Once Upon a Christmas Wedding

by Scarlett Scott

  Despite the layers of fabric, Angelica was sure she felt the heat of his hand warming her entire body. His lips were soft but firm as he angled his head to better capture hers. Their breaths mingled, warming the air around their faces. The soft moan that sounded after a moment might have been from her or from him or from both. The swirl of cold air that drifted up from the stairs was most definitely Peters with the tea tray.

  Ben was the first to pull away, but he did so slowly, leaving his forehead pressed against hers. “Thank you, my lady,” he murmured. He straightened just before Peters appeared at the top of the stairs. “Ah, and our tea has arrived just in time for a look at the Beehive Cluster.”

  As before, Peters didn’t seem the least bit surprised to see Angelica. “My lady,” he said, giving her a slight bow.

  “I can pour the tea,” she offered, knowing she best stay seated until the butler had made his way downstairs. There simply wasn’t room for all three of them at the escritoire.

  “Very good. Shall I wait up for you, sir?”

  Ben shook his head. “No need, Peters. See you in the morning.”

  Peters gave another bow in Angelica’s direction and made his way down the stairs. His exit was accompanied by another swirl of cold air and the thunk of the door closing.

  Angelica stood up and moved to pour the tea, remembering Ben’s preference for no milk or sugar. And yet the tea tray included both a creamer and a sugar-pot. “How do you suppose he knew I was here this time?” she asked as she handed him a cup and saucer.

  Ben allowed a grin. “I may have expressed my hope that you would join me.”

  Preparing a cup of tea for herself, Angelica felt a wash of warmth at the thought that he had been thinking of her as much as she had been thinking of him. “You could have sent a note.”

  “I thought I did,” he countered.

  Angelica regarded him with a look of surprise before she remembered what he had written in the response to the invitation. “You did,” she agreed.

  “Are you expecting a crowd for the dinner?”

  She shook her head. “There will be just twelve of us. So many of my friends are with their families in the country, while George’s friends are all bachelors living here in town.” She watched as he turned dials on the telescope, the instrument barely moving as he did so.

  “Twelve is an excellent number for dinner. I remember my mother used to strive for twelve when she hosted dinner parties.” He motioned for her to take a look through the lens. “Let me know what you think of this one.”

  “Oh, it’s... it’s beautiful. A bit fuzzy, or perhaps cloudy is a better word for it. I love how it gets brighter in the center,” Angelica murmured. “Not at all like the Orion,” she added as she settled back in her chair. “What is it?”

  Ben took a quick look, a sigh of satisfaction sounding from where he leaned over to gaze through the eyepiece. “The Andromeda Galaxy,” he said, “which means I now have everything calibrated correctly.” He pointed to a ring surrounding the telescope and another along the side of it. “They are the measurements for longitude and latitude, and these...” he indicated a book. “Are star charts. I should be able to easily locate anything in the northern hemisphere.”

  “Bravo,” Angelica replied before sipping her tea. When she sobered, Ben furrowed a brow.

  “What is it?” he asked, his gaze finally dropping to the main eyepiece. He replaced it with a different one and then turned his attention on the finder scope.

  “I admit to a quandary as to how I should introduce you tomorrow evening,” she replied.

  He tore his attention from the finder scope. “Well, Ben Fuller, of course.”

  “But we’re not supposed to know one another,” she argued.

  “Oh, I see what you mean.” He motioned for her to take his place at the scope. “Now have a look,” he said, finishing off his tea and moving to place his cup back on the tea tray.

  Angelica bent down and peered through the lens, her breath held. The image was still of the Andromeda Galaxy, but now it appeared much larger. Closer. “Oh, Mr. Fuller. This is...”

  “Amazing, is it not? And do call me Ben. I should hope there’s no need for formality between us.”

  Angelica dipped her head. “Then you may call me Angel,” she murmured. “If you wish.”

  He leaned down and kissed her. “I should take you home.”

  “Now?” she asked, obviously disappointed.

  “If I do not take you home now, my darling Angel, you’ll end up quite thoroughly ruined, and I’ll be called out by your brother.”

  My darling Angel. She hadn’t heard it said quite like that before, but she liked how it sounded. “George wouldn’t dare challenge you,” she argued.

  “Good, because I’m a terrible shot and not much better with a sword.”

  Ben escorted her back to Worthington House, once again by way of the back alley. He assisted with pushing her skirts through the back door opening, his grin threatening to erupt into laughter before she was finally over the threshold.

  “Sleep well,” he murmured, before he settled a quick kiss on her lips. Then he made his way back to Bradford Hall knowing Angelica watched, a mix of elation and dread tempering his good mood.

  Chapter 14

  A Knight’s Secret is Revealed

  Worthington House

  Friday, 1st December, 1837

  “Are you nervous?”

  Angelica turned to regard her brother, a blonde eyebrow arching when she noted he had finally changed for dinner. Angelica had spent the afternoon being primped and poked by her lady’s maid, the result of which was an elegant hairstyle with enough pins to keep every hair in place even if gale force winds swept through Worthington House. The white silk gown she wore made her the epitome of her name. “Not for the reason you’re thinking,” she replied as she surveyed the place settings in the dining room.

  With only ten guests and the two of them, she had opted to use the smaller Chippendale table and matching chairs.

  “I thought to speak with you about one of our guests,” George murmured as he unfolded the list that Angelica had given him the day before.

  Angelica straightened from where she had arranged a place card. “Has someone sent their regrets?”

  “Nothing like that,” he said with a shake of his head. He pointed to the name ‘Ben Fuller’.

  Before he had a chance to ask, Angelica said, “He’s our neighbor.” She went about setting out additional place cards, attempting an attitude of nonchalance.

  George folded the list and slid it into one pocket before extracting two notes from another pocket. “Have you met him?” he asked as he unfolded the missives and compared them side by side. He allowed the missives to refold of their own accord and replaced them in his topcoat pocket.

  Angelica inhaled slowly, deciding it best she tell him the truth. “I have had the pleasure, yes,” she said, a frisson passing through her entire body as she remembered Ben’s kisses. “In his observatory.”

  Nodding, George appeared about to take his leave of the dining room but paused. “Did he show you his telescope?”

  Had she something solid to throw at him—other than one of the crystal glasses on the table—she would have done so just then. Instead she took another slow breath and said, “Why, yes. Yes, he did. And he let me look through it. Showed me Venus, and the moon. The Orion Nebula, and the Beehive Cluster, and the Andromeda Galaxy.”

  George boggled. “That must have been fascinating,” he remarked.

  “It was. They were beautiful. As is he.”

  Brows furrowed. “He is?”

  “He is. And he’s interesting and quite the gentleman. I kissed him.”

  “Really?” George’s simple response gave no indication as to whether or not he was shocked by her revelation, which only emboldened her more.

  “Several times. And he kissed me. There was mistletoe, of course.”

  “Of course,” George said, for lack of a
better response.

  “He’s written to Father to ask if he can court me. If he asks for my hand in marriage, I will agree, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  “I don’t care that he’s a commoner.”

  The strangest expression appeared on George’s face just then, but he quickly sobered when it was apparent guests were arriving. “Well, I suppose I should go meet my future brother,” he said, and then ducked out of the dining room lest she throw anything at him.

  Angelica stared after him, her mouth half-open in wonder.

  Ben surrendered his top hat and greatcoat to a footman, greeting the other dinner guests that had arrived at the same time as he did. As the younger brother of an earl, he knew a few from their names but recognized only two.

  Not wanting to be first, he had watched the arrivals from one of the front windows in Bradford Hall and then taken his leave when several well-dressed young men departed a series of town coaches emblazoned with gold crests. By the time he was making his way up to the mansion’s front door, the giggles of several young ladies joined the merriment.

  There was a thought that the next few minutes might be the most awkward of his life. He had never met his host, and, therefore, he shouldn’t have met his hostess.

  Met her, or been in her company in the dark of the night, or kissed her quite thoroughly—mistletoe or not.

  Following the butler, he emerged from the vestibule into the great hall and was immediately struck by the elegance of Worthington House. The round table, graced with a vase of red and white roses, suggested the lady of the house had already begun thinking of the upcoming holiday.

  Christmas.

  Ben imagined Angelica carrying a bouquet of those very flowers for their wedding. She would look stunning in a white silk gown, carrying red roses, her long hair caught up in an elegant chignon.

  His hand went to his waistcoat pocket, sliding over the fabric in search of the gold band topped with sapphire and citrine gemstones he had purchased in Ludgate Hill earlier that day.

  Satisfied it was still there, he allowed his gaze to settle on the woman who had just emerged from the dining room and was making her way to the ground floor parlor.

  He was sure she blushed when she caught sight of him, and then he wondered how she could have known what he imagined she’d be wearing for their wedding. He nearly cursed himself for not having paid a call on the Archbishop of Canterbury in Doctors’ Commons to secure a special license. They could have married wherever and whenever they wished. His brother would complain bitterly about the cost, though.

  Instead, he had purchased the simple marriage license from a clergyman at St. George’s with the stipulation he use it within fifteen days.

  He couldn’t imagine what else might be involved. Well, a willing bride, but he was quite sure she would agree to be his wife, especially when she learned the truth about him.

  Ben gave a shake of his head, not wanting to appear as if he was daydreaming. The butler stood aside when they reached the parlor doors, but Ben paused just inside the threshold, relieved to see Angelica making her way in his direction. A brilliant smile appeared at the very moment three young women suddenly stepped in front of her, and George Grandby stepped in front of him.

  “Good evening. Would you be Sir Benjamin?” George asked as he held out his right hand.

  Ben stiffened, a thought that George’s hand would soon form a fist and find its way to his jaw. “I am. How do you do? Hexham, is it not?” he replied, giving George’s hand a firm shake.

  “George Grandby,” his host acknowledged. “Apologies for not having made your acquaintance sooner. My sister tells me you’ve taken over Bradford Hall.” He motioned that they should move farther into the room, where one footman was serving coffee while another held a plate of walnuts.

  Relaxing a bit, Ben nodded. “My brother—Wadsworth— saw to buying up some of the baron’s vowels, and as a result, he ended up with the house,” he explained. “He had no need of it, and I was in the market for a home here in town, so I agreed to take it on.”

  George nodded his understanding. “So, you’ll be keeping it?”

  Ben angled his head to one side as he accepted a cup of coffee from a footman. “I will. Which is why I saw to having the observatory built. Astronomy is my avocation, you see.”

  “Congratulations on discovering that comet,” George said as he took a cup of coffee.

  “You know about that?”

  “News does reach Northumberland,” George replied with a grin. “My father insists on reading The Times every morning, even if the issue might be a week old.”

  “Thank you. The discovery made it possible for me to finally gain admission into the Royal Society.”

  Not having any knowledge of the scientific organization, George merely nodded. He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Are you in receipt of a letter from my father, Torrington, perhaps?”

  Once again, Ben stiffened. “I am. So... you’re aware of his... proposal?”

  George nodded. “It seems your brother and my father have been plotting with one another, at your expense.”

  Furrowing a brow, Ben was about to counter the comment. “To say that I was surprised would be an understatement,” he offered. Then he frowned even more. “Why do you think it at my expense?”

  “Surely, at your age, you already had someone in mind to take to wife,” George replied.

  Ben dipped his head. “Truth be told, I had not thought of marriage until I received Torrington’s letter.”

  George gave him a suspicious glance. “Why ever not?”

  Not exactly sure he wanted to admit the reason for his continued bachelor status, Ben leaned in and said, “The Wadsworth earldom hasn’t exactly been a boon when it comes to wealth, and apparently it would be unseemly for me to work. Without the means to support a wife, I hardly think I should consider marriage.”

  George nodded his understanding. “Then you will rely on Angelica’s dowry to make your living.”

  Ben dipped his head again, not at all pleased with where the conversation was going. “I’m afraid that is the case,” he admitted.

  “You would not be the first to rely on a wife’s dowry.” George glanced around, noting several young bucks joined in raucous conversation. “And given my father’s position on the matter, I hardly think I need to interfere.”

  Hoping his embarrassment wasn’t apparent, Ben said, “You would be within your rights to call me out. I admit to having kissed your sister, but I assure you, I have done nothing more.”

  George rolled his eyes. “A duel is out of the question. I’m a terrible shot, and worse with a sword,” he said as laughter once again erupted from the group of three young men. “Pardon me. I need to greet my other guests.”

  “Of course,” Ben replied, rather pleased they shared the same shortcomings when it came to weapons. He straightened, turning to discover Angelica standing directly behind him, speaking in quiet tones with Lady Anne.

  Had she overheard his conversation with George?

  “Good evening, ladies,” he said, giving them a bow.

  Angelica turned and gave him a curtsy, as did Lady Anne. “Mr. Fuller,” Angelica acknowledged him. “So glad you could join us this evening.” She indicated her friend. “May I introduce Lady Anne? Mr. Fuller lives next door.”

  Anne Wellingham turned to regard the gentleman, her face splitting into a wide grin. “Why, don’t you mean Sir Benjamin?” she asked as she held out her hand.

  Ben cringed, immediately recognizing the daughter of the Earl of Trenton. “Good evening, Lady Anne,” he said as he lifted her hand to his lips. “So good to see you again.”

  Her eyes widening at hearing Lady Anne’s comment, Angelica inhaled and stared at the knight for a moment. “Sir Benjamin?” she repeated softly.

  “Wadsworth’s brother,” Anne said in a whisper.

  “Oh, of course,” Angelica replied, realizing almost immediately that she should have connect
ed the family name Fuller to the Wadsworth earldom.

  But why would she? Ben had made no mention of his brother, and he had introduced himself as Ben Fuller that first night in the observatory. “I’m honored you could join us this evening after all, Sir Benjamin.” Although she tried to school her features to hide her dismay—had the man intentionally made her look like a fool to her guests?—Angelica managed a slight smile. “I suppose this means Mr. Fuller won’t be in attendance.”

  “Angel,” he started to say, just as the butler appeared at the door and announced dinner was served. “May I have the honor of escorting you into dinner?”

  Angelica regarded him a moment before her eyes darted about to check on the other guests. “Given the uneven numbers, perhaps—”

  “May I escort you into dinner?” George asked of Anne as he stepped up, offering his arm.

  Anne blushed and dipped her head. “Yes, of course, Hexham,” she replied. She placed her hand on his arm.

  “Oh, call me George, won’t you?” The two took their leave of the parlor followed by several others who had paired up according to rank.

  Ben offered his arm to Angelica. “Please, my lady. I can explain.”

  Angelica reluctantly took his arm, her gaze once again sweeping the parlor to be sure all the guests were making their way to the dining room. She turned her attention back to Ben. “I look forward to it,” she stated, her tone suggesting she did not. “Although I do think I have heard quite enough.”

  Knowing almost immediately to what she referred, Ben stiffened, realizing dinner might not be the enjoyable affair he had looked forward to all day.

  On what seemed like wooden legs, he escorted Angelica to her seat at the opposite end of the table from her brother. Then he found his own place—directly to her left—and knew he was in for a long night.

  Chapter 15

  Apologies and Proposals

  As any good hostess should do, Angelica saw to it her guests were well fed and the wine glasses were kept full. Conversations varied around the table, from George’s friends bemoaning the lack of entertainments in town to the young ladies’ discussion of the latest offering at the theatres. Laughter was frequent. Stories were entertaining. Lulls in conversation were few and far between.