Yuletide Treasure by Andrea Kane

Author:Andrea Kane
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Pocket Star
Published: 2012-11-27T12:07:42.146000+00:00

Six

“NOELLE, NOT SO CLOSE TO THE POND,” BRIGITTE INSTRUCTED, simultaneously reaching up to collect another sprig of holly.

“But Fuzzy wants to learn how to sail.” Flat on her stomach, Noelle crept a bit closer to the water’s edge, straddling Fuzzy across the piece of driftwood she intended to serve as his boat. “And he wants to learn now, before it gets too cold and the water freezes.”

“How very ambitious of him.” Abandoning her task, Brigitte approached Noelle with a pointed lift of her brows. “But tell me, can Fuzzy swim? Or, more important, can you?”

Noelle frowned. “No. We can’t.”

“Ah. Well, you’re in good company—neither can I. And, since I suspect that pond is far taller from top to bottom than either you or I—and certainly Fuzzy—I’d prefer not to tempt fate. All right?”

“All right.” Grudgingly, Noelle rose, rubbing her dirty hands on her mantle, thereby transferring stains from the former to the latter. “What are you doing?”

“Gathering holly.”

“Why? You said Uncle won’t let us celebrate Christmas.”

“He won’t.” Brigitte grinned. “I’m hoping he’ll change his mind.” She squinted at her rapidly growing collection, visualizing Farrington’s sitting room alive with the spirit of Christmas: its barren walls decorated with wreaths of holly and mistletoe, its fireplace reawakened and aglow, its floor piled high with gifts. And in the center of it all, she, Eric, and Noelle, standing about a glorious evergreen heralding the season.

On cue, Brigitte’s gaze shifted to the magnificent fir she’d selected for that all-important role, the perfect nucleus of a perfect fantasy.

“Brigitte?” Noelle’s voice interrupted her daydream. “’Cept at his window, I haven’t seen Uncle for more than three weeks—since the day you talked to him. Have you?”

The fantasy shattered into bitter shards of reality.

“No, love.” Brigitte shook her head. “I haven’t. Apparently, your uncle needs more time alone.”

“More time? He’s always alone. He didn’t even come out when your grandfather visited. Though I’m positive he knew the vicar was here—I saw him watch the carriage arrive.”

A slight smile. “Noelle, you spend far too much time spying on your uncle’s window.”

“It’s only too much ’cause he’s there too much. If he weren’t, it wouldn’t matter how often I looked, ’cause he wouldn’t know I was looking.” On the heels of that bit of reasoning, Noelle pursed her lips. “Why don’t you visit him anymore?”

Brigitte sighed. “You and I have discussed this. I didn’t visit him at all—not even the one time I went to his chambers. I merely went to ask if we could celebrate your birthday, and he agreed.”

“I didn’t hear him shouting. Neither did Fuzzy.”

“That’s because he didn’t. I explained the situation, and he gave his consent.”

“Then if you weren’t arguing and you weren’t visiting, why were you in there such a long time?”

Heat suffused Brigitte’s body as she recalled the answer to that question.

Those moments in Eric’s arms had been the most unexpected and exquisite of miracles—excruciating pleasure and equally excruciating anguish. Oh, he’d warned her, been honest with her from the start. Not only about his motives for taking her to bed, but about the aftermath, how it would affect her.

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