The Christmas of a Countess (The Holidays of the Aristocracy Book 1)

by Linda Rae Sande

  And Mrs. Banks had sighed in that way that made it apparent she rather hoped her son might have found a mate.

  Not having had a chance to speak with him in private, Alice realized she would probably have to wait until they were in the coach on the morrow to discuss anything with him. She was sure he thought her a fool for following him.

  What could she tell him that wouldn’t make her sound as if she had some sort of crush on him?

  Perhaps he already knows.

  Would it be awkward to sit across from one another in the coach? To remember their moments of intimacy and wonder if they might continue?

  Settling onto the bed—at some point, it had been remade and the counterpane and blankets turned down—Alice was studying the fine linens between her thumb and forefinger when she suddenly realized she wasn’t alone.

  Turning to her right, she found Alonyius regarding her from an open door. Wearing a dressing robe in dark wool, he looked as if he could have been the master of the house.

  He could have been, she remembered then, if what his mother had told her was true. He still one day might be. The sound of hope in his mother’s voice had been unmistakable.

  “Hullo,” she murmured, moving toward him. His arms were around her in an instant, her body pulled against his in a hug that nearly robbed her breath.

  “May I join you?” he whispered, his nose buried in her hair. He smelled of port and pipe tobacco and wool, a heady combination.

  A sense of relief settled over Alice. At least matters wouldn’t be awkward between them for now. “I’d like that,” she replied. She glanced at the door behind him. “I’m guessing that’s your bedchamber through there?”

  Alonyius nodded as he closed the door.

  “Then I suppose your mother will, as well,” she added with a grin and an arched eyebrow.

  Alonyius sighed, his head bending so his forehead rested on hers. “I must apologize for her—”

  “Please, don’t,” she whispered, giving her head a slight shake. “She’s a delightful woman and only wants you to be happy.”

  Straightening, he seemed to consider the comment a moment. “And here I thought she just wanted grandchildren,” he murmured. He lifted her into his arms and placed her on the bed. Doffing his robe, he settled onto the bed and pulled the linens and blankets over them both. Once he had her pulled partly atop his body and had one arm wrapped around her shoulder, he allowed a sigh. “I do hope she didn’t scandalize you too much.”

  Realizing he wasn’t going to make love to her—perhaps he thought it inappropriate in his mother’s house—Alice wondered if he would answer her questions. “She did not. I found her completely charming. She’s a lovely woman.” Pausing a moment, she added, “Until she mentioned it, I never would have guessed she had been a lady’s maid.”

  Alonyius sighed, wondering if his mother had told her of her time in service, or if Alice had merely overhead his mother talking when they were attempting to revive her after finding her nearly frozen. “It’s the reason she can pass so well as a middle-class matron,” he whispered. “Until today, I didn’t know she had been Lady Torrington’s maid, though.”

  “But you knew she had been a lady’s maid?” Alice half-asked.

  “Oh, yes. She was quite proud of her years in service. Daughter of a maid and a footman, she was, although I think there was a merchant or two in her lineage,” he remarked.

  Alice considered his words a moment. “Why did you go into service?”

  “You mean, why did I become a valet when I could have stayed here in Darlington and helped run a textile mill?” he countered, one eyebrow arching up to better display his sarcasm. There wasn’t a hint of humor in the response, but his next words had Alice raising her head from his chest. “Because if I hadn’t, I would be living here at Mill House, and I would be running a textile mill.”

  “You didn’t want to be involved in the family business?”

  Alonyius sighed. “Not if I could help it. Life in the city called, you see, and my mother’s profession seemed an honorable way to make a living. I already knew how to sew—she taught me because she claimed she wasn’t going to be the one to fix my clothes. And I had no intention of becoming a tailor.” He made the statement with a hint of humor, but he suddenly frowned. “And now I’m just realizing why it may have been so easy for me to land the position with the Earl of Torrington in the first place,” he murmured in awe.

  Alice regarded him with furrowed brows before she understood what he meant. “Because she had been his wife’s lady’s maid?” she guessed. “But that was a long time ago.”

  The valet nodded. “They are a loyal family, though. Besides, when I went to work for his lordship’s father, the man was already well past his prime. The valet he employed—the one that had been with him since his university days—had died. I suppose his lordship wasn’t about to hire someone his own age but rather one he could pass along to his heir. He only lived two years after he hired me,” he added in explanation.

  Allowing a wan smile, Alice nodded her understanding. “But didn’t your current master have his own valet?”

  “A poor excuse for one, it seems. His lordship kept me on after his father’s passing, apparently because I can sew, and the other valet could not. And possibly because I had come to London already knowing of the best tailors.”

  Alice gave him a grin and then settled her head back onto his chest. “Did you ever regret your decision?”

  There was a long pause before he responded, which had Alice thinking perhaps he had fallen asleep. “Twice. On the occasion of my father’s passing. The letter saying he was ill did not reach me in time for me to make arrangements to see him, but his lordship was quite accommodating. Allowed me the use of a coach and driver to return here for the funeral.”

  Alice was stunned by this bit of information. Although she hadn’t been impressed when she learned her employer was to marry the Earl of Torrington, and he had not risen in her estimation after the wedding, she found her opinion of Milton Torrington improving the more she learned of the man whilst on this trip. “And the other time?” she prompted.

  Alonyius sighed, his chest rising and falling beneath her cheek. “When he married.”

  Alice lifted her head and regarded him in surprise. Despite the darkness, the dim glow from the fireplace allowed her to see him well enough to note his serious expression. “Because he was no longer a carefree bachelor? I heard he was quite promiscuous.”

  “Not like you might be thinking,” he argued. “His dalliances were not brief. He was always monogamous for the duration of his affaires, usually for an entire Season, and they were always with unattached ladies. Usually widows,” he explained in his lordship’s defense. “As far as I know, he never stepped foot in a brothel. Well, at least not after the occasion of his sixteenth birthday.”

  Alice continued to gaze at Alonyius, rather stunned to learn her ladyship may have married a more honorable man than she had thought. “Do you find Lady Torrington difficult?”

  Alonyius shook his head. “Not in the least. She is a rather gracious lady. But I know his lordship waited a long time to finally marry her, probably too long.”

  “But, he couldn’t. She was—”

  “He should have married her before Mr. Worthington made his intentions known,” he interrupted.

  “But that would have meant he intended to marry her...” She paused as she suddenly sucked in a breath. “Are you saying—?”

  “He probably felt affection for Lady Torrington when she was still in the schoolroom,” he whispered.

  Alice regarded the valet for a long time, stunned at hearing his claim. “Yet, you claim to regret having been his valet when he married.”

  “Only because his decision to marry meant his move to Worthington House.”

  “You don’t like it at Worthington House?”

  Alonyius sighed again. “I did not at first. Remember, those of us who moved from his lordship’s townhouse to Wor
thington House were seen as... usurpers. Invaders, almost. As if we had been at war and were the victors claiming the spoils. Ours was not a warm welcome.”

  Remembering quite well how the servants at Worthington House had reacted to learning the earl would be moving in, Alice was secretly glad the valet couldn’t see her blush of embarrassment. “I was one of those servants,” she admitted quietly. Having been one of the only upper servants in the house, she found the addition of another forced a change in household, not the least of which was where she sat during meals.

  “You were,” he agreed with another sigh. Perhaps he had avoided the lady’s maid at every turn because of those first few weeks. Now he wondered if they would have become lovers sooner if they hadn’t experienced such a rocky start.

  “The household staff lived in fear of being sacked those first few weeks. We had so little warning. He proposed, and they were married so quickly—”

  “It was the same in our household,” he argued gently. “There were only two positions assured of remaining the same.”

  Alice’s eyes widened when she realized to which two positions he referred. “Ours,” she murmured in understanding.

  “And yet, I clearly remember the spectre of uncertainty, and the fear of change, and how powerless we all felt.”

  “As do I,” she murmured, reaching up to kiss the corner of his mouth. “And now? Do you still have regrets?”

  The valet seemed to hug her closer to his body. “Only that we must be up at dawn to make our way back to The Black Swan,” he said with a hint of humor. He kissed her then, a simple kiss, but one that left her feeling reassured. Within moments, she was sound asleep.

  Alonyius was awake far longer, however, wondering if he had made a mistake in bedding the lady’s maid. No matter what happened going forward, things would always be different between them. He had to hope they wouldn’t be awkward around one another.

  Lightning had struck, it seemed. But he didn’t want to be burned alive.

  Chapter 25

  A Maid Isn’t Missed One Bit

  Meanwhile, back at Torrington Park

  “Your butler said something about expecting more people to join us for Christmas,” Adele said as she pulled aside the counterpane so Milton could join her in bed.

  The earl gave a grunt as he doffed his robe onto the counterpane and settled into the mattress. One of his arms snaked behind Adele’s shoulders to pull her close. She suddenly let out a yelp and scrambled to get away from his chilled body.

  “You’re freezing!” she complained, gingerly returning to his side when she caught his look of chagrin.

  “I apologize, my sweeting. My valet would normally have a fire going in the master suite, but since he’s not here—”

  “You should have a word with your butler in the morning,” Adele said with a sigh. Despite assurances that she was the mistress of Torrington Park, she still didn’t feel comfortable ordering the maids to see to duties they usually didn’t perform, and the butler really was her husband’s servant.

  Although she expected to miss her lady’s maid again this day, she found she had not—other than that moment just before the chambermaid appeared. With Milton preferring her hair down and his enthusiasm at helping her undress, she found preparing for bed rather easy. Attempts at pulling on a night rail were met with protests, however.

  Why bother, my sweeting? I’m only going to strip it off of you, Milton complained the night before. And so she would quickly climb into bed wearing only the necklace she had worn to dinner.

  Getting ready for the day—and for dinner—proved far more difficult.

  Milton wasn’t nearly as willing to help her dress, even if they planned to go out of doors. Still, with a bit of cajoling and scolding, he would eventually tie her corset and do the buttons on the back of her gown. She might have allowed him to help with her stockings, too, but she discovered he was too easily distracted by her bare ankles and the soft skin of her thighs. She was soon left boneless and breathless as he had his way with her—before breakfast, no less!

  Preparing for dinner could be just as distracting—and arousing. She might actually make it out of her bedchamber fully dressed and simply coiffed, but getting into the dining room that way could be a challenge. Last night, she had appeared in the library at Worthington House, dressed and ready for coffee and walnuts when Milton announced he had to have her. Thank the gods there was a divan the perfect length over which she could straddle him. Left giggling at his antics, Adele found she couldn’t be too terribly upset with her husband. The man’s desire for her seemed almost insatiable! Far better he tumble her than one of the servants, a situation she learned from the Torrington Park housekeeper had apparently never happened during his tenure as earl. As for the time before he inherited the earldom, the housekeeper couldn’t—or wouldn’t—say.

  Adele found she rather liked the arrangement she had with Milton playing lady’s maid, though. She actually looked forward to the playfulness of mornings, despite the chill in the air or the gray gloom beyond the window. And if Simpkins were here, the lady’s maid would only complain about the cold. The lack of servants. The condition of the servants’ quarters. The ancient kitchens. And anything else she found not to her liking.

  At some point in the past few weeks, Adele had come to realize the woman needed to be reassigned.

  She would have fired Simpkins outright, but after the night in the dining room when Milton had announced no servants would be let go, she realized she couldn’t. What kind of message would it send to the other servants? Why, the staff would think her positively evil.

  “There won’t be anyone else joining us for Christmas,” Milton murmured.

  Adele blinked, her reverie interrupted by her husband’s odd response. “Because of the weather?”

  Milton shook his head in the pillow. “I didn’t invite anyone else.”

  Angling her head in her own pillow, Adele remembered their discussion the month before. “Why ever not?”

  Pulling her closer to his body, as much to warm himself as to simply hold her, he sighed. “I admit it. I am selfish. I don’t wish to share you with anyone.”

  Rather alarmed at the odd comment, Adele raised herself onto an elbow. “Share me?” A random thought that perhaps his male relatives expected to avail themselves of her body had her wincing. And that thought had her eyes widening in horror.

  “Not like that!” Milton countered, his own alarm at her reaction apparent. His manner quickly turned to humor, a chuckle bubbling up to bring a huge grin to his face. Before long, the two were laughing until tears dripped from Adele’s eyes.

  “Now, now, there’s no need to cry,” Milton whispered, leaning over to kiss her wet cheek.

  “I wish to fire Simpkins.”

  Milton blinked and pulled away to regard her with an arched brow. “Oh?” was his first reply. He stared at her for another moment before allowing a nod. “I wasn’t aware you were unhappy with her services. Your hair always looks as if she’s spent hours pinning it up,” he remarked. “She must, because it takes me far too long to get all the pins out,” he added with a frown. After a moment, he sighed. “She’s been with you a long time.”

  Adele shook her head in the pillow, one hand going up to wipe the tears from her other cheek. She sniffled. “Her services are perfectly acceptable,” she countered. “It’s just the manner in which they’re rendered I can no longer abide, I suppose.”

  Settling back down into the bed, Milton allowed a sigh. “Has she done something... untoward?”

  Adele shook her head in her own pillow. “No. She’s just become... rather unpleasant. She complains about anything and everything. I used to enjoy the time she spent pinning up my hair and taking it down at night, but now I find I dread it.”

  “And I’ve gone and made it impossible for you to let her go,” the earl muttered, remembering the comment he had made in the dining room the month before. It was apparent the footman had shared his edict about
how none of the servants in Worthington House would be fired. As a result, the maids seemed especially solicitous whilst performing their duties, and the footmen seemed to jump to attention whenever he entered a room. And the kitchen staff... well, he hadn’t really noticed a change down there, he supposed. They would be the last to go if there had to be firings, and they seemed to know it.

  “I just realized tonight that I really don’t miss her,” Adele whispered. “In fact, I’m a bit relieved she’s not here.” She paused a moment, turning her head toward him. “But now all I can think about is how your valet must be having the worst time of his life back in Darlington, or wherever they have ended up. Having to spend time in her company, I mean.” She regarded Milton for a moment, her brows furrowing when she paid witness to another huge grin develop on his face. “What is it?” she asked, once again lifting herself onto an elbow. “Pray tell, what do you find so amusing?”

  A look of guilt crossed Milton’s face before he chuckled. “Do not fash yourself over my valet, my sweeting. Knowing Banks, he’s probably in the middle of a tumble with your lady’s maid right this very moment.”

  Adele sat up straight on the bed, the sudden movement causing the counterpane and linens to leave her naked husband almost completely uncovered. “Simpkins? In bed with Banks?” she wailed, her eyes round with shock.

  Milton slowly sat up, clearing his throat as he retrieved some of the bed linens and re-covered his torso. He wrapped an arm around his wife’s back, pulling her over as he lowered himself back down to the bed. Adele was forced to follow him down. “Now, now. Banks has a way with women,” he whispered softly. “I’m quite sure he knows how to turn the crankiest crone into a rather happy hen,” he murmured before giving her a kiss. He moved their bodies so Adele was beneath his. “Why, if he hasn’t done it already, he will have a maid named ‘Merry’ living up to her namesake in no time at all,” he added in a whisper. He continued kissing her, his lips trailing down her jaw, her throat, her collarbones as Adele struggled to catch her breath. He disappeared beneath the linens to crawl down the front of her body, leaving soft kisses in his wake.