James and Annie by Amy Quinton

Author:Amy Quinton [Quinton, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amy Quinton

Lady Harriett Ross,

Once again, that was a complete disaster.

-Warkshire

Your Grace,

Heh. Heh. Sometimes, I think all men are idiots, but I digress.

As far as your courtship is concerned, I disagree.

Trust the process. I know what I’m about.

Better still, trust in Anne.

-Lady Harriett Ross

Annie,

I’m sorry.

-J

CHAPTER 11

A RATHER SUDDEN DEPARTURE

Christmas Dinner

The dining room table sat twenty quite comfortably, and with the greenery winding down its center, the five silver candelabra glowing merrily, and a fire roaring in the large fireplace, the atmosphere was perfectly festive and warm and ready for the upcoming feast.

As the footmen poured the last glass of champagne, Lady Harriett Ross, seated at the head of the table, rang a small silver bell, successfully quieting the table and the many servants standing ‘round. “Forgive an old lady her eccentricities and her gout as I initiate our first toast of the evening from my comfortable seat.” She held up her glass of champagne. “To the Duke of South Warkshire and my honored guest—” Everyone, apart from himself, of course, raised their glasses to the toast. “—the prodigal son, happily welcomed home to the bosom of his family and friends. It gives me great pleasure to have you here alongside my family and close friends this Christmastide. I understand you have accomplished much over the past year, and I commend you your intelligence, diligence, and honor. Welcome home my boy.”

She was probably the only woman in England who could publicly and successfully refer to a duke, particularly one who was of no relation, as ‘my boy’.

He found he quite liked it.

There was a loud echo of what sounded like earnest ‘Hear! Hear!’s as the guests endorsed the sentiment, then sipped their glasses of champagne. His mother, brother, and two sisters, all in attendance, beamed with pride, and he felt the telltale signs of a slight blush which he’d thought he’d quite outgrown after demolishing his naiveté so handily over the past ten years. He glanced down the table to Annie, and she gave him a small smile. He instantly relaxed. Maybe had hadn’t completely spoilt things between them.

He stood. “Thank you, Lady Harriett. I am honored to be here.”

He wanted nothing more than to toast Annie, to once again show everyone in attendance how ardently he admired her, but even he would not tarnish her name by doing so. And his mother would have his head.

Still, it was customary to respond in kind after being toasted so eloquently. “I realize it is customary for me to toast another gentleman at our table, and as I look around me, I am humbled to be in the presence of so many great men and women whom I consider friends and family. You are all the finest of people, and I could not ask for more than to be counted one of your number. It means a lot, as I admit, even though doing so is not the done thing, and I questioned your acceptance upon my return. I expected to be shunned, forgotten, banned even.

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