by Hunt, Brenda
“Of course, Miss Dulcey. I will see to it all.” Cook shook her head in agreement. That Countess had caused a great deal of turmoil since she had arrived several weeks ago. Nothing was ever good enough for her. And that maid of hers, Leta. Always asking questions that were none of her business. Now, his lordship was completely different. It was all right to be nasty to the staff but to Miss Dulcey, that was something completely different. The servants here would not put up with it.
“I think I’ll go to my rooms after I have checked on Abby.”
“I’ll check on Abby. You go upstairs, rest. Dealing with Mother can be exhausting.”
“Well, it’s you she wishes to talk to.” Dulcey was glad it was not her. The more time she spent with the Countess, the more she realized she could never be in the Countess’s company for any length of time. She drained the good energy of all its power. It exhausted her.
Nate frowned. “Mother can be rather demanding.” He heard Cook make a snort and smiled. Perhaps, it was an understatement.
“Come let me escort you to you room.” He offered Dulcey his arm.
Tentatively, she put her hand on his arm. Nate took it and placed in the crook of his arm and placed his free hand over hers.
Dulcey felt her heart beat begin to pound in her chest. She was afraid Nate could feel it, hear it. Why was she reacting in this way? She did not talk all the way to her room. At the door, Nate stopped. She made the mistake of looking up to him, to say something but it died on her lips when she looked into his eyes. She should have known better. She watched his eyes flare with passion and knew she had lost the battle within her.
Nate gazed at Dulcey. The need to protect her burned within him. The way his mother had treated her, enraged him. “Dulcey,” he said softly. He could not deny himself. Slowly, he lowered his head, gently, tenderly, capturing her lips. Again, like the first time, she tasted of gingerbread. He pulled her closer, till her soft body molded against his. He wanted more.
Dulcey could not deny him, even if she wanted to. Here was the crux, she did not want to. She clung to him. Why did he make her feel this way? Where were her guiding forces? They seemed to have left her where Nate was concerned. She was adrift in these new feelings of want and need of what she did not know, only that it was there, demanding gratification.
Reluctantly, Nate raised his head and looked longingly at Dulcey. Why did this young woman make him feel things he thought he could - would never feel. He went to say something.
“Nathaniel, I thought I had summoned you. I want to talk to you now!”
Nathaniel tensed with growing exasperation that came very close to fury. He had to keep reminding himself, she was his mother, but she was getting very close to going beyond his endurance.
“Just a minute, Mother!” replied Nate. He looked at Dulcey with tenderness. “Get some rest while I deal with this.”
Dulcey bit her bottom lip, nodded, and turned and walked into her room, but not before she had stolen a quick glance at the Countess down the hall. The contempt and scorn on her face made Dulcey shiver. She could feel the bombardment on her forces, of such contempt. The Countess could now be considered an enemy. The time for her to leave could not come soon enough.
Nate turned to his mother once Dulcey was safely in her room. Why had he thought of it in that manner but then one look at his mother’s face, he knew why. He walked past her not offering his arm to escort. He knew it would infuriate her but at the moment he was too angry to care. He strode into her room and waited for her to join him.
The moment she walked into the room, she started, “Nathaniel, what were you thinking, having Abbigail downstairs in the kitchen with the staff. Such things are simply not done! She is being brought up to be a lady. Your brother was the earl.”
“And I am now the earl, Mother,” Nate interrupted. “I am Abby’s guardian, remember, not you. So, I say what she can and cannot do. I found no harm in letting her partake of a tradition that occurs here at Brandanlyn at Christmas time. My God, Mother we were only making gingerbread.” He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. She was becoming more and more difficult.
“If she is to be brought up to take her rightful place in society as a Shefley, she must learn from an early age, that we simply do not socialize with the servants. As a man, you do not understand these things.” Lady Shefley sat down on her chaise.
“Perhaps not, but Abby is still a child who is without her parents and I am trying to make her childhood have some semblance of happiness. Now, if you will excuse me, I have things that require my attention. And for further references, do not summon me again as though I was a young boy of Abby’s age. I am the head of this household, the current Earl of Shefley. I beg you to remember that.” Nate turned and strode out of the room with his mother’s voice calling his name as he closed the door with considerable force.
He headed to the nursery to make certain Abby was not overly upset. He shook his head thinking about his mother. Why did she make things so difficult for all involved? He now understood how difficult it had been for Grayson and Caroline. He should have helped them more. That was one of the reasons why, he was determined that Abby not be raised by his mother. He believed heartily that
This was what Grayson and Caroline wanted.
A quick knock on the door, Nate entered the nursery. Abby was in a new dress and was playing with her dolls
She looked up smiled and said, “Uncle Nate!” She ran to him with open arms. No, Abby would not be raised under his mother’s guidance. She looked like she had not been affected by his mother’s rebuke. He was glad. He wanted this Christmas to be special for Abby. It had been a hard adjustment for her this past year. He had seen the change in her with just that short time in Dulcey’s company. He would not let his mother crush her spirit.
“Hi, Poppet. Just checking to see if you are ready for Christmas,” asked Nate.Abby nodded energetically. “Yes, Uncle Nate. Dulcey will be here for Christmas?”
“Yes, Poppet. Dulcey will be here. She is not going anywhere. I will make sure she stays.” Nate reassured her.
Abby nodded again. “Miss Franny helped me paint a picture for Dulcey. Do you think she will like it?”
Nate looked at a picture of a child’s drawing of a house.
“That Dulcey’s house and that’s the snow,” explained Abby, “and that’s me and that’s you and that’s Dulcey.” She pointed to the three stick figures.
Nate smiled, touched by Abby’s drawing. “Poppet, she will love it.” Abby beamed. “Why don’t you and Miss Franny wrap it up once it dries and give it to Dulcey in the morning for Christmas.”
“That’s what Miss Franny said, if it was all right with you.”
“I think that will work out very well.”
“Will you see to it, Miss Franny?” Nate looked over to Miss Franny.
She nodded. “Yes, my lord, of course.”
“The plans for tomorrow are for a late breakfast. After, we will all go into the green drawing room and open presents,” said Nate with a smile.
“Yea, presents. Did you get me a present Uncle Nate?” Abby clapped her hands.
“Of course.”
“What did you get me? Please? Please?”
Nate tweaked her nose and laughed. “Not until tomorrow. It’s a surprise.”
Abby sighed. “Oh, all right. Will Dulcey still come to my room tonight and tell me a bedtime story about the fairies?”
Nate nodded. “I’m certain she will. She did promise you, did she not?”
Abby nodded.
“Well then. She will be here.”
“And you too, Uncle Nate?”
“Yes, I will be here, too.”
“Good.”
Nate looked over to Miss Franny and smiled. “I have business to tend to Poppet. Listen to Miss Franny and be good.”
Abby hugged him and nodded. Nate walked out of the nursery wondering how that child had wrapped herself around his heart in so short a period of time. He had barely known he
r before his brother died. Now, he could not imagine her not being a part of his life. How he had balked when he first learned Grayson had left him as Abby’s guardian. Now, he was fighting his mother concerning her welfare.
Nate stopped at the head of the stairs and looked longingly down the hall that led to Dulcey’s rooms. He shook his head and headed straight for the study. A bottle of whiskey awaited him there. Suddenly, he found himself in desperate need of a good stiff drink.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The supper meal turned out to be a quiet affair much to Dulcey solace. Nate was quiet. He seemed deep in his own thoughts. The Countess kept up a steady barrage concerning people she knew in London. Lady this was doing that and Lord something or other was in another scandal. Dulcey knew none of the people whom the Countess talked about. It truly made Dulcey glad she had never gone to London. It sounded like no one liked each other. All they were interested in gossiping about each other.
Lady Shefley turned to Dulcey. “It is a shame dear, you will never be able to be a part of London society. It can be so fascinating and rewarding.”
Nate was about to say something but Dulcey beat him to it.
“From what you have said, it sounds like Londoners do not like each other very much. It seems their greatest joy is in destroying each other’s happiness. If that is the case, as you have alluded to in your discussions just now, then I will be very pleased if I never set foot in London. I find no joy in hurting people nor do I find it amusing watching others do so.” Dulcey rose from her seat. “Excuse me, my lord, but I promised Abby I would tell her a story before bedtime. I believe it is that time.” Dulcey turned and walked away her head held high, glad to be gone from the table and the Countess’s snobbery.
People here treated one another with respect. From the Countess’s account, London did not. It was not something she would ever care to partake in. Another reason why, Nate’s world could never be her world. She sighed with sadness.
Nate watched Dulcey walk away a smile on his face. A very astute observation for one who had never attended any of society’s events. But then his mother did love spreading the dirt about, whether it was true or not. She often did not care. It was one of the reasons, why he did not care for London and London society.
“Well, I never. How dare she leave the table in such a manner? One can tell she was not brought up properly. Her in London society. Ha! She indeed would be the talk of the town with her crudeness. Yes, no manners at all.” Lady Shefley shuddered at the thought of that woman amongst the ton, especially if she was any way associated with the Shefley’s.
Nate had different ideas. Dulcey would be a diamond of the first water if presented to the ton, her beauty, her honesty, her knowledge. She would be a breath of fresh air, a beautiful wild rose amongst a hot house of perfectly groomed flowers.
“I beg to disagree, Mother. Dulcey would take the ton by storm.” But then the thought of all those fobs hanging on her every word disturbed him. No, he did not want Dulcey in London, on second thought. There would be too many like his mother, who would want to destroy her, just because of her honesty. She would become miserable in a short time. No, he would not put her through that kind of nightmare.
Lady Shefley humphed. “Well, that will never happen. The place that woman would be welcome at is Covent Gardens with the rest of those type of ladies. Never, in the home of any of London’s ton, for certain. I shudder at the thought.”
Nate tightened his fist and clenched his jaw. He shook his head. “I beg to disagree.” Nate rose from the table. He had had about enough of his mother. Maybe, he should follow through with his threat of sending her back to Shefley Hall. At least then, there would be some peace and
quiet here. “We’ll forgo our after dinner drinks. I think I’ll go upstairs and say good night to Abby, as well.” He tried to walk away.
“Nathaniel, I would like to speak with you some more about this.” Lady Shefley called out after him.
At the door, Nate turned back for a moment and replied. “Not now, mother, another time.” And walked through the door. He was beginning to truly understand why Grayson and Caroline spent so much of their time at Shefley Hall and their mother at the townhouse in London.
The door to Abby’s room stood ajar. He stood just outside listening. Dulcey’s voice was soft as she told her story of the fairy princess who loved the prince but could not marry him or go with him because she was of the fairy world and he was of the human world. But they promised to meet every time the moon was full and one day the fairy king would grant her wish to become human and marry her prince.
He watched as Dulcey rose from Abby’s bed and kissed the top of her head and silently walked out. He stood in the door.
Dulcey looked up and gasped, momentarily surprised to find Nate in the door. Under usual circumstances, she would have felt his presence, felt his forces. But Nate disturbed her forces and she was unable to sense him until he was right beside her.
“Shh!” whispered Nate. “You’ll wake Abby.” He took her arm and led her away from Abby’s room.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere quiet where I can be alone with you.”
Dulcey shook her head and stopped. “As much as I want to, Nate, I simply cannot. We don’t belong to the same worlds.” She knew she could never be good enough to enter his world. His mother had reminded her of that fact at supper. Only sadness and heartbreak awaited her there if she tried. His mother would make certain of it.
“Are you comparing us to the story you are telling Abby?” asked Nate, knowing very well what she said was true. She was beneath him in the order of things. It should not matter but it did. He was head of the Shefley family and as much as he wanted it to be different, it was not.
“Perhaps. I was going to give my story a happy ending. But I do not see a happy ending for us. You are an Earl, a member of the realm. I am a nobody. Some even consider me a witch because of certain abilities I possess. I would only bring you disgrace and I could not bear it, if I hurt you or Abby.” Dulcey looked up at him, pleading for him to understand.
Nate cupped her face in his hand. Dulcey leaned into it and closed her eyes. The urge to pick her up in his arms and carry her off down the hall to his room was strong within him. But then she looked up at him with those pixie green eyes of hers, pleading with him and he knew he could not. It took every bit of his self-control to simply stand there with her. Just as she did not want to hurt him or Abby, he could not bear the thought of hurting her.
Dulcey sighed deeply. Every particle of her being cried out to him but she believed she was not good for him. If she was a part of his future, the forces would have showed her but they had not. They had not told her anything, which in itself, was alarming. So much about all of this was so confusing. Never in all of her life had the forces about her been in such disarray. It left her exposed, susceptible, feelings she was not accustomed to.
Dulcey reluctantly pulled away. “Good night, my lord.” She needed to think of him in that context now. It would make it easier for her to deal with all these feeling, if she thought of him as Lord Beckham, instead of Nate. She walked away and did not look back, even though everything within her screamed for her to turn around and
run back to his arms. At the head of the stairs she met up with his mother. She had the feeling she had been lurking about.
“Good night, Lady Shefley,” she said softly and continued on down the hall to her room.
Lady Shefley nodded and walked on toward her room.
Nate turned when he saw his mother and walked on toward his room. He did not wish to speak or deal with his mother and her opinions. In some manner, he was aware that much of what Dulcey had said, had some truth to it but never had he felt this way about any woman. These feelings were strong but so very new. He didn’t know what to make of them. All the accusations his mother had voiced echoed in his head. Who was Dulcey and what was her relationship to the baron, his by-blow or his mistress? Just
thinking of her as his mistress sent waves of jealousy through him.
Damn his mother for putting these thoughts into his head. No, he would not rest until he found out the truth about Dulcey’s relationship with Lord James. Perhaps the solicitor, Mr. Kinley, could shed some light on the matter. Kinley did want to talk to both him and Dulcey. He would have to wait till then. Hopefully, Kinley could. It would be a long two days.
Chapter 9
The family is the key of Christmas.
Scott Hahn
In her hand was a necklace with a small oval pendant, …..
Cassie McCown
The dawn did not come soon enough for Dulcey. She had spent a restless night. She had hardly slept and when she did, she dreamed of Nate. His lips, the feel of his body against hers. All of it haunted her dreams, leaving her wanting more but what that more was, she did not know. These feelings left her achy, jittery. She was already dressed when Peggy came up with her hot chocolate.
“You’re up early, miss.”
Dulcey smiled. “I couldn’t sleep any longer.”
“Aye, miss. T’is Christmas morning. Will you be going to church?” asked Peggy, as she began brushing Dulcey’s hair.
“No, I talked with Lord Beckham last evening. He thought there was still too much snow on the roads.”
“Charlie went to the village yesterday. Took him all afternoon, it did. The snow is melting but there are still hills of snow. He said maybe in a couple of days the carriage could travel.”
“Yes, Lord Beckham said possibly having a get together for the neighbors. I thought I might suggest Twelfth Night depending on the weather. He would like to meet the neighbors.”
“The folks about are very curious about him, they are. He seems to be fair. Now, the little Miss Abby, we’ve all come to love her. But that mother of his, the Countess, now, she is making everyone’s work here very hard. And that maid of hers always snooping about, asking questions she has no business asking,” explained Peggy.