A Winter Wager by Rachel Osborne

Author:Rachel Osborne
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Regency Historical Romance, clean and wholesome romance, Love, 19th Century
Publisher: Rachel Osborne
Published: 2019-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Of course, we had to wait until the very worthy clergymen bade us all farewell before we could even think of making our journey here....!” Erasmus Finch drawled, laughing at his own witticism and apparently convinced everyone else found him equally amusing.

Edmund, standing at the mantelpiece, rolled his eyes and prayed his neighbours did not find his friend quite an insufferable as he did. This was the third time Erasmus had made the Worthy by name, worthy by nature pun and it had got less amusing each time he heard it.

The door opened, then, and Edmund glanced up as Juliet flounced in, with Bess beside her.

“Good afternoon, Juliet!” he called, striding forward to greet his friend in their usual companionable way. She took his hand stiffly, before shooting him a distracted smile and sliding past him into a seat beside Nash, who scarcely seemed to notice her, so entangled was he in a whispered conversation with Louisa on his other side.

“I hope we didn’t disturb you, Juliet,” Edmund continued, determined not to be put off by her frosty welcome. “We were talking, my friends and I, about having a little Christmas Eve supper and Heatherington suggested we run over here and invite you all immediately, didn’t you Heatherington?”

“I’m sorry?”

Michael had been poring over a newspaper and looked up at the sound of his name.

Edmund swallowed a sigh.

“You wished to ensure Miss Turner - that all of the Turners - would join us for dinner tomorrow.” Edmund smiled. That had been a calculated slip, but one he hoped would be effective. His eyes slid over Madeline and he was a gratified to see her cheeks colour as she attacked the fire with a poker, feigning obliviousness.

“That is very kind of you, Edmund!” Mrs Turner said, with a genial smile. “Are you sure your mother is quite happy to host us all on Christmas Eve?”

“Of course!” Edmund laughed. “Why would she not be?”

His gaze swung around the room to Juliet, his smile dying a little as he saw the ferocity with which she was glaring at him. What have I done now? No wager, however successful he might be moments away from being, was worth sacrificing his oldest and dearest friend.

“Surely she will want you all to herself, this close to Christmas,” Juliet said, slowly, dropping her gaze to Madeline, and watching her sister work. “As it is, your house is filled with guests.”

“Filled with my friends,” Edmund conceded. “She will be more than happy to add a few of her own to even out the balance!” He turned back to Mr and Mrs Turner, the couple he valued as a second set of parents, and from whom he was rather more certain to gain an affirmative answer. “Do say you will come! I am inviting that Hodge fellow, as well, and his father, for they are but newly arrived in Clifton and no no-one.”

Madeline started at this, leaving go her hold on the poker and turning to regard Edmund with curiosity.

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