The Dashing Duke: Novella (The 12 Dukes 0f Christmas Book 1) by Annabelle Felix

Author:Annabelle Felix [Felix, Annabelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Novella Length Short Story, The 12 Dukes 0f Christmas, Clean & Wholesome, Historical Romance, Women's Fiction, Regency & Victorian Romance, London Society, England-Britain, 19th Century, Forever Love, Bachelor, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Beautiful & Feisty, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Christmas Holidays & Celebration, Christmas Time, Holiday Whimsy, Festive Season, Winter Weather
Publisher: Romance Amour
Published: 2019-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

* * *

Getting back to the house took Ivy a little longer than expected. A little longer being the full hour and a half plus more. She had gotten stuck thinking about the castle again, the novels, her silly hopes for romance. By the time she realized she had been caught in her thoughts, it had been growing dark, and the woods looked much different in the dark of winter.

Luckily, she didn’t get completely lost, but still found her way back to the house a little later than she needed to be. She ran up the driveway, careful not to slip in the snow. The house was already glowing in the early winter evening, and the snow that was falling gave it a picturesque look.

It won’t be worth it to try to sneak in, she decided, racing up the steps. Berthilda might rat on her, and it would only make her look worse for all of it. Besides, they must have noticed I was missing! What if they sent out a search party already — and in vain?

Out of breath, she flung open the doors.

“I’m here!” she called out, voice echoing throughout the house. There was a beat of silence. “It’s Ivy, I’m alive!”

A shuffle of noise came from the drawing room, followed by her mother, sisters, the Baron, and the—

Gabe. Her eyes landed on him first. What is he doing her?

He had a look of humor on his face, as if amused by the fact that she was nearly pronounced dead in the snow. The rest of them wore startled, humiliated looks on their faces, as if ashamed by the scene she was creating. How could they be so cruel, were none of them worried about her?

“It appears you are feeling better,” Gabe was the first to recover himself, smiling in that way that made her heart beat. He turned to Lady Wentworth. “Your mother told us you were suffering from a terrible headache, did the weather do you any good?”

“No, I was—” Ivy stuttered in a most unladylike way. She collected her thoughts, pushing her shoulders back. “The weather did me well, thank you. Now, if you will give me a few moments, I shall join you in the drawing room.”

She didn’t give any of them time to reply, making her way up the stairs. She rung for Berthilda the instant she got into her room and began pulling off her gown. She would wear the red one for tonight, hopefully she hadn’t ruined the mood already—

Berthilda worked with speed and without saying a word. The look Ivy gave her when she came in was enough to keep her silent, she refused to have her actions questioned anymore.

In a record amount of time, Ivy found herself walking back to the drawing room, taking a deep breath before she entered. For once, the drawing room seemed lively — that was odd. Usually, when the Baron came over, they ate dinner and then he read them some boring passage from a boring book that made Ivy want to fall asleep.

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