Page 4 of The Dare Before Christmas

Fred rolled his eyes at his little brother. “Heorot is Old English for a hart or stag. It’s a play on words.”

“Then why isn’t it Hart’s Folly with an a, not ea?” Harry demanded.

“Because of the love story, I suppose,” Torie replied with a sigh, gazing out of the window.

How romantic it was. To think, Mr Payne had built the house expressly to please his beloved wife. That the man had so wanted to make her happy that he spent far too much to make the house as beautiful as he could.

“Well, I don’t think it’s very romantic to spend all their money on a house they can’t afford,” Fred retorted, pragmatic as usual. “What’s the use of it if they can’t afford to live in it?”

“Oh, but they did live in it. Somehow Mr Payne turned his fortunes around. I don’t know how. They were happy here for generations until the name died out towards the end of the last century. At least, that’s what Evie said. The place was in a shocking state when Louis bought it. There’s been a huge amount of work done, though Evie says part of the house is still untouched. It’s a vast place. I bet there’s lots of secret rooms and hidey holes.”

Jules stirred, opening his eyes to give Torie a curious glance. “That being the case, why aren’t you beside yourself with excitement, desperate to explore? Surely you’ve been dreaming about mad monks and Gothic horror stories with such a delicious backdrop as that?”

Torie shrugged, but Jules knew her too well and continued to study her. Until recently, Torie had been desperately excited, but now her pleasure in the coming days was diminished by the knowledge that Barnaby Godwin did not like her. Now she must spend the entire Christmas period in the company of a man she esteemed above all others, knowing that he despised her. It was a most lowering experience. Torie did not believe she had a right to his love or attention, and she could have accepted him not feeling the same way, but such an obvious rejection from a man known for his kindness and good manners… well, that hurt.

Torie looked up, finding Jules watching with concern. Well, let him. She was not about to explain herself any more than he would do. They both had their secrets. So she turned away and concentrated on watching the countryside change as they grew closer to Heart’s Folly.

Louis César lounged on the bed and watched with pleasure as his wife dabbed a little perfume behind her ears. It was an expensive scent he had bought for her whilst they were in the south of France. Evie turned to smile at him and got up from before her dressing table, holding a box of jewellery in her hands.

“Would you help me, Louis?” she asked.

He stood and moved closer, smiling as he saw the exquisite set of emeralds he had given her for her birthday a few years ago. She had not known he was in love with her back then, and had been blissfully ignorant of what kind of man he really was. So much had changed, and he counted his blessings every morning he woke beside her.

“I’m glad I don’t have to hide them any longer,” she said, her eyes sparkling.

Louis fastened the heavy necklace in place, amused as she shivered at the touch of the cold jewels. Sliding his arms about her waist, he bent and kissed the sensitive spot beneath her ear, making her shiver again.

“I’m glad we don’t have to hide any longer, or this might be awkward,” he murmured, smoothing his hands over the burgeoning swell of her stomach.

Evie’s hands covered his, and she chuckled.

“A little more than awkward, but I don’t think anyone is unaware of our marriage now, not after the amount of scandalous headlines and prints we’ve generated over the past years.”

Louis pulled her closer, inhaling the scent of long hot summers, remembering making love to her in the beautiful gardens of the house they’d bought overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Desire simmered beneath his skin and, as much as he was looking forward to their first Christmas at Heart’s Folly, he rather wished their guests elsewhere for the moment.

“Stop it,” she scolded, though she was laughing still.

“Stop what?” he demanded, all innocence, though he knew she could feel his reaction to her proximity through layers of silk and petticoats.

“You know very well what,” Evie chided him, turning in his arms. “We have guests, so there’s no escaping dinner and going to bed early. You must behave, husband.”

He sighed heavily, staring down at her. “If I must.”

“You must,” she said firmly, but pressed a kiss to his lips before moving away and sitting back down at her dressing table to add the earrings and hair clips that went with the necklace. The emeralds glittered in the lamplight against the smooth perfection of her skin. “Barnaby is unhappy.”

Louis nodded, sitting down on the mattress again as he waited for her to finish her toilette.

“Oui, of this I am aware. The hopes he had for Miss Robinson were dashed, it appears. I did not like her, as you know. Rather an insipid creature. Apparently, she took one look at Blackstone and made her interest abundantly clear. Another young lady in search of a title.”

“Well, you did warn him,” Evie said with a sigh. “Oh, the poor man. But really, why is he being so stubborn about the young lady who admires him so? Won’t you tell me who it is, Louis?” she asked for the tenth time.

He laughed and shook his head. “I cannot, mon amour. I promised him, so you must guess. But Barnaby believes she is too far above him and does not wish to tread the same path he did with Lady Millicent. He’s afraid of being labelled a fortune hunter but, more to the point, I believe he already has feelings for the lady and fears he might get his heart broken if it went wrong this time.”

Evie huffed with frustration. “Oh, poor Barnaby. But can’t you at least give me a clue?”

Louis shook his head, enjoying her exasperation. Teasing her was always a delightful pastime.

She wrinkled her nose in consternation. “Well, what do you think? If the lady is someone we know, you must have an opinion.”