A Victorian Christmas

by Lorraine Beaumont

  “Funny, Devlin has not said a word to me about you,” she said and lifted her brow at Devlin.

  “We just met actually and there hasn’t been time,” she explained.

  “You just met?” Her brows lifted another notch.

  “Yes,” Devlin interjected.

  “Are you kidding me?” Eliza gasped. “That fast?”

  “Yes, well, it was love at first sight,” he said, squeezing Sadie’s fingers tighter.

  “Really?” Eliza gave him a doubtful look, crossing her arms.

  “Eliza,” Grayson warned. “What my niece meant to say was …”

  “It is fine, Grayson,” Devlin said.

  “Well I will be the first to congratulate you both,” said Grayson.

  “Thank you, Grayson, I appreciate that more than you know,” said Devlin, keeping his gaze from Katherine. He knew she was only worried about him but her lack of enthusiasm for his good fortune stung a bit more than he wanted to admit.

  Katherine made eyes at her husband and when he still didn’t say anything she elbowed his side.

  “However did you two meet?” Sebastian gritted, narrowing his eyes at his wife in warning.

  “She showed up on my doorstep last night.”

  “I told you,” Katherine said through clenched teeth.

  “That doesn’t mean anything,” Sebastian muttered, to his wife.

  “We can hear you,” Devlin said.

  Sebastian and Katherine both turned and looked at Devlin and Sadie in shock.

  “Sorry Devlin; Sadie,” Sebastian said. “My wife is merely concerned by the suddenness of the betrothal.” He cut his wife another look of warning.

  “I can speak you know,” Katherine snapped.

  “Yes, well perhaps you should, instead of doing bodily harm to my person,” he said under his breath.

  “Fine, I will.” Her brows creased. “Devlin, I am happy to hear you are happy but isn’t this all a bit sudden?”

  Sadie couldn’t take it. It was all too much. These people thought she was…well she didn’t know what they thought, really, but she could tell by the way they were acting it wasn’t anything good. “I arrived here last night and Devlin was kind enough to let me stay.”

  “Oh.” Eliza connected the dots. “He had his way with you and now he is being gentlemen and asking for your hand. How gallant of you Devlin,” she said.

  “That was not the case, I can assure you…”

  Eliza didn’t hear him. “Too bad all men aren’t like you,” she said, giving Sebastian a glare.

  Katherine looked between Eliza and her husband, as she too connected her own set of dots. “You didn’t…?” She narrowed her eyes at her husband.

  “What?” Sebastian said, a little too innocently.

  “Let me guess, she was one of your savory meals?”

  “What?” He shifted uncomfortably.

  “Oh you, you…” Her face flushed with color. She turned and stomped away.

  “Sweetheart…” he called out, chasing after her.

  “Well,” said Isabelle. “That was interesting.”

  “Eliza—” Grayson started. “Oh, never mind.” He grabbed hold of Isabelle’s hand and pulled her over to the tree.

  “Devlin, maybe I should go…,” said Sadie.

  “No, absolutely not,” he said. “Do not pay any attention to them. They will come around, you’ll see.”

  “If you think…”

  “Yes, I do.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I will be back in a moment, stay put,” he instructed and then left the room.

  “Do not pay any attention to them,” Eliza said, walking up to her side.

  Sadie looked at the girl who was about her size and had the same coloring. They could be sisters, or at the very least, related.

  Eliza adjusted her skirts. “You must be very excited,” she said wistfully.

  “Why?”

  “Because he obviously cares a great deal about you,” she explained. “I do not even know you and I can see that. You are both very lucky to have found one another. It doesn’t happen very often. Trust me, I know.”

  “They do not seem to like me very much.” She twisted her hands.

  “Oh posh,” Eliza said, waving her hand. “They are ridiculous. Do not let your happiness slip through your grasp over something as trivial as other people’s reactions, especially these people.” She rolled her eyes, making a face.

  Sadie laughed. “You don’t get along very well with them?”

  “Oh, I do, I suppose.” She adjusted a curl. “They are like taking medicine, it is best to take them in small doses.”

  Sadie blinked not sure how to respond.

  “Let me give you some sage advice.”

  “All right,” she said, knowing she didn’t really have much choice in the matter.

  “A chance at happiness doesn’t come around very often and when it does you need to grab the bull by the horns, so to speak, or you may miss your own chance.” She looked toward the doorway. “Trust me, I know.”

  “Oh.” Sadie could now see what she was talking about. And even though she didn’t know the girl she knew what she said was true.

  For the greater good

  A short time later, after Eliza had told Sadie another funny story about her “missed opportunities” a sullen looking Katherine walked back into the library.

  “Sadie may I speak with you, alone?” she asked, purposefully ignoring Eliza.

  “Ah…” Sadie didn’t want to be rude. Eliza was at least being nice to her.

  “I am leaving, Katherine,” she snapped. “Remember what I said…small doses.” She winked at Sadie and walked away.

  “What was that about?”

  “Um, I am not sure.” Sadie twisted her hands together.

  “Hmmm.” Distracted, Katherine watched Eliza walk over to the couch and sit down.

  “So, what would you like to talk about?” Sadie prompted.

  Katherine turned back around. “Oh, I spoke with Devlin and he told me the truth about you.”

  Sadie eyes rounded. “He did?”

  “Yes and I wanted to tell you not to worry,” she said, placing her hand on Sadie’s arm. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “You really believe me?” She swallowed hard.

  “Yes, how could I not,” she said simply. “I am sure Devlin has already informed you that I am from the future as well.”

  “Well, he did but…”

  “Where is the necklace?”

  “I ah…misplaced it.” Once she dumped out the lie, her face flamed with color.

  “Well if you truly want to stay here you will need it for the ceremony.”

  “The ceremony?” she choked.

  “You want to stay don’t you?”

  “Well, yes, I do, but…”

  “Do you want to stay or not?” Katherine snapped, watching for her reaction.

  Sadie looked through the doors at Devlin. “Yes, I want to stay.”

  “Wonderful!” Her entire demeanor switched, and she grabbed hold of Sadie and gave her a hug. “We will be the best of friends.” Katherine gripped her arms, and squeezed.

  Sadie winced, watching Katherine’s sudden enthusiasm, feeling a bit confused. One moment she was snapping at her and the next she was hugging her. Must be hormones, at least she hoped it was only that.

  Confessions

  “What do you mean she is from the future?” Sebastian blurted, standing in the front hall next to the stairs.

  “I told you, de Winter, she showed up on my doorstep last night and she was wearing “the necklace.”

  “The Necklace?” he asked.

  “Yes, the Necklace. By God de Winter, are you deaf? I just said that.”

  Sebastian ignored his barb. “How did she get it?”

  “She told me a gentleman gave it to her… in the future,” he whispered as though he was telling the greatest of secrets.

  “Who was this supposed gentleman?” He propped his foot
on the stair.

  “I do not know.” He lifted his shoulders, shrugging. “Is Milford coming tonight?”

  “No, he is off visiting friends.” He frowned.

  “What friends?” Devlin lifted his brow.

  “I didn’t ask.” The crease between Sebastian’s brows grew deeper.

  “Don’t you think that’s a bit strange?” asked Devlin. “He has never went anywhere before?”

  “Well, yes, but…” Sebastian shook his head. “Are you saying what I think you are saying?”

  “Well it is a bit odd don’t you think?”

  “He may have friends?” Sebastian said, even though he did not believe his own excuse any more than Devlin did.

  “How convenient that they suddenly appear now…”

  Sebastian scrubbed his hands over his face. “I do not know what to tell you.”

  “Not to worry de Winter, I am sure we will get this all sorted out. Besides it is not Milford or his newfound friends that I am concerned about but the ghosts I keep seeing. They are really ….”

  “Ghosts?” gulped Sebastian.

  “Yes ghosts. I just said that.” Devlin shook his head. “I swear de Winter you may need to get your hearing checked.”

  “There is nothing wrong with my hearing.”

  Devlin rolled his eyes. “If you say so,” he said. “So do you think she is a ghost too?”

  “Who Sadie?” Sebastian shook his head confused by the turn in the conversation from ghosts back to his betrothed.

  “Yes, Sadie! Who else?” snapped Devlin. “Bloody Hell, de Winter, have you been drinking again?”

  “No, I have not been drinking,” Sebastian retorted.

  “Forgive me,” he said, tugging on his waistcoat, lifting his chin a notch. “You seem a bit slower than usual today and that usually means your brain has been muddled with too much drink.”

  “Oh really, what about all the gibberish you have been spouting today? Hmmm?” he smirked. “I should ask you the same question?”

  “What is that supposed to mean,” Devlin fisted his hands, suddenly wanting to punch Sebastian and knock that smirk right off his face.

  “Have you been drinking?”

  “No, I have …well,” he amended. “I may have had something to drink.”

  Sebastian shook his head, chuckling. “We are getting nowhere bickering with one another.”

  “That is true,” he laughed. “We sound like a bunch of hens.”

  “That we do,” Sebastian agreed. “That we do.”

  “So what do I do now?” Devlin asked. “Do you think she is a ghost?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I think she is most likely from the future but what about these other “so called” ghosts you have been seeing, who are they?”

  “I have seen my mother?”

  “Isn’t she dead?”

  Devlin mouth dropped open. “Yes, she is dead.” He tapped the side of his head. “Hello, de Winter, ghosts are from dead people.”

  Sebastian rubbed his head. “Sorry, I know that. This entire conversation is bloody well confusing.”

  “Imagine how I feel.”

  “Fine,” said Sebastian. “Who was the other one?”

  “My father,” he said.

  I thought…”

  Devlin put up his hand to silence Sebastian. “Before you say anything, I never met him before or so I thought at the time, but now I know he was my father.”

  “Did any other ghost visit you?”

  “Well no, unless I count Sadie.”

  “She is not a ghost Devlin,” Sebastian exhaled.

  “Thank you de Winter.” He placed his hand to his chest. “That means a lot, that you believe me.” He let out a breath of air.

  “So what did they want?” asked Sebastian.

  “What did who want?”

  “Bloody Hell, Devlin! The ghosts you have been speaking of.” He swiped a hand through his hair. “Talk about me being slow,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Oh, sorry,” he said, looking very young suddenly. “I suppose they wanted to tell me…ah,” he choked, “that they loved me, after all.” He turned his head promptly away.

  Sebastian, feeling the hot sting of tears form in his eyes, he cleared his throat. “That is ah…”

  Devlin swiped at his eyes. “I think I am getting a cold.” He shook his head, sniffing.

  “Yes, I think I am as well.” Sebastian turned to the side and wiped his face. “So what are you going to do now?”

  “I am going to marry her tonight, somehow.”

  “How are you going do that?”

  “Can you not do it?”

  “I am no minister.”

  “Do you know where I can find one?”

  “What is the hurry?”

  “I am afraid she will…”

  “What?”

  “Disappear.”

  “Well then, when is this auspicious occasion going to take place because as far as I know, you have to not only marry her, but you also need someone to take her place in the future as well.”

  “What?” Devlin choked. “How am I going to get someone to take her place?”

  “I think I may know of someone.” Sebastian looked at Eliza on the sofa.

  Devlin followed his gaze. “Eliza? How are you going to get her to agree?”

  “Do not worry, I will figure something out.”

  Preparation

  Turns out, getting Eliza to agree to go to the future was not that difficult. All Katherine had to do was mention how many men there were and Eliza had volunteered.

  “So how many men are there really in the future?” asked Eliza, twisting another curl up and placing a hairpin to hold it in place.

  Sadie shifted in the chair. “There are too many to give an actual number.”

  “Are they very handsome?” She leaned forward and grabbed another hairpin off the marble-topped vanity.

  “Some are.”

  “How does one go about securing a man in the future?”

  Sadie laughed. “Eliza, you don’t really secure a man…you date him and then if you fall in love you can get married.”

  “What?” She leaned forward. “How does one go about getting a man to ask for marriage? Do I put myself in a compromising position?”

  “No,” she laughed. Suddenly Sadie wished she had a Cosmopolitan Magazine. “Eliza…” She turned on the bench. “If you are…” She cleared her throat, “intimate with a man there is no guarantee he will even date you afterward, let alone marry you.”

  “What?” Eliza gaped, clearly shocked. “That is ridiculous.” She fanned her heated face. “How do you get a man to marry you?”

  “I guess if you can figure out how to get him to fall in love with you than marriage should soon follow, at least that is what I imagine.”

  “You don’t know?” Eliza gaped. “What pray tell have you been doing all this time if not looking for a husband?”

  Getting dumped. Sadie laughed because the thought did not even bother her now. “Eliza not all women get married and some women marry more than once.”

  “And they are not frowned upon by society?” Eliza asked, reaching for another hairpin.

  “Not at all,” Sadie said.

  “Well,” Eliza breathed, placing the last hairpin in her hair. “I think I will like living in the future. It’s sounds quite lovely, actually.”

  “It definitely has its moments,” agreed Sadie.

  Gift Giving

  In the meantime, Devlin handed out his gifts. “Here Katherine, this is for you.”

  Katherine opened the box and pulled out the book. “It is beautiful,” she said, caressing the fine tooled leather. “But I thought you made my gift?”

  “I did not make the book but I inscribed it for you with a poem of sorts.”

  Katherine opened the book and read what he had written. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh Devlin,” she cried. “It is beautiful.”

  “I am glad you like it.” He s
miled at her warmly.

  “Well here is yours,” she said, handing him her gift.

  Opening the package, he looked inside. “A handkerchief, it is just what I needed.”

  “I embroidered your initials on the edge,” she explained, pointing at the dark thread and little design she created.

  “Thank you. I will cherish this always.” He tucked it into his pocket.

  “Devlin,” Isabelle said. “Grayson and I have something for you as well.”

  “Oh.” He looked at his ex-wife and then at Grayson.

  “Grayson, you do the honors,” Isabelle suggested, taking his arm.

  “Here you go,” he said, handing a thick envelope out.

  “What is it?” Devlin took the envelope.

  “Open it up and find out for yourself.”

  Reverently, he undid the envelope and pulled out the paper. It was the deed to Hawthorne Manor. “I do not understand,” he choked, blinking back the sudden tears that sprang to his eyes.

  “We decided without you, we would have never met and this place means nothing to me,” said Isabelle. “I want you… I mean… “She smiled up at Grayson. “ We want you to have it.”

  “Are you serious?” He gaped at them both, another rush of tears forming in his eyes. “It is too much, surely…”

  “Take it, son.” Grayson cut him off.

  Devlin was so overcome with emotion he didn’t see Katherine slipping from the room.

  “There is another gift under the tree,” Sebastian said, crawling out from under the furry branches.

  “What is it?” asked Isabelle.

  “It is a gift from…my father,” Devlin said.

  “I thought you did not know who your father was?” Isabelle gave him a curious look.

  “I do not, really, but I assure you his ghost visited me last night as did my mother’s.”

  “I do not understand…,” said Isabelle.

  “I do not know either Isabelle.” He shrugged. “I had thought it was all a dream but now…” he trailed off.

  “Well open it,” said Sebastian, handing it out to him.

  “I do not want to.”

  “Aren’t you curious what it is?” asked Isabelle.