A Christmas Affair to Remember by Mia Vincy

Author:Mia Vincy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inner Ballad Press

CHAPTER 12

Sylvia wriggled her legs against the sheets and giggled softly to herself. The curtains were open and the fire was lit, the maid having already been in this morning—oh, how decadent her days had become!—and she sighed at the shimmering silver of the new winter’s day.

That tryst with Isaac yesterday— Dear heaven, she had truly done that! She could hardly believe it of herself. Yet she felt renewed, youthful, hopeful. She couldn’t remember feeling like this since…

Since the early days of her marriage to Michael, when their future looked bright, safe, and happy, and she’d believed in him so wholly she had never even thought to question it.

An unexpected jolt of fear had her throwing back the blankets and leaping out of bed. She had placed her future in Michael’s hands— Well, a woman had no choice. A wife depended upon her husband to treat her future with care. Excitement and pleasure were all very well, but, in the end, they had not made her safe.

Mercifully, the maid chose that moment to arrive with fresh water, providing a happy distraction. As she dressed, Sylvia’s eyes fell on the latest letter from Graham, pages of minute details on how he was sleeping poorly and feeling the chill and how Mrs. Yates the housekeeper had rearranged the furniture to suit him better. “You may choose to make further changes, as suits us both,” he had added graciously, “but for now, our housekeeper displays a very pleasing sensitivity to my needs, and you will be glad to know I am in such good hands.”

Guilt washed over her anew. She was behaving terribly, and the fact that Graham would never know—that no one would ever know—did little to salve her conscience. I’ll be a good wife to him, she vowed to her reflection. I’ll give him every ounce of my attention and care and loyalty. I’ll put his comfort above my own.

But the bright-eyed woman in the mirror was almost a stranger; even her skin seemed to glow and her hair looked lustrous. And that stranger in the mirror said, “Yes, yes, but not yet.”

Oh, but she was a terrible person, she thought as she dashed out of her bedroom. And foolish, foolish, foolish. Feeling free and young was as addictive as a fine wine or cake. How easy it was to forget her struggles, now she was warm again, and well clothed and well fed. Don’t get carried away, she scolded herself. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. This was nothing but a short respite, and however much she enjoyed Isaac, it was only an affair.

An affair, she decided, was like a game of Snapdragon. Heady, sweet treats were on offer, but one had to snatch them from the flames, which meant there was always the risk of getting burned. On the other hand, one might get a raisin with a button inside, and be granted a boon. And so help her, but Isaac DeWitt was definitely a boon.

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