A Match Made at Christmas: A Historical Regency Christmas Romance by Ellie St. Clair

Author:Ellie St. Clair [St. Clair, Ellie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prairie Lily Press
Published: 2021-11-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Ivy nervously stood in the drawing room, twisting her hands together, the satin fabric of her ruby red dress caught between her fingers. Why was she so worried about what Everett Pine might think about how she looked? He had made it clear over and over that he had no wish to see her again after this Christmas, let alone consider her as anything more than a passing acquaintance — a childhood friend, if you will — in the future.

And yet, when those blue eyes landed on her, she found that she forgot all rational thought and was sucked in to whatever he had to say to her instead.

It was most vexing, and she had no one to be upset with but herself.

She forced a smile on her face as Everett’s sister Phyllis and her husband passed her when they entered the room. Was Phyllis’ gaze rather knowing, or was Ivy just reading too much into it? Ivy heard a tread on the stair, and her heart jumped as she looked up, through the drawing room door and up the staircase, but instead of Everett descending, it was her mother. Ivy groaned within. She had managed to avoid her for most of the afternoon, her mother more concerned about her own costume for the evening, but Ivy couldn’t avoid her now.

“Ivy,” her mother said, immediately drawing her to the side of the room, “we never had a chance to speak after this afternoon.”

Once they had begun down the corridor, they had immediately been joined by Judith’s mother-in-law and there had been no time for discussion.

“It was very nice of them to invite us,” Ivy said, looking around, hoping no one could hear their discussion as she was sure her mother wouldn’t hold back her true thoughts.

“Yes,” her mother hedged, before twisting her lips into something that could have been misconstrued for a smile but was most definitely the face her mother made when she was judging someone, “however, I was somewhat surprised by Mr. Pine.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” her mother said with a definite nod. “At first, I was convinced that he was most interested in you, and perhaps he still is. But then some of his comments…” She heaved a sigh. “Ivy, I am concerned.”

“About what?”

“Perhaps Mr. Pine does not have the most noble of intentions.”

“Mother,” Ivy said with some exasperation, “please be honest. Did you or did you not contrive for me to spend time with Mr. Pine this Christmas?”

“Ivy!” her mother said, opening her mouth wide in what Ivy assumed was supposed to be obvious shock. “I do wish you would stop assuming such a thing.”

Ivy rolled her eyes at her mother, who had apparently convinced herself that the best course was to remain true to her story. “Say what you will,” Ivy said, “but Mr. Pine has been a gentleman, I can promise you that.”

Even though a large part of Ivy wished that he hadn’t.

“I am glad to hear it,” her mother said, pursing her lips. “It is just that… I have heard some rumors.

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