It Happened One Christmas by Kaitlin O'Riley

Author:Kaitlin O'Riley
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2011-08-18T04:00:00+00:00

18

Strike the Harp and Join the Chorus

Friday, December 12, 1873

Devon House was in a state of joyous upheaval. At long last, Juliette had returned home, bringing with her a trunk full of exotic and extravagant gifts, her handsome American husband, and the surprise of all surprises, her infant daughter.

Lisette cradled her tiny niece in her lap as she swayed gently back and forth in the rocking chair. The feel of a baby in her arms almost made her cry, she wanted one of her own so very much. “Oh, Juliette, how could you not even have told us you were expecting?”

“I was afraid something bad would happen, so until my child arrived in this world safely, I wasn’t risking anything,” Juliette, her blue eyes gleaming, explained with her usual breeziness. Her long dark hair hung loose around her, giving her the appearance of a gypsy.

The Hamilton sisters were all gathered in Colette’s sitting room late that afternoon, happy to be reunited.

Not hiding her sarcasm in the least, Paulette demanded, “When did you become so superstitious?”

“Since I began spending time with sailors.” Juliette smiled cryptically at her four sisters. “And they are a very superstitious lot, I can assure you. They may seem brave and hearty, but they will quake in their boots at the slightest sign of bad luck.”

They nodded in understanding then, for Juliette’s husband was a sea captain and she’d spent the last two years sailing around the world on his ship, the Sea Minx.

“Harrison thought I was a little overzealous in my wariness,” Juliette continued, “but my daughter was born without a bit of trouble. You’ll never guess where!”

“Where?” Colette asked.

“At home! After all our traveling, I thought for sure my first child would be born in China or on an island in the Pacific somewhere, but no. She was born at our home in New Jersey. Can you believe it?”

The girls chuckled at the irony of their world traveler of a sister.

“Well, we are very glad to have you all here in time for Christmas,” Lisette said, still holding the sweet baby girl in her arms. “Especially this little angel,” she cooed to the sleeping infant.

Yvette, always impatient, asked, “Must we wait for Christmas to open your gifts, Juliette?”

“Yes, I am afraid we must!” Juliette declared emphatically, happy to torture her youngest sister. “It’s why we call them Christmas presents.”

“Do you know that this is the first time all five of us have been together since Juliette’s wedding?” Paulette mused as she lay sprawled on the divan, her delicate chin resting on her hands.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Lisette asked with a smile.

Colette, her hand on her burgeoning belly, agreed. “It’s wonderful.”

“We’ve come such a long way since the days we lived above the bookshop,” Juliette reflected, watching her daughter sleeping in Lisette’s arms, while she cuddled her nephew Phillip in her lap. Phillip had been delighted to see his Aunt Juliette, for she had brought him a miniature ship.

“And now we have darling little Sara to join us,” Lisette whispered.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.