Page 34 of The Dare Before Christmas

For a moment Hester entertained fond imaginings of the set down she would give her young nephew for endangering the reputation of the Duke of Bedwin’s daughter. And then she reconsidered. Barnaby was the only good thing her wretched prig of a brother had ever produced, though in Hester’s opinion that was only because she’d spent a good deal more time with him than she had the other horrid boys. Perhaps it was arrogant of her, but she thought it was largely her doing that he had turned out so well. He was a good man, honourable, decent and kind. He’d make an excellent husband. It would be quite a comedown for Lady Victoria, of course. With her breeding, her beauty—and not to mention her dowry—she could expect to make a splendid match. But splendid matches were not always happy ones. Now she came to think on it, she had noticed the way Victoria looked at Barnaby and had wondered if the girl had a tendre for him.

She did not, for one moment, entertain the notion that there was a tryst going on. Her nephew was far too decent for such behaviour. However, if they were alone together….

Hester pursed her lips, considering. Yes, that might be a very good thing for Barnaby. Just what he needed. However, there was always the possibility that they were not together, and that one, or both, were in difficulties. After all, if they were not in the house, with the weather as it was… Barnaby would never keep a young lady out in the cold, but if he’d realised she was missing, he would have gone looking for her. Oh, blast and bother. There was nothing else for it.

Hurrying back up the stairs, Hester made her way to the duke’s rooms and knocked.

The door opened a moment later, a snotty looking valet regarding her with such condescension her already frayed nerves sparked, lighting her temper.

“Out of the way,” she said, with the obey or die tone she used when she was dealing with men who thought they could speak to her like a foolish old lady. The valet’s eyes widened, and he took a hasty step back.

Hester strode into the duke’s rooms, entering an elegant living room that showed no sign of the man. Setting down the lamp, she stalked to the adjoining door.

“Axton, I really must… oh!”

Hester froze, realising too late she really ought not to have marched into the duke’s bedroom unannounced, at an hour when he was bound to be dressing for dinner. Thankfully, he was not naked, but that was, in Hester’s opinion, a small mercy. He stood in his stockinged feet, trousers in place—thank the lord—but his shirt hung open and…. For a few years she had heard reports that Axton was becoming a fat old man, bitter and angry and too keen on keeping company with his wine cellar to be a good companion. Yet, since his appalling mother had died and his daughter-in-law had taken on the running of the vast mausoleum he called home, things had changed. For the better. Here was the man she remembered from so very long ago: older, without a doubt, his hair steel grey, matching the hair on his chest, but that chest was strong still, broad and powerful and made her feel things that….

Hester turned her back on him.

“Really, Axton, can you not at least make yourself presentable when a lady comes into the room?”

“I would have done, love, only you didn’t seem to have done looking,” he replied mildly.

“Arrogant man. You took me by surprise, is all.”

“Ah, yes. Surprising of me to be dressing in my bedroom at such an hour. Forgive me. Now, you dreadful creature, what has ruffled your feathers to such a pitch that you must come barging in on me to stare at my magnificence?”

“I was not staring at… oh, never mind that, you old goat. Lady Victoria is missing, and so is Barnaby.”

The duke let out a low chuckle, and Hester tutted with annoyance.

“It’s not like that!” she protested. “At least, I don’t think it is. The thing is, they are not in the house, and Barnaby would never keep a young woman out on a night like this. He’s far too considerate. I’m worried, Axton. I think something has happened to them.”

“Are you quite certain they are not in the house, love? It’s a big place. Plenty of empty rooms available to, er… find a bit of privacy.”

“I am not your ‘love!’” Hester snapped, annoyed with the arrogant devil for speaking to her with such familiarity when they were strangers now. “And no, no I am not certain, but the staff haven’t seen them and… and I’m worried,” she admitted, wrapping her arms about herself.

Oh, why must Axton be such a thorn in her side, even after all this time? She had made peace with herself when he had walked away. She had even forgiven him for it once she had met her husband and discovered there was still happiness to be found in the world. But now he was here, stirring everything up when she had been quite content with the way things were. Damn and blast Louis César for inviting him.

Hester jolted as large, warm hands settled on her shoulders. “I’m sure they’re fine, Hester. Give me a moment and I shall help you look for them.”

“Thank you,” she said, letting out a breath.

Just for a moment, she wondered what it might be like to allow herself to lean into him, to feel that warmth and strength at her back. It had been such a very long time since she’d had anyone to lean on, over twenty years since her husband had died. She was a strong woman, capable and disinclined to suffer fools, but that did not mean that she didn’t want someone to share her troubles with, someone to….

“I’ll wait in the other room,” she said, annoyed with herself for even thinking about it.

She stalked away from him without another word.

Chapter 10

Dear Alana,

Thank you so much for coming to visit me at Dern yesterday. Do you think anyone ever talked as much as our mothers did? I don’t think either of them stopped to breathe, they chattered so hard. It was lovely to see Mama happy, though; she has been a little dispirited of late with Pip being away so much and I haven’t helped matters with my dreadful escapades. I don’t know if you know why but I am rather in disgrace. I was too mortified to admit it to you during your visit, but I have not been out much of late, and the weather has been so dismal I have been quite blue devilled too, so your company was exactly what I needed.

I was disappointed to hear you would not be staying in the area for long, so your letter, inviting me to stay with you and your family at Holbrook House next year, was a lovely surprise. I so want to come, only I am still in rather a lot of trouble so I shall have to wait and see. I shall keep everything crossed that I am out of the doghouse by then.

―Excerpt of a letter to Miss Alana Cadogan (daughter of Mr Jerome and Mrs Bonnie Cadogan) from The Lady Catherine ‘Cat’ Barrington (daughter of Lucian and Matilda Barrington, The Most Hon’ble Marquess and Marchioness of Montagu).