One Enchanted Winter

by Victoria Oliveri

  Making his way down to the dining room, he realized his ankle was feeling much better, and that he was not depending on his cane as much as he had in days prior. Arabella, Carolina, and their father were already at the table when he arrived and he found it odd how commonplace it felt, as if they always belonged there. Dr Wheatley was reading the morning paper, his glasses perched at the end of his nose. He looked up when Dederick entered and came to his feet.

  “Lord Dederick,” he said with a bow. “How do you feel this morning?”

  Dederick waved him off and gestured for him to sit.

  “I am feeling much better. The pain is nearly gone now. I believe I should be able to walk unaided in a few more days.”

  “Very good to hear,” Dr Wheatley said. “But do not become too eager. Rest the foot whenever you can and do not rush the healing. You must not stress it too much so early in the process.”

  “I understand, I shall take care,” he said then turned his attention to Arabella, who sat quietly across from him. “And how are you this fine day, Miss Wheatley?”

  Arabella looked to him and with a blush, looked to her sister and father before looking back to him.

  “I am well, thank you,” she said.

  “I hope we gave you a comfortable room,” Dederick said, addressing the doctor as he lifted the lid off one platter to spy what awaited beneath. Finding kippers, he smiled and dished two onto his empty plate.

  “Indeed, my lord,” Dr Wheatley answered as he dished some onto his plate as well. “I believe it is what you call the yellow room.”

  “The yellow room?” Dederick asked with a laugh. “Horrible room, why did you go there? It’s an explosion of flowers. Turns my stomach any time I need to go in there. Far too loud for my taste.”

  “I’m assuming the decorating is your mother’s?” Dr Wheatley asked.

  “I am not sure. I know they decorated the room for my grandmother, and I believe she only stayed in that room three times before she passed, and that was years ago. I do not understand why it was never redecorated with something more…. palatable.”

  Everyone at the table laughed at that.

  “I shall bear up and live through the ordeal, it is my duty,” Dr Wheatley said with a puffed-out chest.

  “The King shall surely honor you with a garter for your efforts,” Lord Dederick said, and the laughter erupted again. It was so nice to hear, how it rang off the walls. Not something that was common in this house, and that was a shame. His parents were lovely people, but they tended to be stolid when it came to expressing one’s emotions no matter what they were, which made him worry even more about how they would react to his proposal to Arabella. He didn’t know the story of his parents' meeting, but he was sure their marriage had been planned and arranged with no talk of love or longing. And that too was a shame.

  “Do you have anything that needs to be done, Lord Dederick?” Carolina asked as she set down her fork and reached for the tray of bread.

  “Done?” he asked.

  “You’ve been confined for so long here, I’m assuming you have some business to attend to. Anything we can help you with?”

  “That is very kind of you, Miss Carolina, but I have nothing that needs to be done. I have already had my letters sent out this morning, and that was the extent of my business.”

  “In that case,” she said with a smile, looking around the table. “Perhaps we should find some entertainment for ourselves.”

  “What do you suggest?” Arabella asked as she took a bite of her toasted bread.

  “I don’t know. Lord Dederick, this is your home, what do you suggest?” Carolina asked.

  Dederick looked to her, then his eyes went to each face in surprise.

  “Me?” he said, swallowing his mouthful of fish. “Well, I have never been a master of entertainment. I leave that to my mother as the veritable hostess of this house. And with the weather as it is, it is not as if we can go for walks or traipse about in the gardens, so I am at a loss.”

  “It is a shame we cannot walk the grounds, they are lovely when the weather isn’t so horrid,” Carolina said with a shrug.

  “Are there no parlor games we could play?” Arabella asked.

  Dederick gave her an odd look.

  “I’m sure there is a deck of cards in my father’s study and there is a chessboard in the library, but aside from that, we have nothing else. We are not a very keen gaming family I fear,” Dederick offered with a shrug.

  “We could always play charades,” Carolina said with an excited smile.

  “Or we could read,” Arabella said fondly, giving Lord Dederick a smile.

  “Yes, we could read,” he answered, giving her a warm smile. “The library is filled with wonderful books. I am sure everyone would find something they like.”

  “Reading is boring,” Carolina groused, and Arabella gave her a sour look.

  “Perhaps if you read more, and expanded your mind, you would not think that way,” Arabella said haughtily.

  Carolina rolled her eyes skyward and gave a soft laugh.

  “Here we go,” she chuckled. “You see, Lord Dederick, I am not the scholar of this family. I leave that to these two, but they will continue to try to coerce me into that life at every turn.”

  “There is nothing wrong with being scholarly,” Lord Dederick offered. “I find it rather noble, especially for a woman.” He eyed Arabella on those words and noted her blush, which he found immeasurably charming.

  “I have to agree,” Dr Wheatley said as he cut into his kipper with the precision of a surgeon. “And I have tried to entice Carolina with books, but it is no use. Unless they are frivolous novels, she will have none of it.”

  Lord Dederick smiled and leaned toward Carolina with a mischievous look in his eye.

  “I believe my mother has hidden several such novels in the library,” he said with a smirk. “I could find one for you if it would mean you would join us.”

  Carolina beamed at that and gave him a quick nod.

  “Thank you, my lord, that would be very nice of you.”

  “And as long as the sun remains high in the sky and the clouds do not come to blot them out, I believe it would be rather nice to read in the orangery. There is a small seating area in the back for just such an activity.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Arabella said, thanking him. “It would be nice to see the sunshine after being locked up here for so long.”

  They agreed upon the days' activities as they finished their meals and Arabella helped Carolina to gather up the dishes to take to the kitchen. Once alone with Dr Wheatley, Lord Dederick cleared his throat.

  “I’ve spoken to your daughter,” he said, and Dr Wheatley looked up quizzically. “She has agreed to the match.”

  Dr Wheatley let out a relieved breath.

  “That is good news.”

  “I sent a missive to my parents in the morning post letting them know what has happened and to ask for their blessing.”

  Dr Wheatley nodded at him and considered his words for a moment.

  “Will they agree to this match do you think?” the doctor asked cautiously.

  “I don’t know. I hope they will and can only pray that they do.”

  “You don’t sound too convinced,” Dr Wheatley said sipping his tea.

  “With my parents, it’s hard to say how they will react to anything. Right now, the only thing in my favor is the fact that I am not the heir and have no rank to speak of, so they can’t use that against me. Though my mother will certainly try. She’s been pushing me to find a wife for a few years now, parading me about like a peacock. Needless to say, I am not very fond of balls.”

  Dr Wheatley chuckled.

  “I was never fond of them either,” he offered, pushing his empty teacup aside. “But it is where I found my wife through no fault of my own, so I cannot deny their usefulness.”

  “You met your wife at a ball?” Lord Dederick asked.

  “Yes, it was a Yuletide ball a
t Hamilton Hall in the village. Like yours, my mother pressured me to attend. The few mates that I had at the time had already been wed or engaged and so she was keen to find me a wife. As a physician, I was more interested in my studies and so I thought nothing of it.”

  “But you were one of the lucky ones,” Lord Dederick said with a smile.

  “I was. I consider myself blessed to have found her. She was an angel.”

  Lord Dederick nodded at that and gave him a smile.

  “How long were you married?”

  “Eighteen years,” Dr Wheatley offered. “She was taken away from us far too soon.”

  Lord Dederick gave him a sad smile. He knew Mrs Wheatley as a kind, gentle woman and remembered when she passed after a prolonged illness. It had to be nearing ten years now, but he did not ask. He could see by the look on the doctor’s face that even after so many years, her loss was still a harsh reminder of mortality for him.

  “She would have loved you as a son-in-law,” Dr Wheatley said then, giving him a smile. “She always did have a soft spot in her heart for you.”

  “For me, why is that?”

  “She saw you with your mother once when you were a small boy and you were fussing about something. She felt your mother was rather harsh with you. She said she always felt she needed to hug you. But that was Carys. She always did have a soft spot for children.”

  “Most mothers do. And my mother was kind in her own way. We had nannies that handled us most days so when we were alone with her, I don’t believe she knew what to do with us. We were rather a wild pack of boys.”

  “You don’t have to tell me, I remember it well,” Dr Wheatley said with a chuckle. “When I would stop in for your errant sniffles or coughs, your brothers would tear through the manor throwing caution to the wind and you would trail behind trying to keep up.”

  “That was me, always trying to keep up, even to this day. It’s a cross I must bear.”

  “Why?” the doctor asked, crossing his legs. “It is not as if you have a duty to your name in your position. Your eldest brother has that well in hand.”

  “Believe me, I am always made aware of that fact. How I will never amount to much when it comes to family dealings.”

  “That’s not the proper way to look at your life. Just because you won’t be the next Earl doesn’t mean you can’t be the next important person doing something you love.”

  “And what would that be?” Lord Dederick asked, his tone tinged with anger. This was a sore subject for him and one he did not voice readily, but the doctor was a friend to his family and a man he could trust. “I apologize, I just feel I am not fit for much. Living a life of leisure is fine when you can do so, but I’ve always wanted to be my own man.”

  “So why not be your own man then?”

  “My father was never too keen with my finding a profession if he did not offer or approve it first.”

  “And has he?”

  “He wanted me to go into law, become a barrister or some sort of councilman, but the law bores me to no end.”

  “So, what excites you, Lord Dederick?” Dr Wheatley asked, crossing his arms.

  The first thing that came to mind was this man’s daughter, but he could not say that. Just concealing that thought made his face heat, and he was sure the good doctor could read through him.

  “Books,” Lord Dederick blurted. “I’ve always loved books. But there aren’t any great opportunities that take that love into consideration unless I wish to become some sort of archivist at a library and I am sure my father would never agree to that.”

  “Have you ever asked him?”

  Lord Dederick shook his head ruefully.

  “I rarely bring these things up to my father. He doesn’t understand my need to be scholarly or bookish. When I finally finished at Cambridge, I was loath to leave. I tried to talk him into allowing me to stay on to continue studying but he would not allow it. Said it was a waste of money.”

  “I will never understand a parent’s aversion to educating their children. Believe me, I have received no small amount of cross glances for making sure my daughters were educated.”

  “I did not know they were,” Lord Dederick said, genuinely surprised by this information, but he shouldn’t have been. He knew Arabella to be a brilliant woman with a sharp mind. “Did they have a governess?”

  “No, I could not afford one at the time, starting my practice as I was. My wife was an alumnus and patron of St Agnes School for Girls and had taught there for a few years before we married. We arranged lessons there through their good graces and once they realized how smart Arabella was, they agreed to keep her on full term until she graduated. Carolina wasn’t as interested in studies but learned to sew there so I suppose the school has helped her.”

  “I did not know Miss Wheatley had so much schooling, but I shouldn’t be surprised,” Lord Dederick said. “It is no wonder she enjoys being a governess. I am sure she was not happy to give up the opportunity and I can’t say that it pleases me to be the one to do it, but with me she will have a better life. I hope she sees that.”

  “She will. In time. And when you have your own children, and she has new minds to work with, it will satisfy her.”

  Children of their own. Words that hadn’t come to mind, and the thought hit him broadside and he nearly choked on his breath.

  “Right, children,” Lord Dederick blurted.

  “You intend on having them, do you not?” Dr Wheatley asked.

  “I do, that goes without saying. I suppose I hadn’t thought about it before. Getting her to agree to the marriage was challenge enough.”

  “Do not worry yourself, everything will fall into place if you give it a chance.”

  “One can hope,” Lord Dederick said as he stood from the table and gestured to the door. “One can hope.”

  Chapter Eleven

  It was late, and the manor was quiet, but Lord Dederick lay in his bed restless and out of sorts. It had been an uneventful day spent reading and chatting with both Dr Wheatley and with Arabella. Carolina could not sit still with a book for more than ten minutes and so she left the library early on to find her amusement elsewhere leaving the three of them to converse about worldly topics. It was one of the most wonderful nights he’d had at the manor in all the years he’d lived there.

  But beyond the talk of politics and current events in London, his mind went directly back to his discussion with the doctor and of Arabella. In just the few short hours they spent together that evening Dederick had learned so much about her, first from her father and then by speaking to her directly and openly. The three of them laughed and told stories of their past and it amazed him how astute she was to pick out parts of his past that made him who he was. He felt that perhaps because she had been a governess, it was easier for her to note the developmental processes in people. Whatever it was, she had him figured out. And though he learned so much about her, he felt there was so much more to learn. She was an endless well of information on just about every topic and when she did not know, she searched the library to find the answers. Had she been allowed to attend a university like he had, he was sure she would have graduated top of her class.

  Rolling over, he looked to the clock on his mantle. It was nearly two in the morning. He’d have to wait at least another five hours before he could see her and speak to her again. It seemed far too long. Rolling to his other side, he looked to the door that separated their rooms and was surprised to see light coming from beneath it. She was awake as well.

  Rolling onto his back, he stared at his canopy for several minutes before grinding his teeth and forcing himself out of bed. He quickly pulled on his breeches and stockings, then pulled a simple linen shirt over his head. Tucking in his shirt, he thought to don boots, so he was at least proper, but the woman had seen his bare feet for several days now. There was no need for formalities any longer.

  Going to the door, he leaned his ear against it and listened for a moment. Perhaps she had fallen
asleep before she blew out her candle. He hated to wake her if that were the case. Inhaling slowly, he held his hand up to the wood and pausing a moment, finally knocked softly. He heard her move immediately and nearly fell into the room when the door opened.

  “Lord Dederick, are you all right? Is something the matter?”

  Lord Dederick laughed despite his clumsiness and caught himself on the door jamb.

  “No, I’m fine. I couldn’t sleep and saw your candle was still lit. I hope I am not intruding.”

  “Intruding? In your own home? Hardly,” she said with a smile then awkwardly pulled her robe more tightly around her. “I was reading.”

  Lord Dederick nodded and glanced into her room, but they stood silent for several minutes before he shifted his weight back toward his room.

  “I should--” he started, but she put a hand to his arm and stopped him.

  “Do you want to come in and sit with me?” she blurted out, then withdrew her hand when he looked down at it on his arm.

  It was as if her touch singed him, he could feel it still where her heat had penetrated his shirt.

  “Yes, that would be lovely,” he choked out, but as she moved away, he could not help but reach for her hand and pull her warm body back to him. Her hands came to his chest, bracing herself as she came off balance, but his arms were around her then, his lips finding hers easily.

  He could not help but kiss her hungrily, his tongue finding purchase on hers, and he moved her back against the door. His hands went to her face then to cradle her as his mouth devoured her and they broke apart breathless.

  “Lord Dederick…” she gasped, her hands now clutching his shirt. “My father is in the next room, we cannot do this.”

  “I believe I may kiss my betrothed,” he said, smiling against her lips, kissing them once more, slowly, languidly, but she pushed against him and turned her head so that his kisses landed on her cheek.

  “Please, this is improper. Just the fact that my room is next to yours is questionable enough.”