The Viscount's Christmas Bride by Bronwyn Scott

Author:Bronwyn Scott [Scott, Bronwyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-10-22T07:00:00+00:00

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She was playing with fire and it was she who was going to get burned. Aurelia settled on the window seat of her chamber, her white nightgown billowing about her, and looked out into the night, out on to the drive, stretching down the road she and Julien had driven just an hour ago. Her doll sat waiting for her on the bed with its turned-down covers inviting her to sleep, but Aurelia thought sleep would elude her for a while.

She ought to have been exhausted from a long day spent out of doors full of activity. She ought to go to sleep with a head full of happy remembrances: mind pictures of little Alex’s laughter, the thrill of the fair games, the delicious foods, the fun of strolling the booths and purchasing gifts. Instead, what dominated her thoughts were not those mental pictures, but other pictures: images of Julien, tall and commanding in his greatcoat, striding through the fairgrounds, stopping to talk with the townsfolk, to shake hands and listen; Julien’s dark eyes lighting up as he talked about expanding the bakery with Jonas Manning; Julien helping his nephew win a prize at the ring toss.

Those images stoked sensations, too, like how it felt to stroll booths beside this man who’d organised the fair, who’d found a way to combine Hemsford’s love of Christmas with the new railroad branch line to bring economic opportunity to his village.

But he’d not been a slave to his own importance, as a lesser man might. Instead, he had made her experience his concern, shopping with her, handing out coins for her purchases without complaint—very unlike her father who begrudged her every penny. Even after the families had departed for home, Julien had made sure she enjoyed the fair, even after she’d set him up at the mistletoe arch.

She sighed and fingered her braid, watching a star. The night had been magical, almost as if they’d been able to step out of time, able to step away from the past and its mistakes when darkness had fallen. These were the remembrances she treasured most from the day. When the ruse hadn’t mattered, she’d leaned against the strength of his chest, and his arms had wrapped about her as the lights came on and the carollers sang.

Then they’d danced. She wrapped her arms about herself in a hug. That had been the most magical by far, his hand in hers, his hand at her waist, his smile, his eyes unguarded as they laughed, enjoying the music, the night and each other, their bodies remembering the ease with which they used to dance together, used to touch.

‘It made me reckless.’ She looked across the room to the doll. ‘It made me want more.’ She stifled a yawn and made her way to the bed—perhaps sleep would come after all now that she’d let her mind relive the day. She flopped back on the pillows. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed him. It’s just that he’s so handsome and so kind, always thinking of others,’ she told the doll.

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