A Seduction at Christmas
Page 23
“Yes,” Fiona said without hesitation. “I’m not superstitious.”
Gillian went to the room to fetch her dress. “It’s perfect,” Fiona said when she saw it. The dress was a snowy white muslin with pin tucks and rows of pearls across the bodice.
“I thought I could do some holly leaves for your hair,” Gillian suggested.
Fiona laughed. “I adore your holly bouquets,” she said.
“They will really stand out with your hair color,” Gillian answered before saying, “And Aunt Agatha wants to know if you would like to borrow her red cape. It’s warm and will go with my holly bouquets.”
“I deeply appreciate her offer,” Fiona said. She sat on the bed, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world. “I am so blessed to be marrying into such a generous family.”
“No, we are the ones who are pleased,” Gillian said. “For the longest time, Holburn was such a distant figure. When he was a boy, he was closer to all of us. Then, when his father died and he inherited the title, everything changed. His uncles were like a wall between him and the rest of the family.”
“Do you not like the uncles?” Fiona asked.
Gillian shrugged. “They are who they are. I don’t see them often. That whole side of the family is rather puritanical. While we always enjoyed our Yule log, they’d frown at us as if we were druids.” She scrunched her nose. “Come to think of it, I’m glad they aren’t here. Now let’s dress you.”
The hours until half past ten when they had to leave for the church flew by in a haste of primping and laughter.
The marriage ceremony would take place after the Christmas service. Nick would travel separately to the church and sit several pews ahead. He was not to look at his bride until after the service.
Of course, that didn’t happen. Fiona could feel his gaze on her the moment she walked proudly into the church. The women of the Lynsted family had gone to great lengths to see that she was a true Christmas bride. Gillian had gone holly mad and had even made a huge bouquet of holly for Fiona to carry.
The church was small and intimate. A host of servants and parish members who wished to witness the wedding filled the pews along with the family, so the church was very crowded.
Reverend Mosley knew what people wanted. His service was not unduly fast, but it did move at a good clip. At last, he called Nick and Fiona to the altar rail along with their witnesses Andres and Gillian.
Fiona could not believe this was happening to her. Nick looked amazingly handsome in a midnight-blue velvet jacket, white breeches, and white figured waist coat. Her gloved hand trembled as she placed it in his.
There had been a time when she’d listened to the vows spoken at her friends’ marriages and dreamed of the day it would be her turn to be the bride. At no time had those words taken on the meaning as they did this Christmas day when she was asked to promise herself to Dominic Lynsted, Duke of Holburn.
At one point when she was speaking, she sensed a movement at the window. A shadow seemed to move there, and she thought of her parents.
Tears filled her eyes…and from deep within, she experienced a feeling of peace.
They were happy for her.
And then it was his turn to make his vows. He spoke with quiet assurance and when the time came to offer a ring, she was surprised when he placed a heavy gold band on her finger. He sealed his actions by lifting her hand to his lips and kissing the band.
At last, Reverend Mosley raised his hand over their heads and pronounced them man and wife. If the skies had opened and angels had started singing, this moment could not be more momentous.
Back at the house, all was ready for the wedding breakfast. Some wagster in the family had placed mistletoe over the chairs at the head of the table where Nick and Fiona were to sit. At different moments during the breakfast, everyone would start clanging on their glasses with their silverware and demanding a kiss. Usually the glass clanging was started by the giggling children although Carter and Andres led it several times.
Fiona also noticed that Andres was paying marked attention to Gillian.
After dinner, Fiona and Nick went down to the stables where the servants were having their Christmas celebration. There was a merry band of musicians and everyone stomped their feet until Nick and Fiona led a dance.
At last, they could return to the house where the family was still celebrating with games and good cheer. Both she and Nick had decided not to linger. The time had come when they wanted to be alone. He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. “Come. Let’s go upstairs.”
However, his invitation to her set off a round of catcalls and suggestions in the family.
The cousins rose from their seats and Fiona could see they were in the mood for a country custom of teasing and mocking the newlywed couple to their bed. Sometimes, overzealous family members would even try to help the bride and groom disrobe.
Nick must have had the same fear. “Run,” he said. He didn’t have to tell Fiona twice. They took off up the stairs while the younger family members chased them all the way to the bedroom door, which Nick slammed shut in their laughing faces.
At last, Nick and Fee were alone. “Husband and wife,” he said. She smiled.
A table had been set up with enough food and drink for them to live a few days inside the room and her clothing now filled his wardrobe.
Fiona went to where she had instructed Sarah to hide her gift for her husband. From under the pillows on the bed, she pulled out a swath of green and blue plaid that had kept her warm and her dreams alive for the past year—her family’s tartan.
She faced Nick. “In Scotland, it is the custom for the groom to pin a plaid to his bride. I thought we’d do it in reverse. This, my husband, is the honor of family.” She placed it around his shoulders. She rested her hands on his shoulders. “I pray that we have many strong children who will take pride in their father and their heritage.”
Nick ran his fingers lightly over the material as if it were more valuable than silk. It was. “It’s the only thing I own,” she told him, “that is truly mine.”
“No, there is something that is truly yours,” he answered. “You have my heart.”
He held out his arms and gathered her close. “You have seduced me, Fee. Mind, body, and soul. From this day forward, we are one.”
And so they were.
Later, holding her lover, her friend, her husband in her arms, Fiona realized that all the roads of her life had led her to this moment, to this man.
She was blessed.
Very blessed indeed.
About the Author
CATHY MAXWELL spends hours in front of her computer pondering the question, “Why do people fall in love?” It remains for her the great mystery of life and the secret to happiness. She lives in beautiful Virginia with her children, horses, dogs, and cats.
Fans can contact Cathy at www.cathymaxwell.com or PO Box 1135, Powhatan, VA 23139.
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By Cathy Maxwell
A SEDUCTION AT CHRISTMAS
IN THE HIGHLANDER’S BED
BEDDING THE HEIRESS
IN THE BED OF A DUKE
THE PRICE OF INDISCRETION
TEMPTATION OF A PROPER GOVERNESS
THE SEDUCTION OF AN ENGLISH LADY
ADVENTURES OF A SCOTTISH HEIRESS
THE LADY IS TEMPTED
THE WEDDING WAGER
THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT
A SCANDALOUS MARRIAGE
MARRIED IN HASTE
BECAUSE OF YOU
WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE
FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN
YOU AND NO OTHER
TREASURED VOWS
ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, i
s entirely coincidental.
A SEDUCTION AT CHRISTMAS. Copyright © 2008 by Catherine Maxwell, Inc. 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 HarperCollins e-books.
EPub © Edition SEPTEMBER 2008 ISBN: 9780061980640
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