no less than forty-nine.”
“Forty-nine? Which leaves me only fifty-one percent? Exceedingly bad business practice, Elizabeth.” He shook his head, then shrugged. “Agreed.” He grinned. “And to seal this agreement —”
His lips claimed hers once more, and Elizabeth noted this was much better than a mere handshake or a written contract. Love for this man surged through her, and she knew it was in equal measure on both sides. And wondered as well if it was truly necessary to return to the ball, or could they —
Abruptly she drew back and stared at him. “Why are you going to Birmingham?”
He laughed. “Mr. Dickens is to do his first ever public reading of A Christmas Carol in Birmingham in a few days. I have arranged admissions, and I thought you, and Christopher and Adam, of course, would enjoy it.”
“Nicholas.” She swallowed hard. “That’s wonderful of you.”
“I am a saint,” he said modestly.
“St. Nicholas?” She raised a brow. “Father Christmas?”
“There’s a distinct resemblance,” he said in a lofty manner, then sobered. “Elizabeth, you first gave me Mr. Dickens’s story of second chances on Christmas Eve. It seems only fitting that I give you his words as he truly meant them to be read.”
“Oh, my.” Her voice caught. “I don’t think I’ve ever received such a gift.”
“No, my dear Elizabeth.” He stared at her for a long moment. “The true gift is love, and it is I who has never received such a gift.”
Her heart lodged in her throat, and she stared into his dark eyes, smoldering once more with passion and promises. And knew without question she would always share the sense of wonder she saw reflected there, and the love.
The ghosts of Christmas Past that had always lingered between them could now be set firmly in the past, where they belonged. The ghost of Christmas Present could be feted with love and joy. As for the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, he was not to be feared but welcomed.
Life with Nicholas would be neither perfect nor easy, but she had had both. Grand passion had a price, and it was well worth any cost. With Nicholas by her side, this Christmas and every Christmas — indeed, every day from this one forth — would be filled with love and tears and laughter and everything that was her life, her heart. Her family, her sons, and Nicholas. Her grand passion. Her grand madness.
As it was always and forever meant to be.
* * *
* * *
Epilogue
He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One.
— A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, 1843
Christmas yet to come
Christmas Day, 1858
“He had no further intercourse with Spirits…” Frederick’s voice rang in the theatrical manner he insisted A Christmas Carol demanded.
Nick grinned and wrapped his arm around his wife.
Just as he had done every Christmas Day since Nick and Elizabeth had wed, Uncle Frederick sat reading aloud to the children. Whether it was his overly dramatic interpretation or simply the power of Mr. Dickens’s words, the children listened with rapt attention — even Christopher, who had claimed he was far and away too old to be read to this year and it was time to put such childish amusements aside. Adam, who emulated his brother in everything, agreed he was probably too old as well, but since Uncle Frederick did so love reading the story, Adam could certainly listen out of affection and respect for his elders. And because it was, after all, Christmas Day.
James, barely four years of age, had dozed on and off throughout Frederick’s reading and was even now curled against Christopher’s side. It never failed to amaze Nick how well the boys had taken to their new brother. Indeed, they were already planning the day when he could join them in their exploits and adventures. Adventures no doubt originally inspired by their Uncle Jonathon, who, now that he had children himself, was getting a bit of his own back.
The twins, of course, were still far too young for the Christmas reading and were upstairs under the watchful eye of Miss Otis, who had proved herself more than capable of the care of his daughters as well as his sons.
“…he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed…”
Frederick’s voice swelled, and Lady Thornecroft bit back a grin. No one had been more surprised than Nick, or possibly Frederick himself, when Frederick had at long last married, and to a woman suspiciously close to his own age at that. Nick suspected there was an interesting story behind it all, but when as
ked, Frederick would only shake his head, grin in a wry manner, and mutter, “should have married her years ago.”
“…as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One.”
Frederick closed the small book with a flourish. “Well? How was I? As good as Mr. Dickens himself, I should think.”
The older boys traded glances and grins. Frederick asked the same question every year and received the same answers.
“Absolutely, Uncle,” Adam said staunchly.
“Better than even last year I would say,” Christopher added.
“Exactly as I thought,” Frederick said in a lofty manner and winked at his wife.
Nick chuckled and gazed over his family with the sense of contentment and deep gratitude only a man who has truly found everything he has ever wished for can know. Even now it was difficult to believe. Certainly, their lives weren’t perfect and the world itself was an ever more difficult place, but, for the moment, they were happy and healthy and together. And whenever he met Elizabeth’s gaze, he saw his own love and passion reflected there. Mad and grand and forever.
He glanced at his wife. Elizabeth watched her family gathered together, and a slight smile played on her lips. Her voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, probably not meant for any mortal ears at all. “God bless us every one.”
“My dear Elizabeth.” Nick tightened his arm around her and smiled into her green eyes. “He already has.”
* * *
About the Author
VICTORIA ALEXANDER was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and has never looked back.
Victoria grew up traveling the country as an Air Force brat and is now settled in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two teenaged children, and a bearded collie named Sam. She firmly believes housework is a four-letter word, there are no calories in anything eaten standing up, procrastination is an art form, and it’s never too soon to panic.
And she loves getting mail that doesn’t require a return payment. Write to her at: P.O. Box 31544, Omaha NE 68131.
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Praise for the books of
Victoria Alexander
“Warm, witty and wise!”
Julia Quinn
“Victoria Alexander delivers on all counts…Inventive, imaginative and intriguing.”
Stephanie Laurens
“For love and laughter it doesn’t get any better than Victoria Alexander.”
Christina Dodd
“A rising star.”
Publishers Weekly
“The Wedding Bargain is the laugh-out-loud romance of the year! With its sparkling dialogue and delightful characters, Ms. Alexander has created a merry frolic of the heart. This is one battle of the sexes that everybody wins, especially the reader!”
Teresa Medeiros
“Polished and delightful, this duel of words, wit and hearts between a princess on a quest and an aristocratic balloonist fallen on hard times sparkles with humor even as the romance sizzles.”
Publishers Weekly on Her Highness, My Wife (*Starred Review*)
* * *
By Victoria Alexander
A VISIT FROM SIR NICHOLAS
THE PURSUIT OF MARRIAGE
THE LADY IN QUESTION
LOVE WITH THE PROPER HUSBAND
HER HIGHNESS, MY WIFE
THE PRINCE’S BRIDE
THE MARRIAGE LESSON
THE HUSBAND LIST
THE WEDDING BARGAIN
* * *
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A VISIT FROM SIR NICHOLAS. Copyright © 2004 by Cheryl Griffin. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of PerfectBound™.
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Mobipocket Reader November 2004 eISBN 0-06-079827-0
Rocket/Softbook E-book November 2004 eISBN 0-06-079824-6
First Avon Books paperback printing: December 2004
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* * *
eBook Info
Title:A Visit from Sir Nicholas
Creator:Victoria Alexander
Date:2004
Type:novel
Format:text/html
Identifier:eISBN 0-06-079827-0
Source:PDF
Language:en
Relation:None
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Rights:Copyright © 2004 by Cheryl Griffin
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A Visit From Sir Nicholas (Effington Family Book 9) Page 29