A Bride for Christmas (Sweet Regency Novella) by Aileen Fish

Author:Aileen Fish [Fish, Aileen]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-12-05T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Wishing to spend time with her namesake niece, Julianna made her way to the nursery after breakfast, stopping by her room to pick up a book. She noticed a sheet of paper on the table beside the chair. Obviously a child's drawing, the sketch was a rather detailed depiction of a dragon in flight. Flames shot from the open mouth.

She had no question as to who had placed the drawing in her room.

She set the paper down and hurried to the nursery, not wanting to think about why Mr. Sinclair would give her such a gift, nor the implication giving gifts implied. Was he courting her?

Little Julie came running into her arms when she entered the room. Julianna's heart filled with joy at the tiny arms stretching to reach around her. "You play with me?" her niece asked.

"How could I not? I must make up for all the months I have to be away from you."

"Why can't you live with me and Mama and Papa? You may share my bed."

"May I sleep there when I visit? Aunt Phillips would be very sad if I didn't return home soon. She lives all alone."

Little Julie struggled to free herself and took Julianna's hand. "Come read to me."

Following her niece, Julianna chose a book from the shelf and curled into the window seat with the little girl beside her. She turned to the last page she'd read and began to recite. After a few pages she realized the room was unusually quiet for morning. Glancing about, she noticed the older children were missing. She asked the governess where they were.

"They've gone off with their uncle, my lady."

Which of the gentlemen had taken them away? And why did she care? As much as she enjoyed each and every child, she spent little concern on how they were entertained each day. There were simply too many to keep track of. The poor young woman given their charge deserved an extra month's pay for the number of children in her care during this visit. Clemmie's nursemaid had her hands filled with Edward, and Julianna wasn't quite sure why Mr. Peter Sinclair's governess was not present. But it was none of Julianna's concern.

About the time she began to notice the chill of sitting by the window, the nursery door opened and the six older children rushed in, screaming and bouncing in their excitement. Little Julie, whose head was resting on Julianna's shoulder, sat up, suddenly more awake. "I play with Frankie now."

Julianna smiled, wondering how the wild boy felt about his cousin wanting to follow him around. "Go ahead."

Frank waved a wooden sword in the air. "I'm Captain Sinclair. Give up your arms!"

Mr. Sinclair walked up behind the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not in front of the little ones, my boy. You'll give them a fright."

Was Mr. Sinclair's rank that of captain? How like him to not use his rank now that he'd left the army. As the two oldest boys ran off to find something, she spoke to their uncle.

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