A Christmas Dance by Alissa Johnson

Author:Alissa Johnson [Johnson, Alissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Regency, Historical Romance, Holidays
Amazon: B00L3F17F8
Published: 2014-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

William eyed the little boy before him with something akin to alarm tickling along his skin.

He loved his nephews, each and every one of them, and he would freely admit as much to anyone who might care to listen. He would also admit that, if it was at all possible, he would prefer to express his devotion from a healthy distance. The younger the nephew, the healthier the distance.

Small children were such unpredictable little blighters--giggling cherubs one moment with happy smiles and big eyes, and then the next thing a man knew, they were screaming at the top of their lungs, producing vast rivers of tears, and demanding you fetch them something called “bwon won,” or “gwaba,” or another equally incomprehensible object.

This particular nephew had recently outgrown the tendency to babble incoherently, but he remained still a very small child and, as a rule, very small children were loud, clingy, sticky, needy, wet, and--perhaps worst of all--terrifyingly breakable.

He glanced down the hall and wondered if there was any way he could shout for his sister without completely unmanning himself in front of Patience.

He rather doubted it.

Resigned to handling the situation, he crouched down, hesitated, then reached up to gently ruffle the boy’s hair. “Lose a tooth, did you?”

Patience frowned as the boy nodded. “Isn’t he a trifle young to be losing his teeth?”

“I imagine he had assistance.” William pointed at the boy’s chin. “Did you hit your mouth on something, Will?”

“Felix.”

“Felix struck you?”

Will shook his head and patted his elbow.

“Ah. You caught his elbow with your mouth,” William translated. “An accident?”

Will nodded, and once again prodded the space with his tongue.

Patience averted her eyes. “Oh, dear.”

“Not in front of the lady, if you please,” William admonished. He withdrew a handkerchief and used it to stop the small amount of blood that was still oozing from the wound. “Let’s find your nanny and get you cleaned up a bit.”

“Or a lot,” Patience suggested.

William chuckled and stood, then very carefully reached out to pick the boy up, only to have Will back away and point at Patience.

“You want Miss Byerly to accompany you?”

Will nodded.

Excellent plan, young man.

“Me?” Patience took a sudden step back. “Oh, I can’t, I’m afraid. Caroline has torn her gown, and—“

William cut her off with a chiding tone. “Patience.”

“She has,” she informed him. “In earnest, for a change. I need to find a maid with thread and needle.”

William nodded. “Right. I’ll find the maid. You take Will to his nanny.”

“I. . .” She bit her bottom lip. “I. . Er. . .Won’t they be in the family portion of the house? I don’t wish to intrude.”

“They’re in the orangery at the end of the hall. You won’t be intruding,” he assured her.

Only she didn’t appear reassured in the least. Her fingers began to rub at a velvet ribbon on her gown. “But. . .Couldn’t you take him?”

William looked to Will. “Do you want me to take you?”

The boy shook his head.

“It appears I cannot.” He smiled at Patience. “He wants you.

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