Midwinter Marriage by Sarah Stanley

Author:Sarah Stanley [Sarah Stanley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780709097433
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2011-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

The Greylake Singers did more than justice to the exhilarating words and music of ‘Adeste fideles’. The old carol rang out as the residents of both the town and castle attended the Christmas morning service, and the atmosphere could not have been more celebratory, or the church more festive, clad as it was in a mantle of seasonal greenery. The Reverend Wakefield had placed a large candle on the altar, its single flame catching reflections in the highly polished plate, as did the sunlight streaming through the medieval glass of the windows.

It was just what a Christmas morning service should be, Beth thought, as she stood with Guy in the central pew of the gallery. She was wearing a sky-blue merino gown and three-quarter-length pelisse, with cream accessories, and beneath a cream fur hat her dark hair was pinned so that three long ringlets fell down over her left shoulder. The marks of last night’s tears had been concealed – well, almost – by judicious bathing with cold water and then the application of Chinese cosmetic papers. Braddy had reassured her that Guy wouldn’t notice anything, but Beth knew he did. Had he realized that he was the cause of her tears? Would he even care if he did? She didn’t know the answer to either question, but wished it could be ‘yes’ to both.

Today she wished so many things that her head seemed to spin. A strangely emotional and capricious mood had overtaken her as they entered the church, so that a sense of confusion and strange excitement pervaded her, and she was so acutely sensitive to Guy that the air seemed to crackle between them. The invisible current danced upon her skin and tingled into her very heart, unsettling her to such an extent that she found it hard to concentrate on the service. She longed for another little glass of the punch Braddy had given them before they went out to the waiting carriage. It had been delicious, a wonderful blend of herbs, spices and other things the housekeeper declined to disclose, but it was quite the most delightful punch Beth had ever tasted.

The Greylake Singers were so accomplished that the wonderful Christmas music brought tears to her eyes. What was the matter with her? She seemed set to pipe at the slightest thing. Suddenly Guy nudged her gently and proffered his handkerchief, which she took gladly. The scent of southernwood clung excitingly to the square of fine cambric, which was also warm from his touch; from his body … Her gloved fingers closed tenderly over it. She might be constantly at odds with him, but she still loved him so much; so very much.

He took her hand suddenly. ‘Are you feeling unwell, Beth?’ he asked in concern.

‘I … I’m overcome by the music.’ Why had he taken her hand? Why did he still hold it?

‘Ah, yes. Of course.’ His thumb moved briefly around her palm. ‘I won’t go down to read the lesson if you’re distressed.’

She looked at him in surprise.

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