One Christmas With a Wallflower by Nadine Millard

Author:Nadine Millard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nadine Millard
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

“I cannot believe you won’t feign an illness. Maybe a twisted ankle?”

Jane laughed at Olivia’s pouting face. “You shouldn’t have agreed to go.”

“Yes, well I didn’t know you were going to have a complete change of heart in twenty-four hours, Jane,” Olivia countered with a scowl. “I thought it would do no harm to agree to Lady Fletcher’s silly afternoon musicale because you didn’t want to go to any social engagements so you would help me with an excuse.”

Jane sighed into her wine glass, looking to Alex for help but he merely winked at her before leaning over to press a kiss against Livy’s head. “Sweetheart, didn’t you say you wanted Jane to start enjoying herself more?” he said to his sulking wife.

“Of course I did,” Livy insisted. “And I’m beside myself that she has changed her mind about engaging in social activities. But the Fletcher musicale? We’d be bored to tears within minutes. Which is why I’m confused as to why she won’t just throw herself down a few stairs or something.” She turned to glare at Jane. “Not enough for a serious injury,” she assured her as though she were bestowing a great kindness on her. “But a couple of bruises, to make it believable. That way if the odious Lady Fletcher came to investigate, we’d have proof.”

“If you need an excuse that badly, why don’t you fling yourself down the stairs?” Jane asked, a little stung that her sister thought a few bruises and a twisted ankle was a fair trade for not attending the afternoon event.

To her surprise, instead of answering her back, Olivia turned her face to Alex who was looking at her with such pride, such tenderness that Jane felt as though she was missing something. And then, Olivia’s hand dropped to her stomach.

Jane gasped and jumped from her seat. “Olivia,” she cried. “A-are you?”

“Unable to purposely injure myself for the next nine months, even if it’s to save my ears from Lady Fletcher’s daughters caterwauling? Yes, I am,” Livy answered with a grin, though her eyes were suddenly filled with unshed tears.

And as Jane squealed with delight and threw herself, albeit carefully, into her sister’s arms, her own tears flowed freely down her face. “I’ll do it,” she sniffed while they hugged and cried and laughed and Alex watched on indulgently. “I’ll throw myself down every staircase in the house if you want.”

“I’m afraid that might hinder my plans for tomorrow, Miss Darington.”

As one, they all turned to the door of the family dining room to see Mr. Sampson grinning at them, though his eyes looked confused and even, she thought with a pang, concerned as they ran over her tear-stained face.

“Plans?” Alex asked gruffly. “What plans?”

She looked over at him to see that he was watching Mr. Sampson carefully. Intently. And she suddenly had the strangest urge to defend him.

“Mr. Sampson agreed to teach me how to skate, Alex,” she said swiftly rising to her feet. “I never learned when Olivia did.

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