A Christmas Bride Part 10

Serenity kept her smile in place as she changed the subject. Making more snowflakes with Theodora's "help" required all her concentration, so again she could put her unsettling thoughts aside. She was no more successful than she had been at trying to put Timothy out of her mind. She had not guessed that Felix and Melanda were anything but friends, because they did not act as if they were in love. It was clear she was mistaken, and why not? How did she know how people in love acted? Mayhap she once had known, but she could not recall.

"Look out!" called Timothy, only a moment before the legs of a ladder came through the door.

Serenity gathered up the paper snowflakes and squeezed in beside Theodora's chair, so she was not struck. "Can you set that up alone?"

"I believe so." He tried to maneuver it through the door.

"Let me help." She guided the end of the ladder past Theodora's bed and toward the floor, so he could set the ladder in place. "Father always called for help with ladders."

"Serenity!" He kicked the ladder open and grasped her arms even as the ladder rocked.

"Father ..." she whispered.

"What is it, Serenity?" cried Theodora.

Timothy smiled at the little girl. "You know that Serenity lost some of her memories when her head was b.u.mped in a carriage accident, don't you?"

Eyes wide, Theodora nodded.

"Do you remember anything else?" Timothy asked.

Serenity bit her lip as she shook her head. "For a moment I saw a face. My father? I don't know."

"Don't look so distressed. This must be a good sign that you may eventually recall everything."

"I hope so."

"So do I." He winked at Theodora. "What better gift could Serenity receive for the holidays than to remember everything?"

"I would rather have a new doll." Theodora giggled. "One with bright blue hair ribbons."

"Will you settle for a snow den now?"

"Oh, yes!"

Serenity was able to smile sincerely, as Timothy reached under his coat and plucked out some thread. "Where did you find this?" she asked.

"Where else? Madame DuLac was generous."

"And she was busy elsewhere."

"Now you understand." He chuckled as a short man appeared in the doorway. "Ah, Henry, did you find the nails and the hammer we need?"

"I have them right here, my lord." He held out a small wooden bucket. "Good afternoon, miss," he added, tipping his head toward Serenity. "How are you, Miss Theodora?"

"I am going to have a snow den," the little girl said, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Are you now?"

Timothy smiled. "Serenity, this is my valet Henry. Henry, Miss Adams."

He dipped his head again. "I hope you are enjoying your call to Cheyney Park, Miss Adams."

"Thank you." Handing a snowflake to Timothy, Serenity said, "This is our prettiest one, so put this where Theodora can see it from anywhere in the room."

Easily Timothy climbed the ladder. He took a nail from Henry and hammered it into the beam running along the center of the ceiling. Tying a thread to it that was as long as his arm, he slipped the other end through one of the cuts in the paper and tied it.

"Perfect!" Theodora craned her neck to try to see the snowflake from another angle. "Look! It sparkles in the sunlight just like real snow.

"You will be surrounded by snow." Serenity knelt to fold another sheet so it could be cut. "We still have a lot more to make if we want to have them for all the front windows, so that all the callers can see them."

She listened to Timothy and Henry discuss with Theodora where to hang the snowflakes. Varying the length of the threads gave the illusion of being in the midst of a gentle storm. She continued to work on the snowflakes, trying to stay ahead of Timothy, so he would not have to wait for the next one.

When Henry brushed some of the sc.r.a.ps of paper away from where she was sitting, she smiled. "Thank you."

"Glad to help, miss." He grinned before helping Timothy move the ladder closer to the door.

"Serenity?" Timothy asked.

"Yes?" She cut another piece out of the page.

"Serenity?"

When she looked up, she laughed as he tossed bits of paper in the air. Theodora crowed with joy as they wafted down around her.

Gathering up a handful as Henry must have, Serenity took Theodora's hand and closed her fingers around the paper. She rose and whispered in the little girl's ear. Theodora compressed the sc.r.a.ps into a wad. With a laugh, she let the paper fly at Timothy. It struck him in the arm.

"What was that?" he asked with a gasp.

"A paper s...o...b..ll." Serenity laughed while Theodora giggled. "A s...o...b..ll aimed very well at you!" She squeezed the little girl's hand gently.

Glancing at Henry, he said, "I think we have been challenged to a s...o...b..ll fight." He jumped down from the ladder and grabbed another handful of sc.r.a.ps. He dumped the paper over Theodora's head. As Theodora shouted for Serenity to gather up more of the white pieces so she could make another s...o...b..ll to throw at him, he scooped up more of the paper and dropped it on Serenity's hair.

He caught her arm as she was reaching for a piece of paper. She shook it off and crinkled the page into a wad. Throwing it at him, she laughed when it struck him on the chin.

"Now you are asking for it," he said in a growl. Grasping her arm, he sprinkled sc.r.a.ps on top of her head.

She tried to collect more pieces of paper, but he halted her, clamping his arm around her waist and pulling her up against him. The sound of Theodora's gleeful laughter faded in the distance as she gazed up into his eyes. His fingers eased their grip on her arm as his other hand swept up her back, pressing her even closer.

"You are beautiful when you are covered with snowflakes," he whispered. "Your cheeks are flushed, and your hair is soft around us. And your lips look hungry for a kiss to warm them."

"It is not cold in here."

"You are right." His hand stroked her back. "It is very warm with you in my arms."

"Theodora is here." She wondered how she could talk him out of kissing her when she wanted him to so very much.

With a laugh, he looked over his shoulder. "Would you be bothered if I kiss Serenity?"

"Nurse says that is what people who want to get married do." She grinned.

"As you don't mind, and Henry does not mind-"

"Only if Miss Adams does," the valet said with a chuckle.

"Do you mind, Serenity?" Timothy asked quietly. "Do you mind if I savor a sample of your soft lips?"

"You should not-"

"Heed what you say, but what your eyes tell me." His fingers sifted through her loosened hair, sending it cascading along her back.

When he tilted her mouth toward his, she raised her arm to curve around his shoulders. Why was she fighting what she wanted with all her being? His hair, like unrefined silk, brushed her fingers, and his sand-rough face grazed her as he placed a light kiss on her left cheek. When he moved to kiss her other cheek, she caught his face in her hands. His eyes burned like the dark wood at the very heat of the fire, sparks glinting through their ebony.

"I thought you wanted to kiss my lips," she whispered so softly not even Henry or Theodora could hear.

"More than you can know, sweetheart." He bent toward her as antic.i.p.ation quivered deep within her.

"What is this mess?" came a mocking voice from the doorway.

Serenity yanked herself away from Timothy to see Melanda Hayes in the doorway. The quivers became shivers of dismay that the precious moment had pa.s.sed when she could have delighted in his kiss.

"What have you done to yourself now, Serenity?" Melanda's nose wrinkled in distaste. "I cannot believe that the earl would consider marrying his heir to someone who is so unkempt."

She put her hand up to her hair, which billowed around her with every motion, and replied coolly, "I might find it easier to stay a pattern-card of perfection if I did nothing but sit all day and ply my needle to a piece of fabric." She halted herself before she could say more.

Seeing Melanda's eyes brighten, Serenity knew she would be a widgeon to allow the young woman to send her into a pelter. Melanda Hayes enjoyed an uproar. No quiet meal was allowed. Melanda seemed compelled to prattle about someone she had met in London who did not meet her expectations, delighting in belittling them, especially if they revealed any skills she could never obtain.

Quietly, Serenity continued, "To own the truth, we were having a s...o...b..ll fight."

"Inside?"

"One does not get chilled this way." She bent and gathered up another handful of the paper sc.r.a.ps. Tossing them into the air, she said, "This is our blizzard." She looked at where Timothy still stood beside the ladder. "Timothy is hanging up some of our snowflakes."

Melanda's nose wrinkled again. "That is so-"

"Amusing," Felix said as he appeared behind her. Resting his shoulder on one side of the doorway, he folded his arms in front of him. "Is this your idea, Serenity?"

"A very good one," Timothy said. He put his hand on Serenity's back, gently stroking it.

Did he think this would help calm her? Mayhap her anger, but his touch sent a pulse through her that set every inch of her to shimmering like the air after a bolt of lightning cut through.

"Will you go away?" Theodora asked with childish candor. Too much candor, Serenity realized, when she went on, "Timothy was about to kiss Serenity."

"Is that so?" Felix's smile grew brittle. "That is a surprise, knowing what I know about you."

Serenity stiffened, but before she could think of what to say, Theodora added, "Why is that a surprise? They are getting married. People who are getting married kiss."

"That is so." Felix squatted by her chair. "You know a lot, don't you, Theodora?"

"I know you and Miss Hayes must be getting married, too."

"Miss Hayes and I have made no such plans." He glanced at Timothy, who was watching without expression, then gave Theodora another smile. "You should not heed what you hear."

"I am heeding what I saw. I saw you and Miss Hayes kissing in the water garden."

Felix stumbled back to his feet as Melanda's face blanched. She said something to him that Serenity could not hear while they left the room.

"Henry," Timothy asked in their wake, "will you find Theodora's nurse, please?"

"Yes, my lord." He wore a worried expression. "If I can do anything else, my lord ..."

"Nothing else. Serenity and I will begin cleaning up this mess with Theodora's supervision while you retrieve Theodora's nurse."

Serenity knelt again by Theodora's chair when she saw tears glistening in the little girl's eyes. "Don't be sad. If you cry, you will melt the roof of your snow den."

"I will, won't I?" Theodora gave her a watery grin. "I did not mean to cause trouble."

"You caused no trouble," Serenity a.s.sured her.

"None at all." Timothy handed her some of the paper sc.r.a.ps. "While you make another s...o...b..ll, I need Serenity to help me pick up more of this paper."

Seeing the intensity in his eyes, Serenity nodded. She was not surprised when he led her to the farthest pieces on the carpet. As she knelt to pick up the white spots that stuck stubbornly to the floor, she whispered, "I am sorry if Theodora unsettled you with her comments about Felix and Melanda. She had mentioned that earlier to me and-"

"My cousin may kiss whomever he pleases, as he always has."

"Then what bothered you?"

He took her hand and dumped the pieces she held into his. "I do not like being threatened, Serenity."

"Threatened?" She grasped his arm. "I had hoped I heard Felix wrong."

"You did not."

She stood when he did. Keeping her voice low, she said, "Timothy, if you want to put an end to this betrothal now, I will do what you need me to do."

"And then what?"

"I don't know."

He put one finger beneath her chin and tipped it toward him. "I shall not have you turned out with no place to go."

"Your house in London-"

"Would mean the ruin of your reputation if it was learned I set you up there. Everyone would a.s.sume you were my mistress, and no lady would hire you to work in her household." He smiled coolly, even though his eyes still burned as they had when he had been about to kiss her. "I am not ready to end our betrothal yet, but I am beginning to wonder if my cousin had only our grandfather's best interests at heart when he concocted this plan in that inn."

"But what could he hope to gain otherwise by making sure you remained in your grandfather's favor?"

"I don't know, Serenity, and I hope I am wrong. I do know, however, that I intend to find out."